Pantry Staples

Hey there! I wanted to begin my blog with a few helpful tips on clean eating. I have a few ingredients that I avoid at all costs (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yellow #5, Red #40-I'm looking at you!) and some that I eat very occasionally (white sugar). After years of counting calories and trying to maintain a healthy weight, I finally made the switch to clean eating. I haven't counted a calorie I've eaten since 2013. Can we say LIBERATING!?!? I don't even look at nutrition information anymore; I only read ingredients. However, when you eat mostly whole foods, you don't even have to read ingredient labels because most of your grocery shopping is in the produce section! My number one rule is to see food as an enjoyable, yet nourishing provision for my body. I strive to feed my family whole foods and avoid "boxed" meals.

With that being said, here is a list of items that I try to keep in my pantry/fridge at all times:

• Brown Rice and Brown Rice Pasta (noodles and spaghetti)
• Quinoa
• Almond Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Coconut Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt (and tons of other spices)
• Raw or Roasted Almonds, Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts, or Pistachios                                   (check ingredients-I look for roasted and sea salt only)
• Eggs
• Maple Syrup
• Raw Honey
• Almond Butter (stir well & store in fridge)
• Larabars
• Almond or Coconut Milk (unsweetened for smoothies)
• Flax or Chia Seeds
• Leafy Greens
• Fresh Fruits
• Vega Vanilla Protein Powder
• Vegetables for Roasting (or eating raw)
• Organic Bread/Wraps/Crackers (for my kids)
• Brown Rice Cakes
• Hummus
• Brown Rice Crackers
• Organic Meats (Beef, Poultry, Pork)
• Organic Canned Beans (I buy the Simple Truth brand from Kroger)
• Avocados
• Dates
• Nitrate Free Lunchmeat
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Coconut Sugar

While this isn't everything I use on a weekly basis, these are just staples that I try to keep on hand and replenish when they run out. The one thing that we must have at all times is definitely BANANAS (we go through about 5 bunches per week)!!! What's yours?