Perhaps one of the most important aspects of a simple and happy life is yourself. Your body is the one thing that you have full control of. Though there are many ways to take care of yourself, eating well is vital.

I’m not talking about only eating foods that are healthy for you, I’m speaking on a much broader subject. Food is an art and a tool. The things you choose to eat, where you choose to eat them, and how you get them affect you and the world around you.

The first step in simplifying your kitchen is to eat all natural. It’s always better to shop local produce as opposed to mass produced food which is more likely to contain bad pesticides and GMOs. Put good in, get good out with locally farmed produce and chemical free ingredients.

The next step is eating for the Earth. If you pack your lunch for school or work, try to pack it in reusable dishes instead of plastic bags and containers. This eliminates waste and lowers the amount of trash we send to landfills.

When it comes to leftovers, try making a compost bin. Composting gives the food and trash you usually throw away a second life, which is great for the environment. Plus, if you’re into gardening, you can use the compost you make as fertilizer for the things you grow.

Another way to help the Earth within your diet is to go vegetarian every once in a while, or even full time. According to 50 Ways to Help,  it takes about 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. It also takes a lot of land to farm meat, which calls for plenty of deforestation to make room. Going vegetarian for even just one day can have an impact on the Earth and environment.

More on the topic of minimalism, look out for the items you have in your kitchen. This should be a clean space, free of clutter and stress. Try not to keep more dishes than you need, and absolutely no duplicates. There’s no need for unnecessary tools like a banana slicer, instead, use one dish/tool for many purposes to save space.

You can keep your decluttered space clean with an all natural cleaner. Either make your own all purpose spray in a glass bottle or purchase one like this.

If you have the time, a great thing to do is to have a picnic. This can be a bonding experience for whomever you picnic with and a great way to get outside into nature. Just pick up a nice picnic basket and blanket, cook up your favorite food, and bring your loved ones outside for a meal together.

Every decision you make in your kitchen should be one to further your journey into a healthy lifestyle and keep your home clean and chemical free. Decrease the amount of trash you produce by buying bulk and bringing your own glass containers or cloth bags to store food in. Food is an art that we can use to express ourselves and share with friends and family, how are you utilizing it?