Stocking A Clean Eating Pantry
Stocking a clean eating pantry has never been easier! This guide makes is super easy. Give it a try!
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?
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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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Article is an original work and is © Tiffany McCauley. It may not be reproduced for any reason without written permission by the author.
I 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
Sharon – 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.
Are raisins clean?
As far as I know, yes.
I would say yes, they are as well as most dried fruits.
I 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
I 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.
You 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.
I 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.)
Lori – 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!
Thanks!
My pleasure!
Can 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?
I 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.
I 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.
Nice! Thanks!
In moderation, yes. They are clean.
I’m very big on flavor, what seasonings do you suggest?
I 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!).
Wonderful! It’s all about finding ways to make it work for you. Great job!
I’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.
This would be a nice post to re-post before the beginning of the new year for those who may be new to your page.
Thanks! I might very well do that.
Do you have a health food store? I would start there. You can also find foods like this on amazon.com.
No, it’s not clean. Sorry.
I prep everything ahead of time so I always have it on hand. I’ve got it down to a science these days.
Protein 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?
Honestly, 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.
I 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 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.
Super helpful! Clean eating doesn’t sound too scary after all 🙂
Awesome! 🙂