Get Your Kitchen in Order – Pantry Staples

So you’ve successfully cleaned out your pantry! Maybe it’s looking a little bit empty now? Not to worry, there are plenty of healthful foods I can recommend to stock it up! 

Of course, this isn’t everything I keep in my kitchen, but the real basics that I think everyone can benefit from having around to make healthy eating as easy as possible.

Healthy fats / oils

During your clean-out you should have gotten rid of any junky fats and oils that are best not to be consumed.  Some of the staple, healthy alternatives you should stock instead are:

• Coconut oil

• Butter or ghee

• Avocado oil

• Extra virgin olive oil (mainly for dressings & cold use)

Nuts & Seeds

Having some different nuts and seeds in the cupboard is perfect for an easy snack or as a topping for sweet or savory dishes! Plus, the nut or seed butters from these sources are great in smoothies or spread on some apple or banana pieces for a delicious snack! Here are some basic suggestions to stock up on, I would suggest picking a couple types of nuts and a couple types of seeds to get you started.

• Almonds (almond butter is my absolute favourite)

• Brazil nuts

• Cashews

• Hazelnuts

• Pecans

• Walnuts

• Chia seeds (check out this chia seed pudding recipe!)

• Flaxseeds (I often add this to smoothies or on top of overnight oats!)

• Pumpkin seeds

• Sesame seeds

• Sunflower seeds

Sweeteners

A lot of “healthier” versions of sweet treats will use natural sweeteners in the place of traditional white or brown sugar. Just remember that it’s all still sugar so keep moderation in mind!

• Coconut sugar (not a must, but better for baked goods where a liquid sweetener might alter the structure)

• Honey

• Maple Syrup

Grains & Legumes/Lentils

These aren’t articles I personally consume too often, but they are in general great items to have on stock for those days you accidentally find yourself with an empty fridge!

• Chickpeas

• Gluten-free or lentil-based pasta

• Kidney beans

• Oats

• Quinoa

• Rice

Condiments

Take care when purchasing ready-made condiments as many will contain additives, sugar, and/or junky fats. If you can, try and make them at home yourself! For many things, I tend to use a full-fat Greek yogurt as a mayonnaise replacement; it’s just as delicious and so easy! (Check out this curry yogurt dipping sauce.) These are items I would recommend stocking to make creating your own dressings as easy as possible:

• Apple cider vinegar (try to find one with the mother in the bottle)

• Balsamic vinegar (mix with olive oil for an easy salad dressing)

• Coconut aminos (a soy sauce alternative, or else a low-sodium, gluten-free soy sauce)

• Dijon mustard

• Greek full-fat yogurt

• Mustard 

• Tahini (seed butter made from sesame seeds)

Fermented foods

These guys are so important for feeding those incredible gut bacteria! Try and have a serving of some sort of fermented food once a day (if you’re feeling digestive discomfort afterwards definitely scale back and get in touch with a nutrition professional). Pick one or two from this list to try out and alternate sources occasionally.

• Full-fat yogurt

• Kefir

• Kimchi

• Kombucha

• Miso

• Pickles

• Sauerkraut

• Tempeh

Spices & herbs

There are so many different spices and herbs you could choose to stock, and probably you already have some of these in your cupboard. These guys are what can really make food exciting and completely elevate your dish. Here are some common ones to give you inspiration when stocking up:

• Basil

• Black pepper

• Cardamom

• Cinnamon

• Cloves

• Cumin

• Garlic powder

• Ginger

• Nutmeg

• Onion powder

• Oregano

• Paprika

• Parsley

• Rosemary

• Sage

• Sea salt (way more minerals than the standard table salt!)

• Thyme

• Turmeric

Other staples

• Canned fish (anchovies, sardines, salmon, tuna) – make sure they are canned in water or olive oil without additives

• Canned or frozen vegetables – check the ingredients for any additives

• Non-dairy milks – coconut & almond are my favourites, again check the ingredients list

That’s it for my pantry staples! Hopefully this list will give you a good start on getting stocked up and ready for easy, healthy eating.