Healthy Pantry Makeover Tips + Free Printable Pantry & Meal Planning Checklist
With a well-stocked pantry, nourishing meals are attainable – even on your family’s busiest days. These healthy pantry makeover tips (plus our free printable staples list) will help you keep real foods on hand at all times.
Even if your cupboards currently look like the snack aisle at Target, you can start transitioning from packaged, process stuff to more real food in your kitchen.
A healthy pantry makeover doesn’t have to happen all at once. It’s a great opportunity to start slowly replacing some of your old flours, pastas, spices, and cooking oils with refreshed healthier versions.
Where to Buy High Quality Real Food & Pantry Staples
When it comes to buying these items, choose local and organic whenever you can. We belong to our local CSA and make a regular Saturday morning visit to our local farmers market. This is a great place to get organic vegetables, seasonal fruits and berries, local raw honey, and sometimes flours and baked goods.
If you live in an area without a Whole Foods-type of store and your local grocer doesn’t carry much by way of healthier options, we’ve found it super easy to shop online with Amazon’s Subscribe & Save option. You can find organic and non-GMO products at extremely competitive prices.
To make the meal planning and pantry stocking process easier, download our free printable Meal Planner and Pantry Staples List.
To keep from wasting a new sheet of paper each week, place your printable meal planner and your healthy pantry staples list in a protective sheet or photo frame and use a dry-erase pen.
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Click here to download our free printable Pantry Staples List!
Click here to download our free printable Meal Planner!
Your list may look different depending on any food sensitivities or personal preferences within your family. This is simply a guide – a reference to build upon or take away from. And if your kitchen is vegan, disregard any dairy or animal stocks from this list.
Healthy Pantry Staples List
Flours
Einkorn flour – here’s why we love ancient grains and einkorn flour
Coconut flour
Almond flour – or DIY by grinding what’s left after making homemade almond milk
Simple Mills Grain Free Baking Mixes
Oils and Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – not recommended for cooking at high heat
Coconut oil
Clarified butter / Ghee – buy it or make your own clarified butter
Avocado oil
Macadamia nut oil
Grapeseed oil
Grains, Pasta, Rice, Legumes
Quinoa
Whole grain oats
Chickpeas / Garbanzo beans
Pinto beans
Lentils
Gluten free pasta
Wild blend rice
Seasonings & Spices
Celtic sea salt
Himalayan salt
Organic Black Peppercorn
Garam Marsala
Cinnamon
Cumin
Ground clove
Sumac
Oregano
Thyme
Turmeric
Seeds, Nuts, & Nut Butters
Almonds
Cashews
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Pistachios
Walnuts
Almond butter
Cashew butter – make your own
Sunflower seed butter
Sweeteners
Local, raw honey – try your local farmers market or look at Local Honey Source
Medjool dates
Pure maple syrup – Grade B if you can find it
Natural vanilla extract – or make your own
Pure almond extract
Coconut sugar
Raisins
Stocks & Broths
Organic vegetable stock
Free range chicken broth
Pre-made bone broths or homemade bone broths to freeze
Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids
Once your healthy pantry makeover is underway, talk to your kids about what new snacks they’d like to try – as well as what favorites they may not be ready to give up. You can generally find improved versions of the cereals and snacks kids love at Trader Joe’s. That doesn’t make them health foods, but at least they’re not laden with chemicals and pesticides.
To expand your child’s healthy snack palate, try some of these…
- apple slices with almond butter or sunflower seed butter
- WASA crackers with honey butter
- veggies in kid-sized slices
- yogurt with fresh granola or berries
- broccoli with melted freshly grated cheese
- whole grain chips or organic corn chips with salsa
- kale popcorn or crispy kale chips
- veggie or fruit ice pops
- cheese, freshly cut salami, whole grain crackers and sunflower honey
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