5 Smart Ways to Stock a Nutrient-Rich Pantry

 

 

If you want to enjoy all the benefits of a healthful eating style, the most basic place to start is with your kitchen cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer. If you have nutrient-rich foods and beverages on hand, it is much easier to put tasty meals on the table easily and quickly. Here are some delicious inexpensive ways to do just that!

1. Keep plenty of whole grains in the cupboard.
Choose foods that say 100% whole grain or list a whole grain as the first ingredient on the Nutrition Facts panel. In addition to breads and rolls, shop for sales on whole grain cereal, oatmeal, and brown rice. Buying in bulk and sales are also good ways to buy whole grain pasta, barley, and other grains. Go to www.wholegrainscouncil.org/ for recipes and more.

2. Vary the vegetables in the fridge and freezer.
Here’s some smart news about veggies, especially in winter: Frozen and canned are great options when fresh veggies are expensive or hard to find. For example, buy a large bag of
frozen broccoli, take out just enough for your meal, reseal the bag carefully, and put it back in the freezer. For more veggie tips and recipes, go to www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/.

3. Focus on fruits on all the shelves.
Like veggies, fruits come in a variety of nutrient-rich forms, including fresh, frozen, dried, canned, and 100% juice. For smart winter buys, look for canned-in-juice varieties, dried plums and raisins, and new crops of apples, pears, and citrus fruit. Want to get your children excited about colorful fruits and vegetables? Go to www.foodchamps.org/.

4. Stock the fridge with calcium-rich foods.
It’s super simple to get your 3 dairy servings every day by drinking a refreshing glass of fat-free/low-fat milk with every meal. If you are not a regular milk drinker, there are plenty
of other delicious ways to get calcium-rich foods. Just make certain that your fridge is filled with yogurt and cheese. Need some more recipes ideas? Try www.mealsmatter.org/.

5. Go with lean proteins on every shelf.
Lean proteins are a good fit on every shelf in your kitchen: ground beef, wild game, and salmon fillets in the freezer; chicken breasts, pork loin, and beef steak in the fridge;
and tuna, beans, peanut butter, and nuts in the cupboard. Remember, eggs are a lean protein and a real nutrition bargain too! Find recipes and tips at www.incredibleegg.org/.

 

 

The programs of the MSU Extension Service are available to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dr. Douglas Steele, Vice Provost and Director, Extension Service, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.
 
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