Top 10 Pantry Must-Haves

You know that feeling you get when you come home from a busy day and realize you have absolutely nothing in your pantry to create a meal out of? Now you’re left with two options… throw in the dinner towel and just order in food OR make a dreaded post-busy day grocery store run. Gross. What if we could avoid this scenario? One of my biggest nutrition tips is to “prepare for the times you are unprepared.” How do you do this you may ask? By keeping easy things on hand at all times! I wanted to give you a glimpse into the pantry of a dietitian and share my top 10 pantry staples that I always have on hand for times like these!

Old Fashion Oatmeal

This shelf-stable container of gold is a breakfast staple in my house even though my husband despises me for it. I generally recommend going for old fashioned oats or steel cut oats instead of quick oats to help increase the fiber content which has many health benefits and will help keep you feeling fuller for longer. Don’t you worry, 1 minute oats (aka quick oats) are also a healthy option if you are really in a time crunch and you can always add extra fiber by adding fresh berries. Oatmeal can be prepped ahead of time with overnight oats (use old fashioned oats for this) or quickly cooked on the stove or in a microwave! Top it up with your favorite toppings and you have yourself a hearty and healthy breakfast! Here are some reusable containers that are perfect for prepping your overnight oats ahead of time if you prefer to meal prep for the week.

Peanut Butter

Oh peanut butter, how I love thee. But really though… I love me some peanut butter and it has absolutely earned its place on my pantry shelf. I typically buy this natural peanut butter but really any peanut butter will do here! Peanut butter is rich in plant protein and healthy fats which will help keep you fuller for longer throughout the day! I typically mix peanut butter in my oatmeal in the morning, blend it into my smoothies, or use it as a protein pairing with an apple or celery stalks for a snack in the afternoon.

*If you are looking for a more calorie controlled peanut butter option you can always try powdered peanut butter such as Pb2 (original and chocolate) or PbFit original and chocolate! Simply put, powdered peanut butter will offer a similar flavor profile but has had most of the fat removed which lowers the calorie content.

Canned Beans / Legumes

Another versatile and affordable shelf stable plant protein that I always have in my pantry. Beans and legumes are not only rich in protein but are also extremely high in fiber, a key component of a healthy diet that most Americans do not eat enough of. If you do not have meat on hand, add some chickpeas to your roasted vegetables for a meatless Monday or black beans to your Mexican inspired dinner bowl!

Brown Rice

You don’t need to get fancy with this one… choose the minute brown rice if it’s what works for you! You can even buy brown rice in individual, ready to serve containers which are perfect for people living on their own, busy students, or parents looking to throw a meal together. This is so easy to keep on hand and is perfect for adding a healthy carb to a quick lunch or dinner. I generally recommend choosing brown rice because our goal is to make half of the grains that we eat throughout the day whole grains and brown rice checks that box!

Nuts

Nuts are rich in healthy fats and a good source of plant protein making them an easy qualifier for my top 10 pantry staples list. They are ideal for healthy snacking, mixing into a salad, or topping up a yogurt parfait! I personally like to vary up my nuts with every grocery store trip because every nut offers different nutrients. A quick reminder to be very mindful with your portions… nuts may be tiny but they are mighty when it comes to calories! You want to be careful to pick out a good mix so I have linked a few of my favorite nuts here and here as well as this option which is individually packaged and great for snacking or throwing into your child’s lunch pail for school! Also, if you have not tried this nut mix, you have not lived! It is my all-time favorite mix and doesn’t even have chocolate in it!

Rice Cakes

My mom thinks rice cakes taste like styrofoam so I am sorry if you agree with her… I love them and this is my list! Rice cakes are definitely a snack staple in my house and the perfect base for either a sweet or savory snack. They are easy to prep ahead of time and can generally be taken just about anywhere you go. Here is a great variety pack that you can top up with greek yogurt, peanut butter, or your favorite savory toppings. Looking for some rice cake ideas? Don’t you worry, I have an entire blog post dedicated solely to my favorite rice cake snacks that will be hitting the blog soon!

Whole Wheat Noodles

Surprise, you can eat carbs!!! That’s right I said it, you can (and should) have carbohydrates throughout your day and whole wheat noodles are a great option. If you’re looking to up your protein and fiber intake as well, give these chickpea noodles a try or go big and try out this variety pack! Chickpea noodles are made from, you guessed it, chickpeas, which is why these noodles are higher in protein and fiber than others. Trust me on this one, do yourself a favor, and keep some whole wheat noodles in your pantry. You will thank me next time you get home from a busy day at work and are thankful to find that you already have a healthy base for your dinner on hand!

Canned Tuna

Tuna was a staple in my childhood diet and has quickly become a staple in my adult diet as well because it is one of my go-to protein sources! It’s so quick and convenient plus it’s shelf-stable making it great for travel. Buy it canned or bagged and use it to whip up a quick tuna salad sandwich, add it to a delicious snack plate, or use it to beef up your salad with some protein!

Potatoes

Another great option to have on hand to fill up that starch component of your plate! Potatoes are rich in fiber, potassium, and other nutrients that help you build up a balanced plate at every meal. It is best to keep your potatoes in a cabinet (somewhere cool and dark) as we do not want to store the potatoes where they can be exposed to direct sunlight as this results in faster maturation and changes in the potato.

Beef Jerkey

A shelf-stable protein perfect for snacking as it does not require refrigeration! I always recommend pairing your snacks with a protein and beef jerky is one of my go-to options! It’s shelf stable and can be found individually packaged which makes it extra convenient. Worried about the sodium? I checked out the label of the Original Jack Links Nutrition Facts label and it contains 460 mg of sodium which is roughly ~20% of the recommended limit of 2300 mg per day. Unless you have high blood pressure, most people will tolerate this snack perfectly fine. Some ideas to manage the sodium content of this snack are to eat it in controlled portions and to pair it with a fresh base such as baby carrots or sliced watermelon which contains no sodium. This is a perfectly balanced and healthy snack which will keep you full for a long time!

So there you have it, a look into the pantry of a dietitian! As I mentioned, one of my best nutrition tips is to “prepare for the times you are unprepared” and stocking your pantry with these pantry staples will have you well on your way to always being prepared! 

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Hey, I’m Lauren Twigge!

I’m a registered dietitian and my goal is to give you tips and tricks to make healthy eating fun, easy, and even delicious!