I have to laugh because *just* last month I went through and deleted a few pins from my Pinterest---and one of them was a free handout on healthy pantry basics.
Now with most of America hunkered down for a solid month at home, we need to boost our pantry skills. This post is focusing on shelf-stable items, but next week I'll talk about how to stock a fridge to last a full week without perishables going bad.
Welcome to Pantry Basics 101.
There are really only 4 main categories to have on hand that can make an endless variety of quick meals
1) Dried seeds
2) Baking
3) Canned goods
4) Meal starters
Here are the healthiest seeds to have on hand (and this includes all the beans, rice, legumes, nuts and seeds) that I regularly rotate for variety:
- beans like garbanzo and black beans
- nuts like peanuts and almonds
- seeds like rice and chia seeds *yes, rice is seed*
- and my favorite legume, the humble lentil.
Baking involves a lot of preferences but here are some one that find their way into my pantry most often:
- flours like all purpose, bread and almond "flour"
- baking power and soda
- kosher + sea salt
- healthy oils like olive or avocado oils
- CHOCOLATE CHIPS
- dried fruits like coconut flakes and raisins
The space for canned foods in my house is very small but here are things I am never without:
- broth (chicken or beef)
- canned tomatoes (I like diced for flexibility)
- coconut milk
- canned beans
- olives + artichokes
- canned tuna and chicken
For fast meal starters (I try and have at least two meal starters) I keep a few of these around for weekend lunches.
- High fiber cereal
- Protein powder
- Ready to heat pouches like daal or Loma Mexican bowls or noodle cups
- Mac & Cheese (we like Annies white cheddar personally)
- High fiber soups
- High fiber pasta
If you haven't taken a peak in your pantry in a while, and it's a not optimized for health, cleaning up your fridge and pantry is on of the first steps in my free 7 day spring reset. You can join here if you want more inspiration along the way!
To get your free Wellsheet, get it here.
Stay healthy my friends,
Nora