Stocking A Clean Eating Pantry
There are many reasons that people start eating clean. But no matter what your reasons are, you have to have some place to start. Some point of reference for which to stock your kitchen cabinets and pantry.
When I started eating clean, it was a relatively easy change for me because I had grown up with this type of cooking and eating. But for most folks today, stocking a clean eating pantry is not second nature. In fact, many people don’t have a clue where to start. So I thought I would give you a few pointers.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – This type of flour is easily substituted in most recipes calling for white flour. It’s cheapest to purchase it in bulk at your local health food store. (You’ll need to find another alternative if you are gluten sensitive).
Beans - Whether you like them canned or dried so you can cook them yourself, be sure you have plenty of these on hand in a broad variety. They are nutrition powerhouses and are very easy on the wallet. Just be sure to read labels if you are buying canned beans. Many will have added sugar. Avoid these. The sugar is not necessary or part of a clean eating lifestyle. Some beans to try:
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Pinto beans
- Adzuki beans
- Navy beans
Grains - There are so many grains available today. Long gone are the days when we had to make due with corn, oats or wheat. Today we have a veritable cornucopia of nutritious grains at our disposal. Here are just a few to get you started:
- Quinoa
- Brown Rice
- Barley
- Millet
TVP - This is short for Textured Vegetable Protein. In comes either in bulk or in packages at most health food stores, and is a fabulous substitution for many recipes that require meat. It can be a really nice change in your diet, even if you are not vegetarian. Use TVP in recipes calling for ground meat such as:
- Chili
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Casseroles
- Stews
- Soups
Dairy alternatives – There is much debate over whether or not dairy is good for us. Some people say it’s the best source for calcium while others say humans were not meant to consume animal milk. But no matter where you stand on this matter, here are some great alternatives to have on hand:
- Soy milk (Unsweetened)
- Almond milk (Unsweetened)
- Rice milk (unsweetened)
Nuts - These wondrous little doo-dads are a great addition to your eating plan in small amounts. The nutrients found in nuts are unequaled, and they really add a flavorful punch to anything you add them to. Some nuts to get you started are:
- Almonds (Raw is best)
- Hazelnuts
- Walnuts
- Pecans
Sweeteners – There are actually quite a few sweeteners allowed on a clean eating plan. Personally, I only use agave because it’s the only sweetener my poor blood sugar can handle. But here is a list of others to try.
- Agave
- Honey
- Rapadura
- Maple syrup
- Brown rice syrup
Extras - Some extras you should always have on hand are:
- Flax Seed Meal
- Oat bran
- Oatmeal ( I love the steel cut oats, but traditional cut is fine if you prefer it)
- Wheat germ
So there you have it. It’s by no means a complete list, but it’s a place to start. When you go grocery shopping, just add fresh fruits and veggies to this list and you’ll be well on your way to better health!
RELATED READING:
Help me make this a better resource for you!
Please place your vote below.
Eat and Enjoy!
9 comments
Very nice article.. Thanks for sharing..
Awesome post! I’ve been wanting to create a pantry full of mason jars and this list keeps all the necessary ingredients in 1 place for reference – thanks!!
Thanks Ange! Glad you found it helpful! A pantry full of mason jars sounds FABULOUS!
A pantry full of mason jars sounds great, Ange. Reminds me of when I was in my 20s and vegetarian. I need to get some more big ones.
Tiffany I love your site. Thank you from an aging hippy (granola granny?)
May I suggest white whole wheat flour for bread baking? It has more gluten than the pastry flour (which is the big difference between pastry and all purpose flour) I use it pretty much for anything. It isn’t processed to make it white, it is white wheat as opposed to red wheat. It is actually cream colored, not as light as unbleached white (all the good stuff removed) flour or blue-gray like the chemically bleached (Yuch-haven’t used that since 1970 when I saw it next to natural flour!) Anyway pastry flour as it’s name suggests is good for pie crust, biscuits, cookies, cakes, things you want to be kind of flaky. The gluten in all purpose and especially bread flour is developed with kneading or mixing after the liquid is added and forms the structure for bread that holds the gasses produced by the yeast. It’s also why cakes and such can end up chewy and tough if you mix too much (more than just to combine wet and dry)
Also try other grains. We love biscuits made with whole grain spelt flour. Making sure your flours are whole grain is probably the most important thing.
Jodi,
You are a wealth of information! Thank you so much! I always wondered what the deal was with the white whole wheat. I’ve avoided it like the plague because I assumed it was processed like white flour.
Thank you! I will buy some this weekend!
Tiffany
I haven’t found a better place yet so I hope this is an appropriate place to ask you some questions.
Some of your recipes call for egg whites, others for eggs and egg whites. Is that because of the fat content of egg yolks or some other reason? We have our own free-range chickens that also get greens and other food scraps and weeds from my garden and a custom mix of grains. So our eggs are organic (we haven’t paid for certification, but we don’t sell them either; just give them to friends and family) They are considerably fresher than store-bought and taste much better.
Your recipes call for distilled water. Is that because you have public water that’s full of chlorine and other chemicals
oops, still struggling with Windows 7. It does bizarre unexpected things, like posting that before I was finished.
We have our own well water, tested periodically so we know it’s clean. When I used to have to deal with public water supplies I used to haul well water from my parents’ home. After they moved to a retirement home that had public water, I used a filter. It was my understanding that water with the naturally occurring minerals in it was usually healthier, that distilled could pull the minerals from your body. But that was something I read a long time ago and haven’t verified, so obviously could be wrong on that part. Do you distill your own or get it in glass bottles? My concern is the chemicals that could leach from plastic bottles. We also use cast iron cookware, ceramic, glass, or stainless steel. We are not at all convinced that teflon-type non-stick coatings are really safe. I’m interested in other peoples’ opinions on these things as well. Thanks
Hi Jody,
I’m not sure which recipes you are referring to, but the egg content depends on the recipe. I try not to use egg yolks because of the cholesterol content. But sometimes, a recipe just needs the extra fat and moisture that an egg yolk provides.
It’s ALWAYS better to have fresh eggs. If you can get them (I can’t), you have a gold mine!
We are fortunate enough to be able to buy the big 3 gallon jugs from a local water supplier. We have a water dispenser that is ceramic. It’s always better to avoid plastic of any kind. That said, you have to be realistic too. I cut back on plastic as much as I can, but sometimes, it’s more trouble than it’s worth to avoid it.
Leave a Comment