My Kitchen Staples

In order to be able to cook on a regular basis without having to run back and forth to the store i.e. wanting to cry when meal time comes, you have to have to be prepared with some must have ingredients. Try to buy as much local grown/organic as possible. This can be expensive, so if you can't do it all local/organic do some research on what is the most important to buy organic. This isn't an all or nothing deal...just do your best. I do most of my major shopping at Trader Joes and buy local at a few markets around my city. You will learn what you need for your own pantry, but this is my list!

Cooking spices/ingredients

- Pink Himalayan sea salt (avoid iodized salt)

- Garlic powder

- Basic spice assortment

- Good olive oil

- Coconut oil

- GF flour

- Baking powder/soda

- Garlic cloves

- Balsamic vingar

- Local honey and real maple syrup

Staples

These will allow you to cook something at pretty much any time so you can't say "I don't have anything to cook" which is a sure way to end up eating fast food.

- Lettuce

- Favorite veggies to top salad

- Favorite nuts or seeds

- Goat cheese

- Corn chips- especially with additives like flax seeds, black beans, beets, etc.

- Hummus

- Eggs

- Avocados

- Favorite Fruits

- Frozen bananas

- Greek yogurt (if you cant handle dairy)

- Organic juice

- Oatmeal (I like the Ancient Grains Blend from Trader Joes)

- Quinoa and rice

- Dried fruit

- Goat cheese gouda from Trader Joes or favorite real cheese (No squeeze cheese please)

- Healthier version of something sweet like dark chocolate covered almonds

- Pasta

- Zucchini

- Canned tuna

- Lemons

- Frozen cooked jumbo shrimp

- Good coffee bean

- Leftovers!! When you start cooking things you love you'll find eating leftovers or making leftovers into something else to eat the next day isn't so bad!

Tools

I use these kitchen tools almost daily.

- Silpat or silicone baking mat

- Ninja or any brand person blender

- Microplane

- Good set of knives

- Kitchenaid mixer (if you bake often)

- French press coffee maker

- Convection toaster oven- I cook so many full meals for me and my husband in my toaster oven. It keeps me from having to use the large oven on a regular basis.

- Nut milk bag

- Veg peeler

- Measuring cups and spoons

- Saute pan with a lid

- Tea kettle

- Coffee Grinder

- Crockpot/instapot

- Dutchoven (I have a Lodge)

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