So, you've decided to make some healthy changes. That's great! Depending on what type and level of changes you're ready to make is up to you, but when it comes to food and lifestyle all changes start in the same place: the panty (or cupboard if that's what you've got).
I've been working my way to a complete lifestyle over-haul for the last several years or so. This past couple of years Keith and I have been making some huge changes to our eating habits. Together we have a lot of cooking, baking, and brewing skills that we've been further developing (along with my background in nutrition and food sciences), thus making much of our own food from scratch has become the norm. Don't get me wrong we still eat out once a week and there's always the occasional holiday splurge, but about 90% of our food is made at home. Recently I've been looking at my disheveled cabinets and it's time for a pantry over-haul. I have a tendency to turn everything into a big project which means that for me it's a weekend long event where I'm organizing, cleaning, storing things in glass jars, and piling up the foods we no longer want (which is great to give away to friends or one of the food for hungry programs I've worked with in the past). But, you don't have to go to that extent; make the changes that are right for you.
No matter how big or how little your changes are, whether your making dietary changes for health or taking your first steps on the DIY lifestyle path, it's a basic 2 step process. The first thing to do is go through your kitchen and get rid of anything that no longer fits your new eating habits. If you're reducing your sugar intake, get rid of sweets. Lower calorie diet? High calorie snacks and foods got to go. Grain-free diets means no grain products. Vegan means no animal products. A general lifestyle cleanup means no overly processed foods. You see where I'm going with this. Make sure you read labels. If you're going meat free, you may not realize that there's beef in that powdered gravy mix. And wheat is in damn near everything. So be aware of pre-packaged and convenience products. Pay attention to expiration dates as well. That juice that expired two years ago isn't going to be just "a little boozy", it's going to be disguising and hard to swallow. The second thing to do is to fill your kitchen with foods that do fit in with your new eating choices. You got rid of all the sugary sweets, now what? Fresh fruit, local honey, and dark chocolate in moderation are all great replacements to processed sugars and provide more nutrients than their common counterparts. Replace those high calorie snacks with low calories ones such as air-popped popcorn, vegetables and hummus, or canned sardines. Grain-free and meat-free diets take a bit more planning and preparation, but there's lots of alternatives available. If you want to start making your own foods from scratch, then you'll want to start collecting base ingredients like milk, flour, and eggs. These are just a few examples; do some research based on your needs.
Having a well-stocked kitchen is important to eating healthy. You'll be more inclined to eat something you already have on hand rather than make a trip to the local market or even grab fast food. Prepared foods can be expensive and, as we already know, are filled with empty calories and unwanted additives. Save time and money while supporting your dietary choices by keeping the right foods on hand. One trick that many healthy foodies use is to spend one day a week preparing some foods ahead of time. If you make a few meals and freeze them, you'll never have to rummage around trying to figure out what to have for dinner on the nights you get home from work late. A pot of stew or crock-pot chili kept in the fridge for the week is also a great idea. I like to make lunches in advance too that way my family and I can just grab and go on the way to work or school. Same with snacks. In our house, we plan a menu every 2 weeks. That way we usually know what's for dinner and who's cooking it. This also makes it easier for me to grocery shop because I know exactly what to get. Those are the basics of pantry prep and based on your needs you may choose to stop reading here. However, if you're ready to make a complete lifestyle and pantry over-haul (like I am) then follow me a little further.
I'm distilling our pantry down to the basics. Literally. Flours, baking ingredients, legumes, grains, nuts/seeds, and dried foods (such as seaweeds, dried fruits, and dehydrated vegetables) have replaced pre-packaged meals, pastas, boxed mixes, and other undesirables. We make our own pastas, crackers, breads, and other grain products so there's no need to keep store bought brands in our home. We still have a small cupboard with a few items such as cereals and oatmeal, select jars of condiments, along with homemade goods (such as preserves, pickle vegetables, and other items). Canned fruits and vegetables are out. We typically do fresh, or sometimes flash frozen produce and just don't need all these cans of nutrient-dead, high sodium or high sugar crap. The only things we really do canned include things like coconut milk, black olives, low-sodium beans (for quick meals), canned tomatoes (great for homemade ketchup and BBQ sauces!), and occasional soups for the desperate days. Near the stove and food prep area we have a cupboard with various oils, vinegar, honey, and coagulants (these are for making cheeses, tofu, and other curds). And of course we're well stocked with herbs and spices which actually have their own closet in our hallway (and that's a tale for another day). Typically, our refrigerator is about 70% fresh vegetables, 15% fresh fruit (especially in the summer, yum), and the other 15% is eggs and dairy, plus condiments, cultures, and whatever else we may be storing at the moment. Our freezer houses poultry and seafood, prepared meals or ingredients (like fresh pasta), flash frozen vegetables, and liquors. Getting any pantry or cupboard initially in order is the hardest part, but well worth the time and effort. Once you see what you have and it's organized in a way that you can easily work with, you'll be glad you put that effort into it in the beginning. Here are some tips: Arrange all of your goods by type. All of my flours are on one shelf, baking ingredients on another, legumes and grains have their own shelves, canned goods in one spot, etc. As you use things create a habit of putting them back in the same area. And face labels forward so you know what it is. Never use plastic to store goods. Plastic absorbs oils and odors, and may also contain unwanted BPA's that can seep into foods. Glass is preferable because it's non-permeable, and easy to clean and sanitize. You can collect glass jars by washing out empty product jars from things like pickles or marinara sauce. Labeling is important so you don't forget what's in the jar – especially if you've got 10 different kinds of flour like I do. And don't forget to include the purchase date. Glass is easy to write on with a black marker that washes off if you use the jar for something else. The jar method allows you to see how much you have left of something and how much more you need to get. Keeping a list of staples attached to the inside of the pantry door also helps you to see what you have and makes it easier to take stock when writing up the shopping list.
Buy bulk! Now that you have a lovely collection of jars all labelled and ready to go, reduce unnecessary packaging and save money by buying in bulk when it's time to refill. Many stores are now developing a bin system where you bag and weigh dried goods yourself. This also allows you to control the amount. If you only have enough space in your pantry jar for 1 cup of something, then a pre-packaged bag with 2 cups may pose an issue. I usually don't like to name drop, but my favorite grocery store here in Northern California is WinCo. They have the best bulk section at great prices. Hopefully you have something similar near you. So, you've decided to make some changes. And now your pantry is clean, organized, and well-stocked to support you on your journey!