Whether you like to meal prep for the week or cook as you go, having a kitchen stocked with healthy staple ingredients makes cooking healthy recipes so much easier.
This how-to guide will give you tips for stocking your pantry, plus our ultimate list of foods to have on hand.The idea of revamping your kitchen may seem like a lot of work initially, but trust me – not only is it easier than you might think, it’s also well worth the effort.
* Shortens Your Grocery ListDo you ever look at a recipe and feel overwhelmed by the number of ingredients you’d need to buy to make it? By keeping a few essential ingredients on hand at home, especially spices and herbs, those new and lengthy recipes will often start to seem much more doable.
* Helps with Meal PlanningWhen you’re trying to decide what to make for dinner on a given night or for the week, a great place to start is your pantry. By looking through your cabinets, fridge, and freezer, you can start to get an idea of what you already have on hand, and potential recipes to use these items in.
* Perfect for Last-Minute MealsWe all have those nights when we get home late and don’t have time to run to the grocery store for dinner. Instead of ordering takeout, rummage through your kitchen for ingredients that you can easily combine for a simple meal.
* Encourages Healthier SnackingWhen it comes to snacking, most of us don’t go to the grocery store when we’re feeling hungry. Instead, we reach for whatever is already in our kitchen. Keeping staples like fruit, cheese, and nuts on hand makes it easier to make healthy choices.
* Saves You MoneyWhile there is the initial investment of getting your kitchen stocked, over time it can actually save you money.One way it can help is by buying staple items when they go on sale and buying in bulk. After all, now that you have a list of which foods you want to keep on hand, you’ll be more aware of when they go on sale.