The typical “Western” diet tends to live in the pantry. Boxed meals, chips, crackers, more carbs, and oh yea, more boxed meals. So having a well stocked pantry is a necessity.
It’s also the source of a lot of confusion when it comes to switching to a more healthy lifestyle, full of real foods. So how do you stock a healthy pantry? What are the essentials?
I’m going to give you just that in this post on my top 11 healthy pantry staples you must have because I know you’ll soon be using them all of the time. Along with my top brands in each category. These are tried and true so I can promise big things.
Pssst… I’ve also created a FREE printable checklist so you can keep it on hand to sort through your own cupboards and pantry or wherever you have all of your hidden gems stored.
THE HEART OF A KITCHEN
The heart of a kitchen really lies in having the essentials on hand. It’s generally the things that don’t easily pop to mind when you’re running around the grocery store trying to hit on everything you’ll need for the week. Things like baking soda and powder. So having a good running list {like the check list I created} will be helpful in making sure you have the necessities to take this healthy living thing to new heights.
And if you’re having trouble making the switch or you can’t quite let go of that last meal in a box, then start by adding instead of purging. It’s taking a different mental approach. You just keep adding healthy pantry staples until you squeeze out the old junk that is holding you back.
I can promise in time, with more comfort and ideas of what to make you’ll never turn back. But in the meantime just keep adding. So here’s the list of my top 11 things you need for a well stocked and healthy pantry and the exact brands I use so you are sure to get tested and approved brands.
GRAINS:
Maybe we should classify this as a well-stocked, gluten-free pantry. But regardless I’m not a huge fan of overdoing it on grains anyways. Remember they’re just used as a filler and should be used sparingly. But when I go for a grain, this is what we have on hand.
BEANS + LEGUMES:
Again, not something I rely on in my diet, but I sure do think they can pack a nice punch of nutrients, not to mention they make a great addition to many meals. Like burrito bowls, salads, dips and even brownies, I keep plenty of legumes on hand.
FLOURS:
Being a gluten-free family, it means buying more non-traditional flours. They are more expensive but I use much less of them keeping them around for the occasional treat. And no, they don’t replace white flour 1:1. You must find specific recipes that use these flours. I have plenty of good ones for you like one of my most popular, banana chia cake. DELICIOUS!
HEALTHY SUGARS:
I’m all for your 100% pure and natural sugars but there are few others that make it to the pantry as well. If you’d like to know all of the details and get a free guide to sugar and you can check out this post. If you just want to grab some here are my favorites.
JARRED TOMATOES:
Did you know that you shouldn’t technically buy tomatoes from a can? The acidity can strip the can of the lining and into the metal leading to BPA + heavy metal toxicity. Even if you don’t get that far, I still prefer people buy tomatoes in glass. Not to mention they taste so much better.
SPICES AND HERBS:
I’ll do an entire post soon dedicated to my favorites. But in the meantime I’ll list a few that we use all of the time. Good brands in small quantities will help to keep things fresh and flavorful. If you’ve had dried herbs or spices for over six months, it’s time to throw them out and grab some new ones.
DRESSINGS + SAUCES:
We can’t leave out the flavor packed dressings and sauces. And I’m not talking pre-made salad dressings but rather all of the goodies needed to make your own. Condiments are tricky to find healthy, as is this category. That’s why I’m so particular about brand. Giving it up isn’t generally the issues, it all boils down to good quality brands.
- Tamari Sauce (Gluten-Free Soy Sauce)
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Worcestershire Sauce
COCOA POWDER + CHOCOLATE CHIPS:
Every pantry needs a little chocolate, am I right? So the skinny on chocolate is pretty obvious. In large quantities, it isn’t so skinny. But cocoa powder and chocolate chips actually can be a good addition and are generally needed in a well rounded pantry.
NUT BUTTERS:
Whether you like them smooth or crunchy, nut butters can be added to smoothies, desserts or just eaten as a snack. But again, brand and quality are going to be very important in the line-up. So check out these.
HEALTHY OILS:
Fats are an essential part of the diet. In fact they should compromise nearly half of it. The problem is, there aren’t a ton of options when it comes to fat. But a little can go along way and that is why I recommend stocking up on these basics.
NUTS + SEEDS + DRIED FRUIT
I find that I use nuts, seeds and dried fruit often when cooking. They have a great nutritional profile, some even being considered super foods. So make sure you are stocked up on all of the basics, because these will go a long ways for your health.
WHAT NOW?
Grab the pantry staples checklist and go through your pantry. Start by checking off what you have and then begin deciding where you want to start with stocking. Go all in or take it slow, however you like it. As I say all of the time, healthy eating isn’t a sprint. It’s not an all or nothing, but rather a marathon where we never stop growing.
Don’t get discouraged with this, it is only intended to help and inspire you to create a healthy environment where you can thrive. One day at a time.
And because we’re in the shopping mood, you’re going to want to check out my must-have, inexpensive, glass storage containers for all of your pantry goods. The large ones are great for bulk grains and the small for nuts, seeds and spices.
