Must Have Fridge and Pantry Essentials

Ready to revamp your kitchen this spring and take your family’s eating habits to the next level? Look no further than our handy list of essentials, which is the backbone of any well-stocked, nutrition dense, meal-making station. Print off this list with the button below the article and take it with you next time you do a big grocery shop.

Fridge Essentials

Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, organic and local when possible.

Organic milk, or unsweetened non-dairy milk like almond, soy, or rice.

Store-bought or homemade hummus. Use it as a dip for snacks, to spread on sandwiches or wraps, or to top burgers and patties.

Pantry Essentials

Sea salt

One or a variety of these natural, unprocessed sugars: raw honey, stevia, sucanat, rapadura, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or molasses.

A variety of dried or canned legumes, such as navy beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, or lentils. For canned legumes, look for low-sodium.

One or two types of nutritious flours like spelt, whole wheat, oat, or brown rice.

Home-made or store-bought granola. Look for granolas sweetened with a natural sugar, like maple syrup. Mueslis are a good alternative to granolas, because they don’t contain vegetable oil or sweeteners.

Rolled oats. Rolled oats can cook quickly if you pulse them in a food processor or blender before cooking.

A variety of nuts and seeds, preferably unsalted and raw. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are good basics. Use these nutrient-rich foods as snacks, toppings for salads and rice, or as additions to smoothies.

Nut butters. There are so many great nut butters out there! Look for unsweetened and if possible raw or dry-roasted. If you are concerned about nut allergies, sunflower seed butter is a great option.