The Healthy Foodie

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My Kitchen Essentials Part I – Stocking Up a Paleo Pantry

I’ve been asked many times now about the contents of my pantry and fridge… I figured it was about time I opened them up to you guys. And I really mean, open them up!

I’ve made an extensive list of every item that you would be most likely to find if you came to my place and opened the cupboards at ANY GIVEN TIME.

Of course, there are other items that I haven’t listed here… if I’d included every item that I buy on a more occasional basis, this post would just never end.

Even now, I’ve decided to split it into 2 and possibly even 3 different posts. Tonight, I give you the contents of my cupboards only; all the non perishable items.

Next time, I’ll cover the fridge and possibly freezer.

Now, I would’ve loved to make this post all fancy shmancy with nice colors and patterns and pretty fonts, but unfortunately, I have no idea how to do that… maybe some day I can edit this page and make it more pleasing to the eye, but for now, I’m afraid this is the best I can do.

So here goes, without further ado, I give you the most intimate tour of my pantry anyone has ever had!

And by all means, if you have questions or comments, I would be more than happy to hear them!

My Paleo Pantry | www.thehealthyfoodie.com

FLOURS

Because, well, I’m a baker at heart and one can’t bake without flour, can they? These are the only flours that I use on a regular basis.

  • Almond Flour *(I always grind this one from blanched sliced almonds when I need it – I use my food processor or coffee grinder)
  • Coconut Flour
  • Arrowroot Flour
  • Tapioca Starch

 

CANNED GOODS

This is something that I try and keep at a real minimum, but some products are just hard to find in a different container. Here are the few that you can be certain to find in my cupboards at any given time!

When purchasing canned goods, make sure to read your labels very carefully. Avoid any and all kinds of additives, added sugar or chemicals.

  • Coconut Milk (I will get out of my way to get Savoy but will use AroyD as a fallback option)
  • Coconut Water (I generally use Coco Libre or Blue Monkey)
  • Organic Diced Tomatoes (I generally use Eden Organic)
  • Pumpkin Puree (NOT pie filling! Make sure you get pure pumpkin puree!)
  • Olives (Green, Black, Sliced, Whole, Pitted… name it, I always keep ALL KINDS)
  • Salmon (Wild Caught, Sustainably Sourced. Wild Planet preferred)
  • Tuna (Wild Caught, Sustainably Sourced. Wild Planet preferred)
  • Sardines (Wild Caught, Sustainably Sourced. Wild Planet preferred)

 

OILS AND FATS

NON-COOKING

COOKING

VINEGARS

  • Balsamic Vinegar (both White and Red varieties)
  • Cider Vinegar
  • Rice Vinegar
  • White Wine Vinegar

Olive Oil and White Wine Vinegar | by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

SPICES AND SEASONINGS

I’m not gonna list ALL of the spices that I have in my cupboards, for I have and use A LOT of them. I’ll only list the ones that I use at least once a week, if not once a day!

 

FRESH HERBS

I keep these on my window sill, so I always have fresh herbs on hand…

  • Basil
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary

 My Paleo Pantry | by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

NUTS AND SEEDS

Although I *ahem* consume them in moderation, I still like to keep a wide variety of nuts on hand at all times to use in various dishes as well as to make flours and nut butters!  I strongly recommend that you purchase these in bulk, which will save you tons of money. I get most of mine at Costco and go to various “Bulk Food Stores” for those that I can’t find there. Nuts.com is another incredibly good source if you want to order online.

Of course, you want to buy the raw, unsalted variety, and go for organic as much as possible.

DRIED COCONUT

Be real careful when purchasing dried coconut, as it very often contains sulfites or other preservatives. Make sure there’s nothing in that bag but plain coconut! 

Hazelnuts | by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

WHEY PROTEIN POWDER

While I no longer consume Whey Protein Powder on a regular basis anymore, I still like to keep some in my cupboard for those situations where I’m in a pinch, or totally lack inspiration.

There are so many different protein powders out there, it’s hard to decide which one to go with. Make sure you select the purest, cleanest protein powder you can find. Read the labels carefully and look for one that has no artificial flavors or sweeteners added. I myself have been using Ergogenics’ New Zealand Whey exclusively for a great while now and couldn’t be happier with it.

I always buy the unflavored variety and make my own flavor mixes at home.

NUT BUTTERS

Of course, all of my nut butters are home made and entirely natural. In fact, I think I might have some kind of an addiction to nut butter, in a sense that I LOVE making my own at home and create all sorts of delicious combinationsI like to keep at least a few varieties varieties on hand, mainly the following: 

Toasted Almond Hazelnut Butter | www.thehealthyfoodie.com

Toasted Hazelnut & Almond Butter

BAKING SUPPLIES AND SWEETENERS

DRIED FRUITS

Here’s another thing that I recommend you buy in bulk to save tons of money. Again, Costco is a good source for some of them, but make sure you read the label and don’t get the ones with added sugar or preservatives! Most “Bulk Food Stores” offer a good selection of all natural, organic dried fruit. 

 

ALL NATURAL SWEETENERS

One thing that you will never ever see me use is refined sugar (well, except for making Kombucha, that is). These are the ONLY sweeteners that I use and I try to use as little as possible when I do call upon them. Wondering what vanilla and almond extract are doing here? Well, they really help create an illusion of sweetness, you would be very surprised! I use them in my smoothies all the time. Oh, and cinnamon is very good for that, too… just sayin’! 

Home Made Pure Vanilla Extract | by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

Home Made Pure Vanilla Extract

“SWEET” SPICES

These add TONS of flavor and really help create the illusion of sweetness, too! Don’t be afraid to use them…

 

BAKING “POWDERS”

  • Baking Powder*
  • Baking Soda
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Guar Gum

*Did you know that baking powder contains corn starch? Make your own grain free version using one part baking soda, two parts cream of tartar and two parts arrowroot.

 

CHOCOLATE

Oh yeah! It does deserve its own category!

  • Cacao Paste (aka Cacao Liquor)
  • 85% Dark Chocolate (mostly used as occasional treat, my favorite, what can I say?)
  • Cacao Nibs
  • Cacao Powder

Date Paste in the making | by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

Date Paste – My Sweetener of Choice

So here you are,guys…

I think that’s it for pantry! Phew… Hope you liked!

Next, I’ll tackle the fridge…

Just give me a couple of days, alright? 😉