One of the problems I had when I started eating clean was my incredibly, junk-food-filled pantry. There was just nothing I didn’t have in there! From candy bars, to white rice and pasta, I had it! Far from the modeling “diet” I followed in my teens.
Now I admit, I didn’t go through and toss everything so I could start from scratch in one day. Switching my pantry contents to 100% clean foods was a challenge, and I just didn’t have the money to start from scratch all at once. So what did I do?
Every week, I chose one food to replace. Out went the candy bars and in came the protein bars. In a few months, my pantry was…. perfect!
So what clean foods should you buy to replace what’s in your pantry now?
RELATED READING:
Stocking A Clean Eating Pantry
Whole What?
Whole Wheat Pastry 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). As far as I know, this is the finest “grind” of whole wheat flour you can buy.
Beans, beans the magical fruit. The more you eat the more you…
Whether you like them canned or cooked from scratch at home, 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
The Wonderful World of Grains
If you’ve only ever heard of wheat, oats and rice, you’re not alone. Many people don’t even realize the incredible list of healthy grains available to them. Long gone are the days when we had to make due with a few simple and well known grains. 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
- Farro
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat
- Kamut
- Oats – Steel cut is best
Moooooove Over Dairy!
If you are sensitive to dairy like I am, you have some fantastic alternatives available to you!
- Almond milk (Unsweetened)
- Rice milk (Unsweetened)
- Hemp milk (Unsweetened)
- Hazelnut milk (Unsweetened)
- Coconut milk (Unsweetened – usually canned)
Maybe The Squirrels Have It Right!
Nuts are wondrous little doo-dads and 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 – nothing added.
- Hazelnuts
- Walnuts
- Pecans
Do You Have A Sweet Tooth?
There are actually quite a few sweeteners allowed on a clean eating plan. In moderation, you can enjoy some sweet treats on a semi-regular basis!
- Honey
- Sucanat
- Maple syrup
- Brown rice syrup
- Stevia, liquid variety
Extras
Some extras you should always have on hand are:
- Chia Seeds
- Flax Seed Meal
- Oat bran
- Wheat germ
- Bee pollen
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!
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These self-paced 8 lessons will guide you through getting started with clean eating. Receive 90 days access to 8 content pages with audio and downloads as well a access to a members-only forum where you can ask all the questions you need to ask about clean eating. Get more info here.
Article is an original work and is © Tiffany McCauley. It may not be reproduced for any reason without written permission by the author.
Elli Reano says
February 6, 2010 at 7:00 pmVery nice article.. Thanks for sharing..
Ange says
March 28, 2010 at 4:50 amAwesome 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!!
The Gracious Pantry says
March 28, 2010 at 7:35 amThanks Ange! Glad you found it helpful! A pantry full of mason jars sounds FABULOUS!
Jodi says
April 30, 2010 at 2:26 pmA 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.
The Gracious Pantry says
April 30, 2010 at 4:12 pmJodi,
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
Christina says
March 4, 2018 at 7:29 amThank s for that info!
Jodi says
May 2, 2010 at 5:55 pmI 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
The Gracious Pantry says
May 2, 2010 at 6:41 pmHi 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!
Jodi says
May 2, 2010 at 6:11 pmoops, 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
The Gracious Pantry says
May 2, 2010 at 6:44 pmWe 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.
Jen says
October 15, 2010 at 1:54 pmThanks so much for this! Also-Ange’s idea of a pantry full of Mason jars is wonderful!! Looks like I found my next inexpensive project! 🙂
The Gracious Pantry says
October 15, 2010 at 2:05 pmJen – Ange’s idea is FABULOUS! I encourage everyone to try it. If nothing else, you’ve got some great storage!
Jen says
October 22, 2010 at 10:24 pmJust had to share an adorable idea I saw for labeling Mason jars…I am starting to put mine together tomorrow and will be doing this. It’s just too cute to pass up 🙂
http://fallcreekcottage.blogspot.com/2009/12/mason-jar-pantry.html
Carolyn says
January 6, 2011 at 7:07 pmI have been revising my diet toward clean eating for the past few months (and dragging my husband and 2 kids along with me!). I haven’t felt or looked better in years. As I continue to learn, and to expand my repertoire of foods/recipes, I’m trying to figure out Soba (or Buckwheat) noodles. Can you tell me what you know? As I understand it, Buckwheat is not really a wheat/grain, but a nut. But also many of the noodles do have some ‘regular’ whole wheat flour in them. Do you think they are more or less or equally ‘fattening’ (hate to use that term but I think you know what I mean) as evil old white pasta? Or comparable to whole wheat pasta? Or just sort of their own thing? Any wisdom you can shed on this would be appreciated (cuz boy are those Soba noodles tasty and I’d LOVE to eat them weekly if it didn’t feel like ‘cheating.). Thanks!
The Gracious Pantry says
January 6, 2011 at 7:42 pmCaroly – Good question! Actually, most soba noodles are not clean. You have to find soba noodles that are 100% buckwheat, and that’s not easy to find! But they do exist. Check with your local health food store. They are the most likely to have it. If you can find them, then yes, they are clean. Hope that helps!
LM says
October 19, 2011 at 7:02 pmThe soba noodles I use contain buckwheat and whole wheat flour. Is that okay?
Anonymous says
October 19, 2011 at 9:22 pmLM – As long as those are the only two flours listed, then yes.
Natalie says
February 28, 2011 at 8:19 amSomething that I learned is that “Whole Wheat Pastry Flour” can also be labeled “Whole Wheat Soft Flour”. I was going all over the city to find WW Pastry Flour, and couldn’t! When I asked one day at a Health Food Grocery Store, I was told it is also called “Soft Flour”!! I’ve baked with it with successful results!
The Gracious Pantry says
February 28, 2011 at 12:51 pmNatalie – I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know! I’m so glad it working out for you. I love that stuff.
Cymalin says
March 20, 2011 at 10:06 amThank you for assembling this info. I think what you have is a great summary and exactly enough info to get started with out getting overwhelmed.
I just started this switch (with the March Supermoon). I can’t afford to throw food away, so it will take a little longer to switch everything. My biggest questions are about things like Fish Sauce, soy sauce and vinegar which I use quite a lot.
I was also wondering about the sugar thing. I understand why too much sugar is bad for one’s health. But is it the sucrose that is problematic or where it falls on the GI or something else?
Cheers
C
The Gracious Pantry says
March 20, 2011 at 10:10 amCymalin – I don’t use fish sauce, so I’m not sure. But read the ingredients. Any listed sugar or unpronounceable ingredients means it’s not clean. You should recognize each and every ingredient as something you could buy individually to cook with in your own kitchen.
Soy sauce is fine in small amounts, providing it’s low sodium. Vinegar is great! I use it all the time.
Sugar is a “processed thing”. Natural sugars like honey are considered clean. Regular white sugar is processed. Therefor, not clean.
Hope that helps.
Leslie Genchi says
May 17, 2011 at 4:22 pmHi. Is it okay to substitute Goat’s Milk for Cow’s Milk?
The Gracious Pantry says
May 17, 2011 at 5:50 pmLeslie – Definitely!
Gailsbigtoe says
June 28, 2011 at 10:48 amSucralet (sp?) is another sugar you can get at a health food store. I use it as a sugar substitute in some baked things.
Anonymous says
June 28, 2011 at 2:24 pmGail – Never heard of it. Do you have a link to share?
Anonymous says
July 25, 2011 at 8:35 pmmomof4 – That’s awesome! Good for you for making those changes for your son. You’re a great mom!
Heather anderson says
August 19, 2011 at 7:29 pmWhere can you find all those different types of grains… I found a few at Henrys but not all of them????
Anonymous says
August 19, 2011 at 8:53 pmHeather – It will really depend on what types of stores you have available to you. Many health food stores will carry them in bulk or in packages. But you may find you either have to go to a few different stores to find all of them, or you may even have to order on line if your store selection is limited.
Anonymous says
September 11, 2011 at 6:29 amGina – Not specifically, but I can work on it. I typically cook my brown rice with chicken broth instead of water. You can even add a few of your favorite herbs to that. It’s yummy!
Anonymous says
February 9, 2012 at 3:55 pmMKM – Glad you like it! Enjoy!
Melanie Evans says
March 13, 2012 at 4:28 amWhat about TRUVIA as a natural sweetener?
graciouspantry says
March 13, 2012 at 7:56 amMelanie – Stevia is a plant, Truvia is a sweetener made by the Coca Cola company. Truvia is definitely not something you want to use. Stick to 100% stevia.
graciouspantry says
April 20, 2012 at 8:39 pmJoey – Awww, thanks so much!
graciouspantry says
May 2, 2012 at 10:35 amKami – Sounds delicious!
graciouspantry says
May 9, 2012 at 8:24 amStowers – Honestly, I would talk to a doctor. Sounds like there’s something not quite right there.
graciouspantry says
May 19, 2012 at 6:51 pmStevia is a plant. It’s perfectly healthy. However, in order for it to be clean, it either has to be green liquid or green powder form.
Sharon O'shea says
May 25, 2012 at 5:31 amI was looking for smoothie recipes and found your website. Thanks to that I changed my breakfast habits, and this really helps. Since my pre-diabetes diagnosis in February I have already lost 15 lbs and now with these delicious smoothie recipes and other foods from you site I’m sure I can get this under control soon. Thank you!!!
I am also extremely lactose-intolerant. Yogurt is the only thing that does no damage and I’ve discovered Feta and Pecorino cheeses are OK, too. But – can I use Kefir?
Best wishes for your success with this page! Sharon
graciouspantry says
May 25, 2012 at 7:18 pmSharon – I honestly don’t know. Kefir is a soured milk much like yogurt, but you would have to ask your doctor to see if it’s an acceptable substitute.
Connie_bgood says
June 11, 2012 at 8:24 amAre raisins clean?
graciouspantry says
June 11, 2012 at 9:38 amAs far as I know, yes.
Fauntleroyv says
June 25, 2012 at 6:45 amI would say yes, they are as well as most dried fruits.
MrsMakedaFleming says
July 10, 2012 at 6:50 amI am so excited to start this. so tired of going through the heavy cycle of not eating well. reminds me so much of the Daniel Fast that we do at church. j
graciouspantry says
July 14, 2012 at 9:29 amI have a free getting started guide (on the home page in the sliding photos). Check out my clean eating 101 section as well. If you want an actual physical book, I recommend Tosca Reno’s books. The “Recharged” book is very good.
graciouspantry says
August 10, 2012 at 1:37 pmYou do have to watch the salt content. Salt by itself is not “unclean”, but you obviously don’t want to eat too much of it either. All things in moderation. As for the canned goods, you have to read labels. Some are clean, others are not.
Lori says
April 24, 2016 at 10:18 pmI went to a conference this past weekend and learned something new about salt. Using Celtic salt or Himalayan Pink salt is better for you than regular salt or Mediterranean Sea salt. They haven’t been processed and contain more minerals.
I mention this because I drink water nonstop. Yet, I always feel thirsty, and I’m not diabetic. I found out that the water I drink is not entering my cells. (There’s a scientific reason, but I don’t want to bore you with the details.)
The Gracious Pantry says
April 24, 2016 at 10:21 pmLori – Really? That’s truly interesting because I am experiencing the same thing. But I do use good salt, so maybe that’s not it. Thanks for sharing!
graciouspantry says
August 12, 2012 at 10:00 amThanks!
graciouspantry says
August 12, 2012 at 10:07 amMy pleasure!
Cindie LaForce says
August 25, 2012 at 12:02 pmCan you use agave as a sweetener? In my Blendtec recipe book it calls for agave in many of the recipes. Should I use agave or substitute it with something else?
graciouspantry says
August 26, 2012 at 8:30 amI no longer use agave as it turns out it’s very processed and apparently nearly as bad as corn syrup. I just sub with honey.
Nancy says
September 12, 2012 at 12:05 pmI have done this a few years back. I just wanted to share a tip. I use canning jars to hold my grains, beans, nuts, and other items that I buy in the organic bulk section at Whole Foods Market. They work great, are inexpensive, and come in different sizes. Now is the season to buy them. I even found a silverware holder to put in my pantry that was wide enough to hold several of the jars. I can slide the holder out like a drawer instead of moving several jars to get to the one I want.
graciouspantry says
September 12, 2012 at 3:47 pmNice! Thanks!
graciouspantry says
September 22, 2012 at 6:39 pmIn moderation, yes. They are clean.
Brandi says
September 29, 2012 at 5:42 pmI’m very big on flavor, what seasonings do you suggest?
graciouspantry says
September 29, 2012 at 7:39 pmI focus a lot on single herbs like basil as well as powders like garlic powder, onion powder and such. I also have a good quality pumpkin spice mix (they are not all equal!).
graciouspantry says
October 19, 2012 at 3:58 pmWonderful! It’s all about finding ways to make it work for you. Great job!
graciouspantry says
October 29, 2012 at 10:14 amI’m just now learning about gluten free cooking myself. It’s a huge undertaking, but once I get it down, I think it’ll be a nice change.
Annette says
December 23, 2012 at 2:04 pmThis would be a nice post to re-post before the beginning of the new year for those who may be new to your page.
graciouspantry says
December 23, 2012 at 3:41 pmThanks! I might very well do that.
graciouspantry says
January 5, 2013 at 9:20 amDo you have a health food store? I would start there. You can also find foods like this on amazon.com.
graciouspantry says
January 9, 2013 at 12:32 pmNo, it’s not clean. Sorry.
graciouspantry says
January 19, 2013 at 5:26 pmI prep everything ahead of time so I always have it on hand. I’ve got it down to a science these days.
Kristin says
January 22, 2013 at 11:11 pmProtein drinks are my go-to after work outs. I use Beverly UMP.. but have read not-so-great things about its “cleanliness”. Any suggestions for protein powder that is clean and tasty?
The Gracious Pantry says
January 22, 2013 at 11:33 pmHonestly, I don’t believe there is any such thing as clean protein powder. You can’t find it in nature that way. It has to be processed to get it that way. But that said, some are better choices than others. Opt for powders that are 100%. So, 100% whey, 100% hemp… etc. The fewer the ingredients, the better. Natural Factors seems pretty good as does Jay Robb and Manitoba Harvest. I know there are others, but those are the three I know of.
Ashley says
January 24, 2013 at 9:53 pmI live in Calgary, AB. I am having a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour. What is the difference between regular whole wheat and the pastry flour? Also, I am considering buying a wheat grinder so I can grind my own flours. Can I make whole wheat pastry flour? What other flours are good for baking?
Thanks so much!
The Gracious Pantry says
January 25, 2013 at 11:22 amThe difference is the wheat. These flours are made with two different types of wheat. The pastry variety is also a finer grind and has less gluten. Different flours are good for different recipes. So the types you should have on hand will vary based on what you want to make.
Leine says
February 1, 2013 at 12:51 amSuper helpful! Clean eating doesn’t sound too scary after all 🙂
The Gracious Pantry says
February 1, 2013 at 1:07 amAwesome! 🙂
Maureen says
February 3, 2013 at 10:15 amThanks for this information, very interesting and informative.
Jennifer says
February 12, 2013 at 8:12 pmIs it okay to add sesame seeds to recipes, I like to add it to my homemade salad dressings?
Great website…Thank you!!!!
The Gracious Pantry says
February 12, 2013 at 9:17 pmOf course!
Susan says
February 14, 2013 at 8:42 pmI’m ok with all the changes, especially beans,I love them and can make a lot of receipes with them. It’s the milk, almond, goat, rice. I can’t do it. I know it’s a mind of matter thing. I’m not a big milk drinker but cereal and a little in my coffee.
Rhonda says
February 21, 2013 at 9:49 amGlad I found your site…we are working towards being clean eaters. My family loves cold cereals , that’s our our main breakfast in this family on weekdays. My husband often has a bowl before bed as well. I don’t buy the super sugary stuff, our main ones are Cheerios, corn flakes, shreddies,weetabix,rice crispies, etc.. My question is there any one you call clean? Also do you know of any clean cereal that kids will eat?. Or any recipes that is a make ahead cold cereal ?
The Gracious Pantry says
February 21, 2013 at 10:40 amThere really isn’t a cold cereal that is clean. The closest I’ve found is from the health food store and it’s just puffed grains (cheap though!). I have a granola recipe on my site if that helps.
Karyn says
February 27, 2013 at 11:25 amUmm… wheres the meat? No meat in clean eating??
The Gracious Pantry says
February 27, 2013 at 1:18 pmKaryn – I don’t keep meat in my pantry. I listed the dairy-free stuff because it usually comes in a carton that you can keep in the pantry until you are ready to use it. So maybe that’s where the confusion is coming in?
Abigail says
March 1, 2013 at 1:08 pmLove your site. I had a question about raw cane sugar. I have a home baking business and use raw sugar(not a fan of plain old granulated sugar at all. I make my own brown sugar at home). Is raw sugar, or sugar in the raw, considered clean?
The Gracious Pantry says
March 1, 2013 at 1:23 pmI don’t believe so, but I will be researching all of that for an upcoming article in the very near future. So I’ll know more then. Wish I could be more help…
Victoria says
March 18, 2013 at 4:43 amLove this!! I’ve been wanting to start and didn’t know where to begin. Thank you so much.
Ashley says
March 19, 2013 at 1:11 pmI read in one of your comments to someone else that you worry about the cholesterol levels in egg yolks, but sometimes the fat is needed.
You can substitute eggs with avacados, even in baking. Comes out just as yummy. And the fats are still there, but in a different way.
You can substitute oil with apple sauce too.
Thanks for this post. I’ve been seeing recipes for clean eating lately and wasn’t sure what it was all about. I read one of your other articles which led me to this one. I love it. Thanks again for the information!
Jessica says
March 26, 2013 at 1:31 pmMy dad found raw sugar that has been unprocessed at the store. It is slightly brown and the crystals are bigger than those of white sugar. It has one ingredient, cane sugar. Is this sugar clean due to the fact is hasn’t been processed, or should it still be avoided?
The Gracious Pantry says
March 26, 2013 at 8:37 pmSounds okay to me!
Amanda says
March 28, 2013 at 9:15 pmI have just started clean eating not just for me but my family’s health and well being as well, I have you to thank for helping me start and for sharing recipes that my kids will enjoy as well:)
The Gracious Pantry says
March 28, 2013 at 9:20 pmMy pleasure! I’m sure you’ll do great! 🙂
Brooke says
April 20, 2013 at 5:53 pmWhat do you do with Bee Pollen and the entire “extras” list (besides Flax…. I use that already)? And…. Is it unclean to eat/drink organic dairy? If I don’t have lactose issues? I don’t drink much milk, but I love cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese…. I’m buying the organic versions of these now, but is it in the clean eating plan? Thanks!
The Gracious Pantry says
April 20, 2013 at 6:16 pmBrooke – I have added all of them to smoothies at one time or another.
Lindsay says
May 3, 2013 at 1:10 pmGreat information! I am going to start my clean eating list now! One question–is there a post about finding clean peanut butter? Thanks for the awesome information!!!
The Gracious Pantry says
May 4, 2013 at 12:59 amLindsay – If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, then look for the Adam’s brand. It’s the most widely available.
cheryl bush says
May 5, 2013 at 12:33 pmThanks. Started eating cleaner about a year ago and still have things to take out of the pantry. This is a great plan.
The Gracious Pantry says
May 6, 2013 at 2:44 amCheryl – Glad you found it useful! 🙂
Michelle says
May 16, 2013 at 7:26 pmThese “clean” eating suggestions are loaded with foods that are made up of GMOs.
The Gracious Pantry says
May 17, 2013 at 1:12 amMichelle – Then buy organic versions. And which foods on the list do you believe to be GMO’s? I’m curious…
Heather says
May 22, 2013 at 1:28 pmMichelle – if you are in the U.S., the only food on the list that could be GM is the honey (the bees could easily have pollen from GM crops in the honey). You can educated yourself on other GM crops here: http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/. HTH.
Heather says
May 22, 2013 at 1:28 pm*Oops, educate, not educated 🙂
Meghan says
June 3, 2013 at 8:06 pmToday, I ran across something called jaggery at an Asian market. Can that be considered clean? From my understanding its made from unrefined cane sugar.
Thanks.
The Gracious Pantry says
June 4, 2013 at 8:16 pmMeghan – I’ve never heard of it, so it’s hard to say. Do you have a link I can look at?
Meghan says
June 5, 2013 at 6:32 pmHere is one of the sites I found.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-jaggery.htm
The Gracious Pantry says
June 6, 2013 at 2:05 amMeghan – From that description, it sounds okay to me!
Sarah says
June 7, 2013 at 1:28 pmQuinoa is not a grain. It is a seed.
The Gracious Pantry says
June 7, 2013 at 7:10 pmSarah – I know. But it’s cooked like a grain and acts like a grain, and most people think it’s a grain. So I don’t split hairs unless I think it’s really necessary.
Jan says
June 21, 2013 at 5:19 pmHowdy – Just subscribed to your site a few minutes ago. I read your pantry list and am glad to say I already have about half of your suggestions for eating clean – started trying to eat clean about a year ago. Good about what I bring into my home, but going out to eat isn’t so easy.
Thanks for this site – will help keep me motivated!
One question; I’ve been eating 100% organic sprouted bread, what is your take on this?
Hootie – Jan
The Gracious Pantry says
June 21, 2013 at 7:00 pmJan – Depends on the ingredient list. what’s in it?
Leigh says
July 8, 2013 at 7:43 amHey!
This is awesome! I am trying to lose the last 20 lbs of my baby weight from my 1st pregnancy and believe Clean eating is the way to go! I love your site and all the helpful links for beginners. I do have one question though, my husband LOVES cereal. What should we replace it with or is there a clean cereal for us to use?
Thanks so much!
L
The Gracious Pantry says
July 8, 2013 at 11:40 amLeigh – The only one I know of (and I’m not totally sure if it’s 100% clean), are something called “puffed grains”. You can find them at health food stores and the only thing in them is the grain itself. It’s not like regular cereal and it gets mushy fast. But it’s the only one I know of and they come in all different grains. If you can’t find them locally, amazon.com has them. Hope that helps. 🙂
Allison says
July 10, 2013 at 5:42 amI am finding it do difficult to go clean, we have a family of six( I know others do to and more) however the are all under 8 and we like everyone else are very busy ith their sports and choosing. I try to make all our baked goods and things from scratch and as much more as possible, however it’s things like condiments that I struggle with the most, saying that we make all our own salad dressings and only eat ketchup and mustard…..this is a great start to our journey…..thank you or the inspiration I think we just need to find tune and tweak what we are already doing…..onto to fixing the pantry ( which lucky for me my husband just built me one that is 15 feet wide floor to ceiling but only 8″ deeps so nothing gets lost or spoiled. 🙂
The Gracious Pantry says
July 10, 2013 at 8:31 amAllison – Sounds like you’re on the right track! And oh, you lucky girl!! What I wouldn’t give for a real pantry!!
Ashley peck says
October 16, 2013 at 8:35 amHi Tiffany! I am trying to go all the way with my pantry now and clean foods. There are a few things I just can’t find in a clean form though. Could you give me suggestions, the biggest is Tortillas. All the whole wheat tortillas I’ve found contain tons of chemicals. Mayo or a close substitute, any ideas? Any clean condiments in that case? Which dark chocolate do you suggest? I know this is a lot of questions, thanks for being so available!
The Gracious Pantry says
October 16, 2013 at 9:48 amAshley – Let’s start with what stores you have available to you. That will make a difference. Do you have a Trader Joe’s? Whole Foods?
Ashley peck says
October 16, 2013 at 11:42 amI wish, I live in small town in N. Iowa. We have an awesome Hyvee, Walmart, Target, and a great health food store that will order special items for you if you have an item name.
The Gracious Pantry says
October 16, 2013 at 5:02 pmAshley – It’s hard to say when I don’t know those stores. Would it help if I gave you amazon links?
renny says
November 9, 2013 at 1:47 pmWhat about soy milk?
The Gracious Pantry says
November 9, 2013 at 8:44 pmRenny – I don’t use soy milk any longer. I did in the beginning, but I’ve read too much negative stuff about it. Of course, it’s a personal choice. I’m not saying others shouldn’t use it, but my choice is to avoid it these day.s
Jamie says
November 15, 2013 at 9:42 amHi Tiffany! I just stumbled onto your website through pinterest and really love it. Not to mention how friendly and inquisitive everyone is, I really enjoy reading everyone’s posts.
I tried to go vegan in January and was successful for 6 months, I loved how I felt but I was having a difficult time in the evening having to make 2 separate dinners for my daughters. They actually LOVED the vegan dishes but my oldest one (Trinity is 10yrs old) has a genetic disease called Cystic Fibrosis which affects her lungs & pancreas. Her doctor was very concerned with her eating a vegan diet. Trinity’s lungs are fantastic but she has a very very difficult time gaining weight and had a g-tube put in last summer for additional night feedings to help with receiving extra calories. She is finally starting to gain weight and is functioning at normal energy levels…YEAH!
I have always been a big health nut and have had a hard time understanding how to provide Trinity with the high fat, high sodium diet she needs to grow while staying in a clean/healthy diet. I believe it is possible, but am not sure how to go about it.
The Gracious Pantry says
November 15, 2013 at 11:35 pmJamie – The only thing I can think of is that you plan your meals around hers. Maybe add to them somehow for yourself?
Suzie says
December 26, 2013 at 10:32 pmis there anything wrong with soy milk ? I’ve noticed not many people drink it. I am lactose intolerant and just recently starting looking for alternatives. Should I try something other than soy milk ?
The Gracious Pantry says
December 27, 2013 at 12:58 amSuzie – Some people drink it, but many avoid it for several reasons. Firstly, it’s difficult to find soy milk that is non-GMO (genetically modified) and second, soy tends to mess with hormone levels, or so I’ve read.
Cally says
January 10, 2014 at 7:03 amMy understanding, is that distilled water is really bad for your body-the ph in our bodies is of utmost importance and should be about 7, too far in one direction or another can cause serious harm, it’s based on alkaline vs acid. My friend (who used to sell distillers) now sells water filters and did the whole demo for me(it’s like when you use a pool testing kit) I can’t afford the filter but I learned a lot about the importance of ph in our bodies, really important if you get UTI’s or are sick. Distilled water is far from the ideal on the ph scale.
The Gracious Pantry says
January 10, 2014 at 10:22 amCally – I really feel distilled water is the least of our worries. We can pick a lot of things apart, anything really. Water, fruit, vegetables… I don’t feel that’s the real issue. But that’s just my personal opinion. Do what works best for you!
Ashley says
January 14, 2014 at 4:18 pmAbout the sweeteners you mentioned- I saw that stevia is mentioned, but not the similar products like Truvia (powdered stevia), Trulicious, etc. Also what about Sugar in the Raw (turbinado sugar, isn’t it?)? Are those things okay? If not, why? Thanks!
The Gracious Pantry says
January 14, 2014 at 9:12 pmAshely – I’m still researching sugars and will be doing a blog post on the various types soon. So I can’t answer right now about the turbinado or raw sugar. But I will. As for Truvia vs stevia… stevia with nothing else added is just that. Stevia. The plant. Truvia is made by the coca cola company. It’s very processed and has some other nasty thing added to it.
Hope says
January 18, 2014 at 2:09 pmHad a question about two things. First I’ve fallen in love with Coconut sugar which is a 1:1 replacement for regular sugar but haven’t seen anything about it any your recipes. What is your take on it. Second My husband and I haven’t been huge fans of Almond milk but love coconut milk. Can we substitute or will it not work in some of the recipes?
The Gracious Pantry says
January 18, 2014 at 2:13 pmHope – As far as I know, coconut sugar is fine. I’m still researching all the sugars however, so I may retract that statement at a later date if I find out something different. As for the milks, for the most part, you can substitute them easily. Just keep the difference in thickness in mind when doing so. For a few recipes, the density factor could affect it. But overall, I think it’s totally fine to switch the two.
Jen says
February 15, 2014 at 8:18 amBrand new to clean eating, but it makes so much sense to me! We’re lactose intolerant and drink lactose free cows milk, lactaid. Is that ok?
The Gracious Pantry says
February 15, 2014 at 10:01 amJen – You know, I haven’t looked into that. My guess is no, but I don’t know what the processing is on that. On the other hand, if that’s the ONLY thing you have that isn’t clean, you’re doing pretty good. Just be sure to get the full fat version. It’s less processed.
Heidi says
March 6, 2014 at 7:09 amwhat about Agave nectar? would that be considered “clean eating”
The Gracious Pantry says
March 6, 2014 at 9:34 amHeidi – No, sorry. It has more fructose than corn syrup and is very processed.
Anita says
May 20, 2014 at 12:13 pmI have a question. I’m not allowed to eat the following because of certain health issues:
Corn, Wheat, Buckwheat, Lentils, Tomato, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds & Chicken. How do I get around wheat!?
The Gracious Pantry says
May 20, 2014 at 9:29 pmAnita – I really don’t know much about gluten free baking. Try Elana’s Pantry. She has a lot of wheat free recipes and many of them are clean. Sorry, wish I could be more help here…
PM says
October 12, 2015 at 4:51 amI have five very picky eaters. Some will not do any form of rice. Quinoa is out of the question. Very few vegetables are liked- only broccoli, green beans, carrots, peas, and corn are liked by all 5. Beans are also a problem. I’ve tried a few recipes and no one eats. My husband says they have no taste. Is there any hope for me to start clean eating??
The Gracious Pantry says
October 12, 2015 at 7:22 amPM – Absolutely! You don’t have to eat beans, rice or quinoa to eat clean. Clean eating is simply about eating real food. It’s about avoiding processed, boxed, packaged stuff. So by all means, load them all up with broccoli, green beans and carrots! Slowly transition to 100% whole grain wheat products. You don’t have to take the plunge 100% overnight. In fact, it’s better if you don’t. Easing yourself and your family into this will serve everyone much better.
Kiran says
July 15, 2016 at 2:10 amUseful,it’s a great help to start.
The Gracious Pantry says
July 15, 2016 at 12:36 pmKiran – Glad it helped! 🙂
Christine says
January 5, 2017 at 7:56 amIs Stevia In the Raw considered clean eating for a sugar substitute?
The Gracious Pantry says
January 6, 2017 at 11:39 amChristine – Sadly, no because it contains a bulking agent (dextrose or maltodextrin). I know Whole Foods carries a clean powdered brand, and Trader Joe’s liquid stevia is clean. Hope that helps.