How to Stock Your Pantry to Support Healthy Eating Habits
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
“Preparing healthy meals is too difficult!”
“I don’t have time to cook healthy food.”
“Healthy food is expensive!”
“Food that’s good for you is bland and tasteless.”
Do you ever make statements like these? If I’m being honest, I’ve probably used every single one as an excuse for making poor food choices over the years. But over time, I realized that maybe these were all just “stories” I cooked up to make myself feel better.
Busting Healthy Eating Myths
Can cooking healthy meals be difficult and time consuming to prepare? Sure, but it doesn’t have to be. All you need are staple ingredients in your pantry and a little time for meal prep.
Is nutritious food expensive? It can be, but it can also be the most affordable food in your cart. For example, two bunches of organic kale costs me $5. I use this kale to make seven smoothies for the week. That kale comes to about 71 cents per serving. Even better, when you shop Heinen’s weekly ad and join Heinen’s Tasteful Rewards, you can save big on healthy items all across the store.
Do fruits and vegetables, beans, herbs, nuts and seeds taste bland? Likely yes if you’re used to eating nutrient-poor, sugar and salt-rich processed foods. Remember, your tastebuds prefer whatever you feed your body. Anything else will often taste bland.
Setting Yourself Up for Success
The first step in busting these myths is stocking your pantry with staple items you can use to create simple and healthy meals without spending too much time in the kitchen. I’ve come to rely on these pantry staples in my own kitchen to help me stay on track and committed to my lifelong goal of vibrant energy and good health.
To keep things simple, I tend to gravitate towards three types of meals: supersized salads, bowls, and satisfying smoothies. You may find it helpful to also have a small collection of “back pocket meals” to make healthy eating as simple as possible. To learn more about how to prepare these three meals in a healthful way, check out these articles:
Now, let’s dig into some of my top pantry picks to help you create Fx™-approved meals in a flash. Pick a couple items from each category to get started!
Oil and Vinegar
- Heinen’s extra virgin olive oil
- Heinen’s avocado oil
- Heinen’s organic coconut oil
- Heinen’s organic apple cider vinegar
Meal Ideas
- Grilled Vegetables with Tahini Dressing
- Simple Vinaigrette Dressing
- Decadent Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding
Seasonings
- Heinen’s dried herbs and spices (oregano, parsley, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric, curry, cayenne, basil, and Two Brothers everything bagel seasoning)
- Sea salt
- Pepper
Sauces and Condiments
- Heinen’s organic salsa
- Heinen’s organic marinara sauce
- Coconut Secret coconut aminos (healthy soy sauce replacement)
- Primal Kitchen buffalo sauce
- Heinen’s organic mustard
- Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayonnaise
- Heinen’s raw honey
- Heinen’s pure maple syrup
Meal Ideas
Whole Grains and Pasta
- Oats
- Heinen’s brown rice
- Heinen’s quinoa
- Bob’s Red Mill millet
- Heinen’s whole wheat pasta
- Explore Cuisine bean-based pasta
- Palmini hearts of palm pasta
Meal Ideas
Proteins
- Heinen’s dried beans, peas and lentils
- Heinen’s beans (black, kidney, garbanzo, white)
- Tinned fish (King Oscar mackerel, Wild Planet salmon, Sea Tales tuna, and Matiz sardines)
- Wild Planet organic roasted chicken breast
- Protein powder (Sprout Living epic plant protein powder)
Meal Ideas:
Vegetables and Soups
- Heinen’s canned beets or artichokes (Perfect for a quick salad!)
- Farmer’s Market organic sweet potato puree (Add to smoothies or smoothie bowls; make a simple sweet potato soup.)
- Heinen’s canned tomatoes
- Amy’s Kitchen soups
- Heinen’s vegetable stock
Nuts, Seeds and Nut Butters
- Raw almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, and pecans (Enjoy as a snack, salad topping, or in yogurt.)
- Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds
- Heinen’s fresh ground almond, peanut, or walnut butter (Enjoy a spoonful of walnut butter on a banana or apple slices.)
Meal and Snack Ideas
Staple Snacks
- Fx™-approved nutrition bars (Wise Bar, Thunderbird, That’s it, Raw Rev, Quantum, Tosi, Pep, Over Easy, Larabar, RXBAR, GoMacro, and Mezcla)
- Biena chickpea snacks
- Rind dried fruit
- Chum fruit bites
- LesserEvil popcorn
- Noka superfood smoothies
- Wasa sourdough Crispbread
Key Takeaway
You can’t expect to prepare nutritious and delicious meals if your pantry isn’t stocked with the ingredients to bring these meals to life. I hope this post inspires you to give your pantry a mini makeover, one ingredient at a time! By the way, there’s nothing like a great recipe to light a fire of motivation within, so choose one of the simple recipes above, roll up your sleeves, and have fun!
