Pantry staples have GOT to be multi-purpose foods.
I stock my pantry with the things I can keep on deck for FAST meals with little effort. Because I’m a lazy cook.
They’re the foods I reach for over and over because they’re so easy to work with. They’re like my little kitchen superhero’s who never ever let me down.
This is the number one reason pantry staples must be nutrient dense foods. Because we use them all the time for so many reasons.
Our kitchens need to be stocked with foods that can BE anything and DO anything. Foods that don’t just play well with others, but can also multitask like champs.
This is the reason this of pantry staples is so perfect.
Every food on this list is supremely flexible. The carbs are also protein heavy. The proteins are full of fiber.
Each food can mix and match flawlessly with each other, but they can also stand up to riding solo. And if you only care about the taste, they’re all also delicious. Because I’m a lazy cook who also likes to eat really good food.
This list is your guide to the 15 minute-no thought-no effort meal. Which to me, is the perfect meal.
This is a must-have shopping list for anyone who’s looking for a way to make healthy food choices without having to work too hard at it.
What’s NOT on the list
What’s not on this list are the produce items that will round out your fridge and your meals. The fruits and vegetables you’ll pick up when you do a casual grocery run will create the foundation that this house of pantry staples sits on.
I didn’t include the fruits and vegetables that should be the bigger part of your diet because which ones you choose almost don’t matter.
Forget about which is the trending superfood of the month. ALL fruits and veggies should be eaten in some form on a regular basis.
They’re ALL good. They’re ALL important to eat, so eat as close to all of them as you can.
Remember eat the rainbow? That’s really a thing.
Find fruits and vegetables you like that are all colors. Which ones you choose is almost a non-issue. The more colors you can include in your daily or weekly rotation, the more access to a full range of phytonutrients you’ll get. Not only leafy greens, but also red peppers and orange squash, yellow tomatoes, blueberries and purple eggplant.
If you’re a picky(er) eater, find a few things you like and put them in heavy rotation. You don’t like kale? Fine. Eat spinach. You don’t like spinach. Fine. Use red leaf lettuce and make more salads.
Never let anyone get you thinking there are ONLY specific foods that will keep you healthy. That’s so far from the truth. The point of this list of pantry staples DEFINITELY isn’t to get you thinking these are the only foods that will keep you healthy.
The point is to help you guide you to some of the great foods out there that can be everything you need them to be. In both great taste AND good nutrition.
If you’re gluten free, paleo or following the keto (aka a low carb) diet, this list isn’t for you.
If you’re not ready for a major diet shift but want to seriously revamp your fridge and pantry with some staples that will go the distance for you, you’re in the right place.
So let’s get started! Jump right to the first post on Complex Carbs right here.