I'm a firm believer that a cook is only as good as her (his) pantry. The first line of defense against food apathy is your shopping cart. You are going to eat (and feed your family) what you bring home from the store - it's as simple as that!
I run a solo law practice with a 2-year-old and no hired help - trust me when I say, I understand busy! Fortunately, eating "for real" does not mean hours in the kitchen or even a meticulously crafted food schedule (because who knows what day you'll come home with literally 15 minutes to throw dinner together?!). It really comes down to appreciating your food for what it is and making a commitment to keeping it real.
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| Check out my pantry organizing blog here! |
With that being said (or would it be typed?), here's what I always keep on hand in my pantry/refrigerator for emergency meals - rather than typing "organic" 100 times, let's just assume that everything listed is organic/non-GMO):
Canned Goods
I try to stay away from cans as much as possible (they're lined with BPA), but I keep these on hand for emergencies.
- Whole beans (pinto, kidney, garbanzo - whatever you like)
- Canned salmon without bones and skin
- Canned tuna
- Crushed tomatoes
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste
Boxed Goods
The keys here are organic and whole-wheat.
- Whole wheat crackers (Ak-mak is our favorite!)
- Lower-sugar cereal (Little Bear's favorite is CF Fruit O's)
- Chicken, beef & vegetable stocks
- Coconut milk
- Spaghetti-style whole wheat pasta
- Elbow whole wheat pasta
- Rotini whole wheat pasta (love jovial einkorn pasta)
- Wheat-free, whole-grain pasta (love the corn/rice/quinoa/amaranth blends!)
From the Bulk Aisle
Buying in bulk saves tons of money and keeps healthy choices on hand.
- Dried beans (pinto, kidney, navy, etc.)
- Brown rice
- Whole wheat bread crumbs (or homemade)
- Quinoa
- Whole-grain (with the germ) corn grits/polenta
- Oats (whatever type you like, it's mostly all wholegrain)
- Popcorn (for late-night munchies!)
- Whole wheat pastry flour (for making roux)
- Various nuts & seeds
- Raisins
- Chia seeds
- Turbinado sugar
Bottled Ingredients
Find your favorite oils, vinegars & sweeteners and keep them stocked for quick sauces and dressings.
- Unrefined olive oil
- Unrefined coconut oil
- Unrefined sunflower oil (I recently found this really cheap at Walmart!)
- Unrefined, toasted sesame oil
- Raw, local honey
- Organic maple syrup
- Franks red hot (or other hot sauce)
- Balsamic vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon/lime juice
- Non GMO mayo
- Peanut butter
Freezer
Frozen fruit/veggies will usually be cheaper than fresh, and they are healthier than canned. A quick sauté or broil will pull a side dish together super quickly.
- Frozen mixed veggies
- Frozen diced onions
- Frozen fruits
- Frozen spinach
- Frozen whole wheat ravioli
- Various types and cuts of meat, rewrapped into individual portions
Produce
It's so important to just buy what is locally in-season, but these gems are almost always available organic and tend to be pretty cheap.
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Onions
- Bananas
- Apples
- Carrots
- Greens
- Pre-peeled garlic (without added preservatives)
Dairy
Adding a touch of cream or cheese to almost any sauce makes the meal instantly seem richer and more thoughtfully prepared.
- Sour cream
- Half & half
- Whole milk (raw or low-temp pasteurized, if you can)
- Cream cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Several cheese choices (freeze what you aren't using right away)
Extras
Keep these little extras on hand to add quick pizzaz to any dish. Costco has a great selection of organic dried herbs & spices.
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Dried rosemary
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Granulated garlic
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Cocoa powder
- Cumin
- Chili powder
Other
Just because it isn't 100% healthy, doesn't mean we don't occasionally need a quick sanity-saver!
- Whole-grain tortilla chips
- Cookies for Mommy (Anna's ginger thins & Late July "Oreos")
- Cookies for Little Bear (Arrowroot Maple Cookies)
- Chocolate bars (dark & milk - yum!)
Am I missing anything? What are your secret cooking weapons?
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