Eating healthy doesn’t just happen; it definitely involves some planning. It will be much easier and more convenient if you stock your kitchen with staples that can be thrown together for a delicious and fast healthy meal or snack. Here is a list of foods from each food group that I think are pantry (or refrigerator/freezer) staples that will help you when in a pinch.
Fruits and Vegetables:
Dried fruit with no sugar added and sun-dried tomatoes
Low sodium canned tomato sauce or pasta sauces
Frozen or canned fruits and veggies of any variety (without syrup and low in sodium)
Shelf stable fresh produce that wont spoil quickly such as apples, carrots, celery, broccoli, onions, potatoes, melons or oranges
Meat and Bean Group:
Frozen chicken and salmon
Ground turkey breast
Canned tuna or other canned fish packed in water
Canned or dried beans and edamame
Hummus
Nuts or natural nut-butters
Eggs or egg substitutes
Frozen veggie burgers
Trail mix
Grain Group:
Whole-wheat bread, english muffins, bagels (small), or pitas
Whole grain frozen waffles or pancakes
Whole grain crackers (recommended: Kashi or reduced fat Triscuits)
Whole-wheat or corn tortillas
High fiber, whole grain cereal (5 grams of fiber and less than 6 grams of sugar per serving)
Oatmeal
Quick cooking brown rice, long grain brown rice or basmati brown rice
Whole wheat pasta (or other whole grain pastas such as brown rice pasta, soba noodles, etc)
Other whole grain products such as kasha, millet, bulgur, barley, spelt, quinoa, wheatberries, etc.
Popcorn
Dairy Group:
Fat free plain yogurt or greek yogurt (sweeten it yourself!)
Low fat or fat free cottage cheese
Skim milk
String cheese or other low fat cheese such as feta, parmesan or goat cheese
Fortified soy milk
Fat Group
Olive oil or Canola oil
Pam cooking spray (made with olive or canola oil)
Light oil based salad dressing (Newmans Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette is my favorite! You could make them yourself too).
Promise, Benecol or Smart Balance spreads
Tub margarines such as Canola Harvest
Spray butter and spray salad dressing (but watch the serving size!)
Canola oil based mayonnaise or nayonnaise
Ground flaxseed
Low fat spreads such as ketchup, mustard or low calorie BBQ sauce
