One of the secrets to staying on track with a clean, healthy lifestyle is to keep your kitchen stocked with healthy, versatile food. When you surround yourself with healthy options, you are more likely to make better choices. It also makes cooking more enjoyable because of the versatility with different dishes you can whip up. You may even already have some of these on hand (if so, nice job!). If not, add these to your grocery list for your next trip.
Here is a list of healthy foods to always have in your kitchen:
- Fresh Vegetables: spinach, romaine, kale, bell peppers, cucumbers, red cabbage, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, celery.
Vegetables should make up the majority of your diet. Try to include at least two vegetables with every meal! This could be a Radiant Green Smoothie in the morning, a kale salad with vegetables for lunch, and a vegetable stir-fry for dinner. One great way to sneak in extra vegetables is to add them to your smoothies. I especially love spinach and frozen zucchini because you can’t taste them!
- Fresh Fruit: bananas, apples, pears, grapes, cherries, oranges, berries, pineapple, lemons, limes
Fruit is nature’s candy. However, it’s not just sweet! It’s loaded full of essential antioxidants and vitamins that we need. I always have fresh fruit on hand for my Radiant Green Smoothie and mid-morning snacking. Try to buy fruit when it is season. You’ll find that it is more flavorful!
- Plant-Based Milk: almond, cashew, coconut milk. I switch off between making my own milk and buying Almond Breeze and Califiafarms.
You will always find nut milks in my fridge. I use a few cups a day between my almond milk match latte, vegan hot chocolate and Acai Bowls. Fun Fact: Nut milks are a wonderful source of protein!
Nut milks are wonderful to have on hand for smoothies and smoothie bowls, chia seed pudding
- Tahini or Nut Butter: I buy either Trader Joe’s brand or Whole Foods 365. I love keeping Tahini on hand for a quick homemade salad dressing (with Apple Cider Vinegar, lemon juice, and maple syrup). Almond butter is great to add to a bowl of oatmeal or the base for a batch of Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies.
- Hummus: Cava, Hope, Holy Land are great brands.
Hummus has to be one of my favorite ways to spice up veggies and salads. I like to look for brands that don’t add sugar or oil, if possible. Hummus is also a great addition to budda bowls!
For a simple snack or light lunch, try these Veggie and Hummus Wraps.
- Brown Rice Tortillas: These are hands down, one of the most versatile items to have in your kitchen. I love loading these wraps up with avocado or a snack, veggies, and hummus for lunch and scrambled eggs and salsa for dinner. The best part – they are gluten-free, but have a great texture!
- Avocados: An avocado a day keeps the doctor away; that’s my motto! I have at least a half of an avocado every day. My go-to morning snack is half an avocado mashed up on a brown rice wrap (see brown rice tortillas above). Don’t forget that avocados can be used in desserts too, such as Chocolate Avocado Pudding – yum!
- Frozen Fruit: Acai, berries, pineapple
I always have frozen fruit ready to go for smoothies. Frozen fruit makes smoothies thicker, without needing to add ice.
- Cacao Powder: Navitas Naturals is my go-to brand.
Any chocolate lover needs to keep a stash of cacao powder for healthy chocolatey treats, such as Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding. It’s a win-win! You get all of the antioxidant benefits of raw cacao, while satisfying your sweet tooth.
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, brazil
Nuts are a great source of protein and healthy fats. They are wonderful for making vegan cheese (see vegan Caesar salad below), homemade nut milk, and make great toppings for salads.
- Nutritional Yeast: This is a wonderful vegan ingredient to add a cheesy flavor to dishes, sauces, and dressings. I love using this in my Vegan Caesar Salad.
Happy cooking!
These are awesome! I can’t wait to add this in my diet!
I’m glad you liked it!! Thanks for reading!
These are all great suggestions! I’m in love with everything Califia has but I have to be careful about enjoying it in moderation since the cost can add up quickly. We’re fortunate to have so many amazing plant-based milks on the market right now – there’s really something for everyone.
I completely agree about Califia! I usually buy that as a treat or if they’re on sale because they are a bit expensive!
Such a helpful post! I can’t wait to hit the grocery store and dive into some healthy options!
What a great post! We already do much of this but I’m inspired to check out the other stuff you mentioned!
Yay! I’m happy you found it helpful!
Great post ????????
Thanks, Alex! Glad you liked it 🙂
Great list! I keep a pretty well stocked pantry and refrigerator – it takes a lot of food to feed two teenage boys. Luckily my husband and I both like to cook! I’ve never tried those brown rice tortillas – so thanks for the tip – I’ll be on the lookout for those!
I can only imagine how much food you must go through! Yes, those brown rice wraps are a must try 🙂 Thanks for reading, Micaela!