I’ve gotten a lot of questions asking what staples I keep in my kitchen and how I stay healthy during a busy week. I honestly feel like it’s really important for me to have a pantry stocked with healthy options, that way I’ve always got something delicious and also nutritious I can cook and ensures I stay on track.
If you’ve got a pantry full of wholesome items, you’re more likely to throw together an impromptu healthy meal instead of reaching for the take-away menu, and this includes ingredients that make last-minute meals easier.
Here are my tips and tricks on how to stock a healthy pantry!
Buy in bulk – this not only means that it’s cheaper, but it also means that your pantry will stay stocked for longer and you won’t feel like you’ve got to buy things every week. For buying in bulk you can either buy it online or find shops where they have big bulk bins and you fill up a bag with however much you want. I just don’t recommend buying a huge bulk of nut flours – unless you freeze it – as they can go rancid.
Store things in glass jars – Keeping an organised pantry is key to a happy kitchen life. Trust me, as someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen it can get pretty annoying to have to rummage through bags of different things until you find the one you want. Glass jars not only look nice but it makes it easier to spot what you’re after.
Buying beans – I buy both canned and in bags. I try to do most of mine cooked fresh, but sometimes I just want to quickly throw something together and haven’t soaked any beans, which is where cans really come in handy – just try and buy low sodium or no salt added. Buying a bag is cheaper, so what you can always do is cook a big batch of beans and freeze them in individual portions.
Make the freezer your new BFF – keep it stocked with things like berries and chopped bananas, and veggies like spinach, peas, and broccoli. Not only can you throw them into smoothies, but the veggies can be used in soups and stir-fries for a quick mid-week dinner.
Coconut, macadamia, sesame, & extra virgin olive oil
Tamari
Balsamic vinegar
Raw apple cider vinegar
Mustard
Capers
Paprika – both sweet & smoked
Curry powder
Turmeric
Cumin – both ground and whole
Cinnamon – both ground and in sticks
Ginger
Cardamom – both ground and whole pods
Nutmeg – both ground and whole
Chilli powder
Cayenne
Mustard, caraway, & fennel seeds
Herbs de Provence
Oregano
Italian herb seasoning
Bay leaves
Pink Himalayan salt & black pepper
Zaatar & sumac
Black beans
Pinto beans
Cannelini beans
Chickpeas
Mung beans
Puy, red, and green lentils
Brown, red, and black rice
Quinoa & millet
Buckwheat
Wholegrain pasta (quinoa, brown rice, or buckwheat my favourite)
Oats – I like rolled and steel cut
Soba & brown rice noodles
Whole grain & nut flours – quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat, sorghum, almond, coconut
Whole grain bread – a nutritious gf blend of grains and nuts or a rye and spelt sourdough
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Walnuts
Cashews
Pecans
Pine nuts
Chia seeds
Psyllium husk
Pumpkin & sunflower seeds
Almond & peanut butter
Tahini – I like black and hulled tahini
Goji berries
Raisins & sultanas
Dried figs & apricots (get unsulphured ones)
Dates
Desiccated coconut
Nori rolls
Canned tomatoes & tomato paste – make sure there is no added sugar
Coconut milk – look for just coconut and water, with no added stabilisers or gums
Raw honey
Maple syrup
Coconut sugar & nectar
Cacao nibs
Vanilla – either in pods, powder, paste, or extract
Hi, I'm Teffy, a qualified Nutritionist and avid foodie. This blog is all about inspiring a balanced life through delicious and wholesome foods, with not a diet in sight. Healthy eating shouldn't be hard and stressful, it should be easy and fun - Working with my clients they are constantly amazed that yes, food can taste great AND be good for you!
