Take A Peek Inside Our Kitchen
Opening up our fridge and pantry to work on this share was kind of fun! It made me take inventory but also gave me an opportunity to see what I could purge and what I needed.
Setting yourself up for a good week of eating not only starts at the grocery store, but also involves what you already have at home to supplement AND complement what you plan to prep for yourself and your family. There’s only three of us–my husband, sausage dog and I–so I recognize that we have it easier than some of you reading!
Overall approach to stocking our kitchen. The overarching theme to the foods and products we choose is pretty simple: quality, nutrient dense, whole, real foods with a mindfulness on ingredients and avoiding ultra-processed items.
When you have staple ingredients at the ready at any given moment, it can make your choices better and decisions so much easier. We’ve found that having these items in our pantry, stored on our fridge shelves and in our freezer offer us the best possible options for easy snacks, and healthy, nutritious and tasty meals that can also be made on the fly when in a pinch.
Sharing the rest of what makes our kitchen complete!
An extensive spice rack. Everyone has the basics like salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc. but having a wide array of spices to choose from–I counted and we have over 40!--can really boost the food you’re eating, both in flavor and health. Spices are packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and immune-boosting properties which can support your metabolic health.
Some common go-to’s: cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, turmeric, curry, zaatar, chili
Go-to condiments. Most people use condiments to add extra zhuzh to their meals like ketchup, mustard, dressing, etc. but these can be the little ways that sketchy ingredients creep into your diet. Make sure yours are filled with minimal ingredients that don’t have extra unnecessary fillers. I do extensive research on the types of processed products we buy in this bucket.
Our weekly grabs: salsa, lemon juice, sriracha, lemon-tahini dressing, chili onion crunch, jalapeno botana sauce.
Freezer staples. Our freezer always has a handful of fundamental items that we know we can always grab to make our smoothies, protein ice creams, or throw in a pan or air fryer when fresh isn’t available.
E.g. wild blueberries, spinach and bananas, broccoli, cauliflower rice, green beans, brussels sprouts, etc.. I keep my bread in here to last longer too.
Other non-perishables. These pantry items are great to stock up on if you have the room because you can keep them on the shelf a bit longer and don’t have to worry about constantly restocking. If I wanted to throw something together right at this moment, I know I can because we have a pantry to support it.
E.g. protein powders, chia and hemp seeds, psyllium husk and flaxseed meal, oats, quinoa, bone broth, canned black beans and chickpeas, nuts and seeds, bagged lentils, tomato paste, nutritional yeast, almond flour, bean pastas, coconut milk, pumpkin puree (obviously, it’s fall!), olive and avocado oils, tamari and coconut aminos, sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, monk fruit
What we don’t keep in our kitchen. We personally don’t keep things like chips, cookies, ice cream, and other similar snacks at home. And if we do want any of these things, we’ll have it sparingly and I’ll either make it at home or just hit up my favorite local French bakery for a treat. For us, keeping these out of the house helps set us up for success and makes us look forward to them when we do have it.
Remember, this is just our process but sharing with you in case it’s helpful. Everyone and every family is different, and in the end–no matter what anyone says is the “right thing to do”--you have to do what works for you and makes YOU feel good. It’s important to ask yourself that. Food can be an amazing catalyst for a healthier lifestyle.
Need help?
If you need help cleaning up your kitchen or pantry, feel free to reach out and ask for help! One of my favorite things to do–for myself and my clients–is swap out better quality products for the things they like to eat.
Eating better doesn’t have to be about deprivation, it’s about shifting and feeding your body more nutrient-dense foods which ends up organically crowding out the foods that don’t serve you.