Healthy Pantry Makeover Tips
There is never a bad time to take stock of your pantry and make sure it is supporting your goals. I say it all the time— you can either make one decision not buy something at the grocery store, or you can put yourself in the position to say “no” to something every time you open the cabinet. That’s why–-for the most part–– cookies, candy, and too-delicious snack foods don’t ever hit my pantry shelves.
I think there’s a belief that people in the health and wellness space have superior self control, but I’m here to tell you that it’s just not true. Personally, I have terrible self control. But I know myself, and I’ve learned to create an environment that supports my health so that my random stress or fatigue-induced cravings don’t derail my day. I’ve learned that when I fill my kitchen with processed, delicious junk food, I eat processed, delicious junk food. But when I fill my kitchen with nutrient-dense, delicious whole foods, I eat those instead! It truly is that simple.
A pantry makeover is the perfect place to begin reclaiming your health and feeling good about your eating choices.
Pantry Staples:
A quick note before we dive in… your pantry should not be where the majority of your food is stored. Most of your food should be fresh proteins and veggies that you keep in your refrigerator or freezer. That being said, there are many shelf-stable, nutritious foods and sauces that will help enhance meals or save you some time in the kitchen.
Canned Goods: organic beans, crushed tomatoes, wild-caught salmon, & low-mercury tuna are great to have on hand **If possible look for BPA & BPS-free liners, or better yet, purchase these foods in pouches or cardboard tetra packs instead.
Sauces & Dressings: Check all your bottles and jars for added sugar and inflammatory oils (canola, sunflower, soybean, corn, safflower, cottonseed) and instead opt for ones that have zero added sugar and coconut, olive, or avocado oil. Primal Kitchen brand has my favorite dressings, marinades, sauces and mayonnaise.
Chips & Crackers: If these are tough for you to say no to, ditch them! I personally don’t keep these foods around regularly. They aren’t satisfying, and they fall into the category of highly palatable foods—foods that aren’t made in nature and are engineered by food scientists to be addicting. However, if you want to keep some on hand or share when entertaining, level up your choices by opting for brands that use cleaner ingredients: Siete brand chips, Simple Mills crackers, Lesser Evil popcorn, or Quinn pretzels.
Grab n’ Go Snacks: Ditch the hundred calorie packs and instead opt for whole food snacks. Two of my favorite shelf-stable snacks are Thrive Market olive pouches and Chomps beef sticks. These two snacks will provide fat and protein, filling you up for longer and helping you to avoid a blood sugar spike and crash. (Read more about why that matters HERE)
Nuts & Seeds: It’s a great idea to keep nuts and nut butters on hand. Always opt for organic nuts and when purchasing nut butters, avoid any that contain added sugar or extra ingredients. Single-ingredient nut butters are best. Or, if you like a crunch, this is my favorite nut butter. (Once you’ve opened nuts or nut butters, be sure to keep them in the fridge to prevent oxidation) Keep seeds on hand to provide texture and extra nutrients to a salad or smoothie. I always have organic sunflower, pumpkin, chia, and flax seeds in my pantry. (Only consume chia seeds when soaked in liquid—such as a smoothie or yogurt).
To save on these pantry staples, I use the autoship feature of Thrive Market, a healthy wholesale online store that works like Costco! Pay an annual membership fee and save hundreds all year long. The best part is that the membership is FREE for educators, first responders, and veterans! Sign up and get 30% of your first order here.
