I always pack school lunches, and I serve real food for dinner. I don’t say that to say, look at me, I say that to let you know it’s definitely possible. As a working mom of three active kids, I get it. Prioritizing healthy meals can be a real challenge. But it is so worth it!
I plan, plan, plan. That really is the #1 key. And you have to be armed and ready because you know you often have mere minutes to get food on the table before the hangry (no that’s not a typo – I mean hungry/angry!) chaos strikes.
Here are the staples that are always in my refrigerator so I can pull together a healthy meal or snack in minutes.
- Almond or coconut milk
- Organic peanut butter and/or almond butter
- Organic jelly
- Leafy greens
- Some combination of cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms
- Fresh fruit: I buy what’s in season so this could look like apples and grapes or berries and nectarines
- Medjool dates
- Whole grain and sprouted corn tortillas
- Organic string cheese, cheese slices and shredded mozzarella
- Organic eggs
- Organic butter
- Raw sauerkraut (Bubbie’s is my fav)
- Organic salsa
- Mustard
- Low sodium tamari
- Hummus
- Hemp seeds
- Flax seeds and flax meal: unlike chia seeds, you need to store flax in the fridge to keep it fresh
- Cooked protein (wild salmon, organic chicken or turkey). Sure, there might be some protein in there waiting to be cooked too, but I always have something done and ready to grab.
- A bunch of random leftovers: we are good leftover eaters!
If you’ve got these essentials always available, you can whip out anything from a smoothie to a salad, a veggie omelet wrap to a thin crust pizza. And PB&J is always an option, people. My kids love PB&J tortillas cut into triangles.
Now if you’re wondering which hummus is best? What ingredients do I avoid in cheese, salsa, peanut butter and tortillas? Reach out to me for details on my Pantry Makeover. Because the food you choose does have a huge impact on your health. I would love to help set you up for success! Contact me for a free Simply Healthy Strategy session and we can see if this is the service that will help you reach your goals.
Stay tuned for my pantry staples list!
