If you keep healthy food in your pantry and fridge, you will eat healthy food.

Without question this statement is true … for overall health, daily energy levels, our ability to focus. A well-stocked pantry and easy to grab snacks help us boost metabolism and reduce cravings later in the day. You’ve got stuff in your pantry that shouldn’t be there, but do you know what should be there? This post gives you a quick run-down of what a healthy pantry should contain.

You don’t have to go toss everything and start from scratch in one day. Switching to 100 percent clean foods can be challenging and even costly at first. Give it time, and take it easy on yourself. Try replacing one food item at a time. Sub in brown rice pasta for plain white pasta, or skip the Reese’s and do dark chocolate and organic peanut butter instead. As you add in the good, your taste buds will change, and you will naturally want clean, whole foods. The “fake” foods will seem less appealing.

Remember this important detail: Always read the label! If you don’t know what the ingredients are or how to spell them, toss it.

Start by personally saying goodbye to a few main evils. This doesn’t mean you can’t indulge every now and then … you decide what works for you.

TOSS

• Vegetable oils like Corn, Canola, Wesson
• Sugary, food-colored cereals. Even the organic/clean ones are for fun snacks NOT breakfast
• Canned soups
• Sugar-sweetened soda
• ANYTHING with artificial sweeteners: “Lite, Diet, Lo-Cal”
• ANYTHING with artificial food coloring – it’s made from petroleum and causes all kinds of issues
• Frozen entrees that have more chemicals than you can begin to spell
• Conventional chemical and GMO laden chips like Cheetos, Fritos (there are simple alternatives)

Your Revitalized Pantry

GRAINS/PANTRY

• Brown rice
• Quinoa (also a protein source)
• Soba noodles (also a protein source)
• Organic wheat and/or gluten-free pasta (Tinkyada in my fave)
• Beans! Black beans, cannellini, pinto, lentils, chickpeas
• Sunflower seeds, pistachios, walnuts – great on your salads, oatmeal
• Raw almond butter, organic peanut butter
• Killer Dave’s Breads (multigrain or ‘white done right’)
• Siete Almond Flour Tortillas
• Bob’s Red Mill Rolled Oats
• 365 Brand Organic Taco Shells

PROTEINS

• Vital Farms pastured eggs
• Grass fed ground beef
• Organic chicken and chicken legs
• Bell & Evans Organic Gluten Free Nuggets/Strips

When purchasing animal protein/eggs, organic, free-range and pastured are non-negotiable factors, and avoid pre-packaged meats.

VEGGIES

• Boxed lettuces—they are fresh and ready to eat. Spinach/Romaine/Super Greens
• Onions and garlic always!
• Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower – all are great for quick sautéing or roasting
• Organic sweet and regular potatoes
• Artichokes are a really fun and simple appetizer
• Carrots, cucumber, organic celery sticks – perfect for snacking
• Frozen organic peas, corn, artichokes, shelled edamame to use for quick dinner preps

CONDIMENTS/FLAVORINGS

• Extra-virgin olive oil for salad dressings
• Bearitos Taco Seasoning packets
• Hot sauce—Tabasco, Crystal and Cholula
• Burger House Seasoning Salt – Amazing on homemade oven fries, grilled chicken or anything!
• Maple syrup
• Organic Tamari (instead of soy sauce)
• Bragg’s apple cider vinegar
• Bubbie’s pickles
• Joe T’s or Royitos Salsa
• Gorji’s Pomodoro Sauce

FRUITS

• Lemons, limes
• Avocado
• Organic apples
• Cutie oranges
• Bananas – frozen for smoothies
• Frozen berries for smoothies
• Varied fruits (berries, melon, cherries)

BEVERAGES

• Topo Chico Sparkling Waters
• Healthy Sports Drinks like our Perform Hydration Drink
• Keep Passion Tea and homemade lemonade in the fridge

SNACKS/OTHER JUNK FOOD

While we don’t suggest eating processed junk food all the time, we know it’s a fact of life … we love it. Stay tuned for our next post on CLEAN JUNK FOOD! We will share our favorite brands that are free from chemicals, food coloring, toxic MSG and GMO’s.

Need a little more hand holding? We can help! Our Diamonds on Your Inside Counseling Program brings us to your home AND on a shopping trip to Whole Foods/Costco to get you on the right track. Just ask!

Want easy and yummy recipes?

Cookbook Signing: Monday, August 21

Come meet our dear friend Pamela Salzman, author of the new Kitchen Matters Cookbook, at our Forest location August 21st, 10 a.m. – noon, for a book signing AND demo at 11 a.m.!