Health Coach Approved Pantry Staples
We all have our own version of pantry staples - it’s that item in your kitchen you can’t live without. You use it frequently, and when you accidentally run out before replacing it your entire meal could be ruined. As you probably have guessed, not all pantry items are created equally. You might be surprised what does and does not make the list! There are plenty of items you may have deemed unhealthy, or conventional items that are actually detrimental to your health.
Here is a list of all the items I use on a weekly basis that are healthy and up to my standards. Hopefully this can be used as a guide next time you visit the grocery store!
Oils & Vinegars
Olive Oil - perfect for sautéing on low heat, or adding to salad dressings
Avocado Oil - great for cooking at high heat
Coconut Oil - I use this when making Asian flavor dishes or baking
Sesame Oil - another great oil for Asian dishes
Grass Fed Butter - YES, you can use butter! Just make sure it’s grass fed and not paired with starches. My favorite is Kerry Gold
Red Wine Vinegar - easy salad dressing
Apple Cider Vinegar - another easy salad dressing option
Balsamic Vinegar - great for bruschetta and of course salads (preferably caprese)
Condiments
Mayonnaise - my absolute favorite item on this list. Make sure it’s made with avocado or olive oil vs. canola or soybean. My favorite brand is Primal Kitchen!
Ketchup - again, use Primal Kitchen for this! There is so much sugar in conventional ketchup and long story short - sugar will make you fat.
Mustard - I prefer a grainy dijon, but you can’t go wrong here
Hot Sauce - make sure to read the ingredients so that they do not use fillers. I like Siete Foods!
Coconut Aminos - a perfect soy sauce alternative that is gluten and soy free
Tahini - this perfect for making vegetable dishes more flavorful! I like to mix with lemon juice.
Raw Honey - great for a sugar alternative when baking or drizzling a SMALL amount over yogurt bowls - even if its natural, sugar is still sugar.
Miso Paste - if you’ve been reading my recent recipes, I am obsessed with cooking with miso. Because it’s fermented it doesn't have the same affects as regular soy, and it’s good for your gut!
Nuts & Seeds
Almonds - the perfect snack!
Almond Butter - great for adding fat to smoothies, or baking
Chia Seeds - I throw these in my daily smoothie for extra fiber
Hemp Hearts - so underrated IMO! I use these in smoothies, yogurt bowls, and I recently started making homemade milk with them.
Sunflower Seeds - these are so easy to throw in salads, and are a great source of protein, healthy fat, and antioxidants
Seasonings - This list could be a lot longer, so I just highlighted my favorites
Salt - ok, obviously
Pepper - see above
Red Pepper Flakes - I use these on everything to bring the heat
Garlic Powder - I prefer this over garlic salt because there is no oil or sugar added
Onion Powder - Most of my dishes have onions already, but if they don’t then I’ll add this
Oregano - what can I say, I’m a good Italian girl!
Thyme - great for when you don’t have any fresh
Cumin - love this for Mediterranean flavors, or making my own taco seasoning
Cayenne - I love spice
Nutritional Yeast - perfect for adding cheesy flavor and protein without dairy
Tony’s Salt - my husband has family from the south, and this is a staple. It brings great cajan flavor!
Cinnamon - essential for baking, and adding to coffee
Canned Food
Artichoke Hearts - perfect for adding fiber to any dish
Chickpeas - great source of plant based protein, and you never know when you need fresh hummus
Coconut Milk - perfect to use as a dairy free cream, especially for curry
Olives - I always keep a can or two of olives for salads
Tomato Paste - like I said I’m Italian, so I can always find a use for tomatoes
Miscellaneous
Protein Powder - I make a smoothie almost every day, so adding protein powder is an easy way to assure I’m getting enough protein and collagen at every meal. My favorite is Further Foods! Use code “FEEDYOURBELLY” for a discount.
Tea - I like to drink tea after dinner to help with digestion, and ease my mind as I wind down. I am loving the Detox Tea from Sakara!
Dark Chocolate - I have an insatiable sweet tooth, so I always keep some 70% cacao dark chocolate in the house for emergencies