The Best Healthy Pantry Staples

Pantry staples are so important in making your meals supper easy as well as keeping your grocery budget low!

I find it makes such a big difference keeping staples in the pantry constantly. It makes cooking and baking so much easier and honestly even the grocery shopping/meal planning. When you keep certain items on hand its easy to whip something up real fast!

Ill often grab anyone of these items on a regular basis to either add to a meal, fix up a snack, or fill an empty spot on the weekly menu!

Keeping a pantry stocked full of healthy choices also ensures that you are cooking with great ingredients that are nutritious for you!

What is one thing you love having in your pantry?

Having these healthy pantry staples around also makes it easier to stick to a budget when grocery shopping. If I know I need to make a large or expensive meal one night I can even it out with taking some of these pantry staples by either planning a meal with what we already have or adding what we already have to the meal so we can cut some costs!

Now that you know all my reasonings on keeping a stocked pantry of the best healthy pantry staples I guess I should probably tell you what they are!

Quinoa

I am not going to lie to you, if you have never tried quinoa before it might not be your first pick. In my opinion it can be pretty blanc especially if you buy the ones with the shells still on it. However it is so incredibly easy to spice this side up! For instance if I know I will be eating it on the side of a meal and not mixed in I will cook it up in some chicken broth/bone broth. It is super easy this way and tastes amazing! if you have some extra bone broth in your fridge that is great, however you can also just use regular ole chicken broth!

I like to buy my quinoa in a large bag so I don’t have to worry about buying it regularly and without the shell, because honestly it tastes better! However, if you have never tried it maybe go for a smaller bag at first!

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are the actual best! I am not sure if you can find something much better than this to keep stocked in your cupboard! That was a bold statement, I know, but just hear me out! You can bake chickpeas with a few spices and olive oil then sprinkle them on salads, pasta meals, stir fry’s or eat them as a little snack! You can throw them in blender to mix them into baking! I love using them to bake chocolate muffins! And you can use the liquid in the can (aquafaba) for things such as an egg replacer when baking!

Spices

Well basically everyone probably already knows that spices on hand are a great tool to have when baking and cooking! Especially when you are trying to whip up a last minute meal! One thing I would like to add to this is that sometimes I will grab a few “extra” spices just incase I run out of the ones I use all of the time! That way if it accidentally gets missed on the grocery list I don’t find out mind meal making that I don’t have the oregano I need fo my soup!

Beans

They are such an easy thing to add to any meal to help bulk it up! Chili, soups, rice bowls, honestly whatever you need a little extra protein and starch with! One thing you can do with them as well is bake delicious treats like brownies! I always think this is so fun because honestly who knew beans would be so versatile!

How are you feeling about these healthy pantry staples? Any you think you might consider adding to your pantry?

Almond Flour

For those who don’t regular eat gluten free you might be wondering why this is something you might want in your pantry on a regular basis. Well let me tell you all the things it is great for! It is a great option other than regular flour if you are looking for something that has a lower glycemic index. The flour is a great extra source of healthy fats and protein! And it is fun to bake/cook with! I find it can change a regular muffin up to taste a little differently, which is fun! The one thing I love doing with it is coating my chicken with it! I like to make my own chicken strips! Basically I cut my chicken in to thin strips, lather it up in egg, then toss it around in some almond flour and oregano, bake it in the oven and bam homemade chicken strips!

Rice

Rice is such a great staple! You can use it to bulk up a meal, by adding it to a soup, making it as a side, or baking it in a casserole! It is also great for those picky eaters who need something simple to rely on at meal time! One great option is to fry some cooked rice up in a frying pan with some spices and olive oil and make a rice bowl with some protein and veggies! A bonus is that it generally cooks pretty quickly so it is a great choice when you are in a rush!

Chicken Broth

If you haven’t gotten the hint already chicken broth is an amazing tool! I use it to cook up many of my starches like rice and quinoa but I also love to use in stir frys, soups, and sauces! The other day I made a creamy mushroom sauce. When I was making it I wasn’t sure I was going to have enough spices to make it actually taste good. So I decided add some broth into it and WOW it took the sauce to a whole new level; it was amazing!

It is also nice to just know that this in the pantry at anytime! The chicken broth alway ready to go whenever you are ready to make a dish that needs something extra!

Oats

I could probably talk for days on why oats are such a great tool to have in the pantry but for everyones sake I will cut it short! They are a great option for breakfast, to grind into flour, and to make a dessert!

Lately I have been making apple crisp, which is a favourite in our home! I like to cut in oats, butter, cinnamon and a little bit of maple syrup to then sprinkle on top of some freshly cut apples! It makes such a fast and easy dessert that can whipped for any event!

I also love making a great bowl of oatmeal for a filling morning breakfast! I’ll normally make a large batch and each morning scoop out what I need. I then mix in peanut butter, cinnamon, cashews, cooked beets, frozen berries and hemp heart seeds to make it super delicious!

Canned Tuna

Tuna, its like a given right? Everyone at least has like that lonely tin just sitting in their cupboard ready to be used, right? Well if not I think you should! it is such a great little back up for whenever you need just that little extra something! Maybe an extra lunch? Some extra protein for dinner? Whatever really!

I love keeping an extra can on hand for those days a tuna melt and soup sound like the best lunch option there is!

I hope this list of healthy pantry staples helped you think of a few you may need to add or just a reminder on how awesome some of those ingredients living in the back of your pantry are!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I would love to hear which one of these staples you will be adding to your pantry!

Incase you are looking for another article on kitchen necessities check out this one