As moms, we shape the atmosphere in our home, and that includes teaching our kids the importance of eating real food. We want to instill in them lifelong healthy habits and prevent heart disease, obesity, unhealthy cholesterol, blood sugar issues, and more. Making a list of whole foods to keep on hand has really helped me.
Two priorities for my family are to avoid processed foods with additives and added sugars and to eat more whole foods. I achieve this by keeping the kitchen well-stocked and meal planning, which keeps less-than-good options out of the house and makes it easier to make healthy food choices. It also saves money on grocery shopping (huge savings right now!).
But what’s a real kitchen like? There are so many choices at the grocery store that it can be overwhelming when creating a shopping list. Here are the foods I focus on regularly for my family. These products make choosing a whole food diet easy.
A list of whole foods to keep in your pantry
Pantry items are great to stock up on because they last a long time. Buying in bulk or finding sales can help you save money. I cook with a lot of fresh and frozen ingredients, so my pantry space is limited, but I still want to have pantry items on hand for cooking and baking.
Here is a list of non-perishable foods that are on my shopping list: I use these products frequently in my clean eating recipes.
Coconut products
We use a variety of coconut products including coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut shreds, coconut flour, etc. I love making chocolate coconut clusters for snacks and coconut granola for breakfast. I use a lot of coconut oil to roast veggies and make baked goods and my kids just eat it with a spoon!
I buy most of my coconut products from Tropical Traditions. You can buy their products online or in stores for a good price. Look for unrefined, organic, cold-pressed products.
Olive oil
Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats. Make sure you buy extra virgin olive oil, which is the healthiest option. I use it in my homemade salad dressings and mayonnaise. There is some debate as to whether it should be used in cooking. My research has shown that it is safe to use in cooking. That said, it is not the cheapest option for cooking oils.
Unfortunately, there is less-than-ideal olive oil being sold as extra virgin. I trust it and recommend it. Cassandrinos Because it’s the best quality I’ve found for this price.
Other Healthy Fats
I like to use lard, tallow, and ghee in cooking and baking. When I have time, I make it to save money. But when I don’t, I buy it from a trusted source. I make or buy it in bulk to save money and store it in 1 or 5 gallon buckets. US Wellness Meats sells organic grass-fed tallow (rich in CLA) in bulk at a great price.
Vinegar
The dish is served with balsamic vinegar, red wine, Apple cider vinegarI mainly use these vinegars in salad dressings and marinades, and when I feel the signs of a cold, I drink 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water.
nuts
As a snack to eat on the go, Walnutscashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, etc. I like to soak them in water and then dry them out to store them, to reduce the phytic acid. P.S.: Chilled macadamia nuts dipped in 90% dark chocolate are one of my favorite snacks.
I also use them to make homemade nut butters like almond butter and homemade nut milks like almond milk. Make sure to buy organic and if you want to dry them out choose raw over roasted.
Raw nuts have a shelf life of about 6-9 months, so keep that in mind when buying them, and if you want to keep them longer you can freeze them.
Canned fish
Canned fish is a convenient way to get some protein on the go or grab a quick meal when you’re in a hurry. sardineMake a tuna salad or salmon pate using ingredients you have on hand, such as albacore, tuna, or wild-caught salmon. Buy wild-caught for the most sustainable and healthiest choice.
Homemade canned vegetables
We have a big garden where we grow a lot of tomatoes and other vegetables. To preserve these vegetables for the future (and save money!), I can most of the vegetables and sauces I make myself. Although it takes time, I can make ketchup, tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, hot sauce, tomato soup, and more from the tomatoes in my garden.
There were concerns about BPA in canned foods (that’s when my canning adventure began), but now most canned foods are BPA FreeIf you can’t can your vegetables, check the label for BPA-free foods or look for these foods: Glass bottle.
vegetables
Some vegetables don’t need to be refrigerated and can be stored in the pantry for long periods of time. We keep sweet potatoes, onions, winter squash, and garlic in our pantry and make sure to eat them before they go bad.
Baking ingredients
We love baking, and I keep a lot of paleo and gluten-free ingredients on hand so we can always make fresh bread. I also keep several different types of flour on hand, and sometimes I make my own, but I also buy in bulk.
Sweeteners include raw honey (my parents are beekeepers, so I get it from them!), organic maple syrup, dates, Coconut Sugar I have it on hand. I also keep the following:
Dry Food
I don’t buy many grains or legumes because I don’t eat many of them. Now that I’m cured of Hashimoto’s I’ve been adding small amounts of legumes back into my diet. Organic Jasmine RiceI eat it once a week or less, and I prefer white rice over brown rice (you can read why here).
I also keep dried black beans on hand for my Mexican Beef and Rice Bowl, soaking and cooking them in a pressure cooker first to make them easier to digest. They are a legume, so like lentils and chickpeas, I don’t eat them often.
Herbs and spices
I have an entire shelf dedicated to herbs and spices. In my opinion, good spices can make the difference between a good meal and a great meal. Some herbs have medicinal properties and sometimes they can even play double duty.
Oregano has antibacterial properties, peppermint and ginger are good for nausea, elderberry is great in syrups and gummies, and some of these herbs and spices can even help with appetite suppression and weight loss when used in cooking.
Culinary Herbs and Spices
I use a variety of herbs and spices in my cooking.
Stock your fridge with real food
With six kids, keeping the fridge stocked can be a challenge. A full fridge fills up quickly. We sometimes struggle to find the space we need to store all the fresh foods we eat, so we bought a stand-up freezer and an extra fridge.
These are whole foods that I keep on hand so I always have healthy options available.
vegetables
I always keep thinly sliced cucumbers, carrots, and celery in the fridge for quick snacks the kids can eat, as well as lettuce and spinach for salads and cabbage for making sauerkraut (which usually sits in the fermenting stage on the counter). I also buy a variety of healthy veggies for side dishes and recipes to add variety, and I always keep frozen veggies from last year’s garden in the freezer.
fruit
We buy fruits depending on the season: blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, tangerines, etc. I always have apples and oranges available for my kids. I also buy lemons and limes in season to put in their water, and if they are out of season I use lemon and lime juice.
Milk Alternatives
We don’t normally drink dairy, but we do use other milk alternatives. We always have at least a gallon of store-bought or homemade coconut milk in the fridge for smoothies and drinks for the kids. We also sometimes drink almond milk or delicious homemade macadamia nut milk.
Yogurt
We don’t eat a lot of yogurt in our house, but I do buy full-fat organic yogurt and separate the whey for fermentation and the yogurt cheese for cooking and dipping veggies in. When I have the time, I make my own (this is especially convenient when I have access to raw milk).
Meat and seafood
Meat often gets a bad rap, but it’s incredibly important to our nutrition and health. I aim to get 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day. (Listen to this podcast and this one to learn more about meat in our diet!) Every week, I buy chicken breasts and ground beef to cook in bulk.
Buying meat and animal parts online from local farmers or from regenerative farms and cooperatives saves me money. I stock up on nitrite-free bacon, sausage, and hot dogs when they’re on sale. I also like to keep wild shrimp and salmon frozen for seafood dishes.
egg
Keeping eggs on hand can be a challenge, as we go through at least 12 eggs each day. I buy 5-6 per week, including 12 that I hard-boil for a snack. If you can afford it, buy organic pasture-raised eggs, or best yet, find a farmer who sells them. Now that I keep ducks, I enjoy eating fresh duck eggs.
seasoning
I started making most of my own condiments years ago because I didn’t like the ones sold in the stores, but cleaner eating options are becoming more available at stores like Whole Foods Market and online. Primal KitchenI always have the following condiments in my fridge:
What are your best tips for stocking your kitchen with real ingredients? What are your favorite things to keep on hand? Clean Eating?
