If you are used to eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), your kitchen is probably filled with boxes of this and cans of that. Premade frozen dinners and unhealthy snack foods.
This is how I grew up and I didn’t think anything of it.
But as I transitioned to being a mom and wanting to feed my kids a healthier diet, I had to reevaluate what I had in my kitchen.
To me, a well stocked kitchen contains real food pantry staples that are a mix of fresh and frozen foods, whole ingredients and knowledge of how to put them together to make a healthy meal.
And while we aren’t going to talk about the “putting them together” part in this post, I would like to go over what you should have stocked in your real food kitchen.
12 Types of Real Food Pantry Staples
1. Baking
Baking staples are items you would use to make homemade baked goods and breads. Some examples are: sugar/brown sugar, baking soda/powder, vanilla and other extracts, all purpose flour, active-dry yeast, cocoa, chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and other baking items.
2. Dry Goods
Dry goods are usually thought of as non liquid foods you can buy in bulk. Some examples are: pastas, rice, wheat, beans, oats, cereal, pancake mix and dry soup mix.
3. Canned Goods
Canned goods could be food bought at the store in cans or things you have canned at home. Some examples are: soup, vegetables, pasta sauce, meats, fruit, chicken or beef stock, green chilies and other home canned foods.
4. Herbs
Herbs are usually (but not always) dried herbs from the store. You could also grow herbs at home and dry them to store. Some examples are: basil, oregano, ginger, paprika, bay leaves, dill or fennel, thyme and rosemary.
5. Produce
Produce is usually referring to fresh produce from the store or your garden. There are ways to keep some produce fresh longer (you can read more about that here). Some examples are: potatoes, squash, onions, carrots, apples, leafy greens and peppers.
6. Drinks
Drinks is a pretty self explanatory category. Some examples include: tea, coffee, fruit juice, bottled water, alcohol, hot cocoa mix, protein shakes and vegetable juice.
7. Snacks
Snacks are things you can have around for between meals. Some examples include: nut butters, nuts & seeds, crackers, dried fruits, popcorn, applesauce and beef jerky.
8. Dairy & Eggs
Dairy & eggs are great to get protein in your diet. Some examples include: milk & powdered milk, eggs & powdered eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, butter, yogurt, cream cheese and sour cream.
9. Bottled Goods
Bottled goods are usually things you use to cook your meals with that come in a bottle. Some examples include: vinegar, syrup, oils, lemon juice, honey, lime juice and salsa.
10. Frozen Foods
Frozen foods can be purchased at the store or fresh from the garden foods that will last longer in the freezer. Some examples include: frozen fruits & vegetables, meats, breads/buns/tortillas, fish, homemade freezer meals and ice cream.
11. Condiments
Condiments are usually things you put on top or to the side of your meals to add flavor. Some examples include: mustard, soy sauce, salad dressings, barbeque sauce, hot sauce, worchestire sauce, ketchup and mayonaise.
12. Spices
Spices help give your food more flavor. Some examples include: cinnamon, taco seasoning, salt & pepper, cumin, chili powder, italian seasoning, all spice, garlic and onion powder.
If you can keep these 12 types of real food pantry staples handy in your kitchen (pantry, refrigerator, freezer, etc.), you will more likely have the ingredients needed to make healthy and delicious foods for your family.
If you look at this list and it seems a little overwhelming, that’s ok. I have a challenge for you that will help you stock your pantry with these staples and other foods to feed your family for a week.
To sign up for the FREE challenge, click here —> Stock My Pantry FREE 7 Day Challenge.
And just remember, you don’t have to do this all in a day. You can add these things to your kitchen over time.
If grocery shopping hasn’t been your jam in the past, I have a 10 Grocery Shopping Tips to Keep You on Budget post that can help you buy healthy and save money at the same time.
I hope this list gives you a better idea of things you should have in your well stocked, real food kitchen.
Do you have anything to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!
