I’m not against health food stores, but for convenience, most of my pantry/refrigerator food comes from either a supermarket or Fairway (for deli-type foods, sushi, and fresh-baked goods). I also order dry foods from Walmart and buy milk and eggs from Target Express (they are everywhere in Manhattan; there is no brick-and-mortar Walmart).
The following are healthy food staples I always buy and never let myself run out of stock. I’m not going to list ultra-common spices like salt or pepper, common condiments like mustard, ketchup, or mayonnaise, or common beverages like coffee or tea. I know people who don’t drink milk or only buy a quart of milk for coffee, or never have eggs at home, so I’m listing them. We drink gallons of milk and always have enough eggs for cooking or baking.
Healthy Food Staples that are always In My Kitchen
1) milk, eggs, and all-purpose flour.
2) mushrooms, celery, carrots, tri-colored bell peppers, and onions. Onions last. I chop and toss mushrooms, bell peppers, and celery into the freezer, so when I cook vegetables, soups, stew, pizza, or omelets, I have them ready to incorporate.
3) Oatmeal - one-minute flaked - For cereal or to use as breadcrumbs.
4) Organic cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Cajun spice. There’s nothing wrong with regular cider vinegar; I just think the organic, containing a mother, tastes better.
5) Greek yogurt - If I make potato or macaroni salad, I’ll boost the protein by substituting some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
6) Avocados, bananas, and berries (strawberries, blueberries, or both).
7) Canned salmon - Salmon patties are great for fast, last-minute dinners.
8) Bread and saltine crackers
9) Bags of frozen mixed vegetables, including frozen lima beans. Who decided to remove lima beans from mixed vegetables? Not me! I return them.
10) Potatoes - My favorite starch. I never get tired of potatoes.
11) Extra sharp New York Cheddar. Other types of cheese come and go, but extra sharp cheddar is always and forever in my refigerator.
12) 1/2 - 3/4 pound deli sliced ham - A pound was always too much, and we had to eat it before it went bad. We grill ham with eggs in the mornings or make sandwiches for lunch.
We eat beef, chicken, rice, pasta, corn, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables, too, but they come and go. The listed foods above are like our basics, so we always restock them before we run out.
How about you?
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