I’ve been thinking a lot of about sustainable and realistic changes to make better choices for your health. While it can be useful as a general guide, I don’t believe you have to be vegan, pegan, paleo, keto, or any of the labels to be healthy and live well. It can be helpful if you’re really lost or as a starting point (Whole 30, for example). But oftentimes those labels don’t lead to permanent change. Real change is slow and steady. Focus on shifting just one thing every week. And honing in on how you feel with these changes. Do they serve you because they make you feel good? Or just because you saw someone else doing it on the Internet. Very important distinction.
When all else fails, choose real foods whose ingredients you can pronounce. Eat more vegetables and less added sugars. Those are the simplest and most meaningful guidelines for me. Put a serving of spinach or kale in a smoothie, swap out a grain for a vegetable during dinner or even just HALF the grain serving with vegetables, try brown rice instead of white rice one night. Making food at home makes eating well far more accessible. You can control what goes into your food, and your left without any of the added preservatives or additives.
In my opinion, the most important thing when choosing these items is to take a look at the label and the ingredients. Be mindful of the sugar content, particularly the added sugar. Especially in canned / bottled items like tomato sauce and even nut butters. Sugar is a tricky one and likes to slide in unnecessarily. Keep the ingredients as basic and wholesome as possibly, aiming to recognize and easily pronounce all the ingredients.
Here are a few staples that I try to have in my pantry. To make eating healthy accessible and affordable. If you know the exact amount you need, I’d recommend buying in bulk for loose items. Tends to be much cheaper and prevents waste! Furthermore, a lot of these items can be thrown together with some leftover vegetables to make a simple meal when you’re out of almost everything else! For example, some leftover carrots, celery, and onion mixed together with brown rice, black beans, tahini and spices. Or get fancy and make a vegan pumpkin alfredo sauce!
Cans:
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Cannelini beans
- Canned pumpkin
- Tuna
**if access is only canned goods with added salt, simply rinse them in the sink before using!
Dry goods:
- Lentils
- Quinoa
- Lentil / bean based pasta
- Brown rice (I also like Right Rice)
- Flax seed
- Chia seeds
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Almond butter
- Peanut butter
- Coconut butter
- Jelly / jam / marmalade
- Almond flour
- Cassava flour
- Whole grain flour (trying to get into the bread making game y’all)
- Cacao powder
- Dark Chocolate
- Sugar (to use for pickling items)
- Oats
- Rice cakes
- Tahini
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Ghee
- Chicken / vegetable broth
- Shredded coconut / coconut flakes
- Olive oil
- Olives
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Crackers: I like Simple Mills or Rosemary’s Gone Crackers
Spices:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Turmeric
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Cinnamon
- Thyme
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Nutritional yeast
Note: none of this post is sponsored. If brands are mentioned, it’s because I genuinely love, use, and purchase them regularly!
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