Keeping a few staples in our kitchens makes it easier to make healthy meals, even when we’re pressed for time. Here are the foods we routinely have on hand.
Freezer
Fruit and Vegetables
- Bananas (sliced)
- Berries, mixed
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower (riced)
- Peas
- Spinach (chopped)
Meat and Seafood
- Beef (93% lean ground; top sirloin steaks)
- Pork (tenderloin; 90% lean ground)
- Salmon
- Tuna
Other
- Nuts (walnuts; pecans)
- Pesto
- Homemade Breads
- Homemade Brownies
Fridge
Cheese and Dairy
- Cheese, shredded (e.g., mozzarella, cheddar, blends)
- Milk, skim
- Parmesan cheese
- Cottage Cheese (nonfat or low fat)
- Blue Cheese Crumbles
- Eggs
Condiments, Sauces, other
- Mustard (brown or honey)
- Soy sauce (low-sodium)
- Capers
- Red and Green Salsa
- Taco Sauce (low sodium)
- Reduced-fat “Mayonnaise”
- Hummus
- Reduced-fat Blue Cheese Dressing
- Sourdough Starter
- Wheat Germ
Fruits and Vegetables*
- Bananas
- Berries (in season)
- Lemons
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic, minced
- Onion
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
*Jessie subscribes to The Produce Box, a weekly produce delivery service through which she can select local, in-season produce. We live close enough to each other to share this weekly bounty, and what’s in season often drives our menu decisions. Here are resources for finding farmers’ markets, CSA programs, produce delivery services near you:
- USDA National Farmers Market Directory
- USDA Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Directory
- USDA Food Hub Directory (listing businesses like The Produce Box)
Pantry
- Canned Beans (black, white, red, garbanzo, pinto – all low sodium)
- Lentils, Split Peas, Barley
- Pasta
- Tomatoes, diced (canned, no salt added)
- Tomato paste (no salt added)
- Rice (Jasmine, Arborio)
- Flour (All purpose, whole wheat, bread, rye, buckwheat)
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar
- Canola Oil
- Olive Oil
- Dried Herbs and Ground Spices
- Vegetable Broth (low sodium)