Michele Wallace
So many people ask, “What do I do with my pantry and what should I throw out and stock”? Whether you are a newcomer, or someone who wants to have a greater variety of healthy ingredients on hand, this list on stocking your pantry will serve as a wonderful guide.
No matter how time-crunched life can get, you can be sure that a healthy, effortless meal awaits you at the end of the day to whip up at a moment’s notice just by having things on hand.
Produce will be the food you will shop for most frequently since you want it as fresh as possible. You can support your local farmers market and stock up on wonderful fresh vegetables that you can freeze.
No well stocked pantry would be complete without beans. You can stock an array of wonderful and unusually different beans.
There are so many to choose from and the best place to find a wonderful selection is either at your local bulk food store or for an even larger selection, at www.ranchogordo.com. They have regular and heirloom beans. Be adventurous and try a variety.
Be sure to label any containers you have storing rice, noodles, flour, spices, etc. You may also want to note the date on the label as well.
The chart below is a great guide for how to stocking your pantry. Of course there will be things you may not like or use so simply omit them and include anything you love not on the list.
Make sure you have a few different types of flour, for instance whole wheat, oat, almond, coconut, chickpea, etc.
The same thing for sugar. The #1 natural sugar I use is date sugar. I also have coconut sugar and date syrup (nectar) on hand when the recipe calls for it. If I need to keep the recipe a lighter color, I will opt for agave.
For more information on stocking your pantry and the different items, refer to A Plant-Based Revolution Cookbook.
