Pack Your Pantry Like a Pro!

Is your pantry stocked with the right foods? Keeping healthy food on hand is the key to eating well, obtaining the nutrients you need, and losing weight. If unhealthy foods are readily available, you're more likely to consume them instead.

Fill your pantry with real foods and nutrient-rich essential ingredients to ensure you always have wholesome, beneficial options at your disposal.

As a bonus, real food contributes to a tidy pantry, and healthy, whole food ingredients might inspire you to experiment with new recipes!

Here are the top foods to keep in your pantry to make it easy to enjoy healthy, real foods every day.

Real Food Pantry Staples

Always have plenty of kitchen staples in your pantry, such as potatoes, onions, canned tomatoes, sauces, whole grain pastas, and fresh herbs and spices like garlic, ginger root and turmeric.

These ingredients are commonly used in nutritional recipes and each provides significant health benefits on their own.

Add stocks and bone broths to your list of healthy pantry staples as well. Choose low-sodium or unsalted options like chicken, beef, and vegetable stock to enhance the flavor of your homemade, healthy entrées and side dishes.

Use them as a base for quick soups or sauces, and enhance rice and whole grains by replacing cooking water with flavorful stock.

Whole Grains, Flours & Baking Ingredients

The vitamins and minerals from healthy whole grains and baking essentials can help fill nutrient gaps in your diet.

Brown rice is a healthy, high-fiber whole grain. Couscous, bulgur and farro are also available in whole-grain versions. These versatile grains complement any meat, fish, poultry, or vegetable as a centerpiece or side dish.

Couscous, bulgur, and the seeds of the grain-like plant quinoa can be cooked quickly. For richer flavor, cook grains in stock and combine them with colorful vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Keep a supply of cooking flours and baking flours made from sprouted grains. The vitamins and minerals from sprouted grains are easier to absorb and digest than those from non-sprouted grains.

You can also opt for grain-free or gluten-free flours like coconut flour, almond flour, oat flour, or rice flour.

Also, stock healthy baking essentials such as organic vanilla extract, baking powder and baking soda, along with honey and other natural sweeteners.

Fats & Oils

Choose healthy fats and enrich your diet with essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-7. Keep avocado oil or olive oil in your pantry for use in your favorite recipes.

The fruity, peppery flavor of extra-virgin olive oil is ideal for salad dressings and pairs well with whole grains. Drizzle it on pasta dishes or on crusty bread topped with diced tomatoes to make bruschetta. Regular olive oil is perfect for sautéing meat and vegetables. Explore our full range of oils and vinegars.

• For general use, try ghee or clarified butter
• For baking, try coconut oil, palm oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil
• For frying, try avocado oil, palm oil, and sesame oil
• For sautéing, try canola oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil
• For dressing, dipping, and drizzling, try olive and extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, flax oil, sesame oil, and walnut oil

Extra virgin coconut oil is another option for baking and sautéing. While it doesn’t contain omega-3 fatty acids, it is one of nature’s rare sources of medium-chain fatty acids.

Unlike unhealthy saturated fats, coconut oil is easily digested for energy and contains beneficial caprylic acid.

Nuts, Seeds & Nut Butters

Healthy nuts and seeds are an excellent source of protein, fiber, good fats, and other nutrients. They pair well with both sweet and savory dishes.

Use unsalted nuts as a meat alternative in pasta, grains, salads, or vegetables. They’re also great with fruit or yogurt, in desserts, or alone as a nutritious snack.

Choose nut butters carefully. Avoid those with added sugars, hydrogenated oils, or other fillers. The best options are all-natural or organic nut butters made solely from nuts and salt.

Nut butters are fantastic on apples, bananas, celery, and even waffles! You can also add peanut butter to Asian sauce recipes and smoothies, or use it in dips.

• Nuts: stock up on peanuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamias, walnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios
• Seeds: stock up on sunflower, sesame, hemp, pumpkin, and flax seeds

Beans & Legumes

Beans and legumes are an affordable alternative to animal protein. They're also an excellent source of fiber and contain powerful nutrients like antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, including folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and B vitamins.

Serve them as a side dish, or add them to soups, omelets, tacos, casseroles, or salads. Some of the most nutritional beans and legumes include garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lentils, peas, kidney beans, black beans and vitamin B-rich navy beans.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables should be a substantial part of every meal. Whether fresh, canned, or