It’s not hard to keep these foods on hand. Majority of them live in the freezer, like beef, raspberries and frozen veggies. Others keep well, like coconut oil, olive oil, and butter. The others, like avocados and leafy greens, are on my grocery list each week.
Keeping these foods on hand is great because you will always have a healthy meal to cook. Whether that’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack or a smoothie. You will never be able to say “I have nothing to eat!” if you have these foods in your house.
There are endless combinations to be made with these. Some of my favorites are:
- stir-fry ground beef with onions, tomatoes, garlic, and greens
- scrambled eggs with salsa and avocado
- guacamole
- salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes
- a fiber-rich smoothie (so much fiber in avocados and raspberries!)
- hard boiled eggs (my favorite snack)
- soup – tomato soup, veggie soup, baked potato soup, etc.
- bun-less burgers
The list is seriously endless. And another great thing about having all of these foods on hand – the meals are so quick and easy to throw together. Each meal I listed above comes together easily in under 30 minutes. Some in under 10 minutes.
The ol’ “I don’t have time to cook healthy!” excuse really doesn’t apply here. Keep these foods on hand and not only will you be a short time away from a delicious meal – you’ll be incredibly healthier. Who the hell knows what’s actually in take-out?
GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF
Beef still has a bit of a bad reputation. So many people assume beef is unhealthy due to the saturated fat content. Newsflash: saturated fat isn’t unhealthy! Our bodies need saturated fats. Our cells, our brains, our hormones are driven by saturated fat.
The key is to purchase grass-fed ground beef, which has a higher omega-3 content and a lower omega-6 content. It also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which protects against tumor growth. Not to mention that grass-fed cows are great for the earth and building topsoil!
PASTURE RAISED EGGS
Less so than beef, but to a certain extent, eggs are largely considered a food that should be limited. Which is ridiculous, because eggs are one of nature’s most perfect foods. The yolks are the healthiest part, so don’t throw ’em out! They’re where the vitamins reside.
Eggs are rich in choline, healthy fats and vitamins. They contain omega-3s and are great for the heart, brain, hormones and especially for pregnant mamas!
GRASS-FED BUTTER
Like eggs, people are starting to come around to butter again. People are realizing that maybe eating genetically modified, overly-processed, hydrogenated fats actually aren’t a healthy alternative to butter. Move over margarine, butter is back.
Butter is not only a seriously delicious fat, it’s also healthy. Rich in vitamins A and D, it’s a stable fat that I prefer for cooking eggs in because of its stability at higher temperatures (just not too high).
WILD SALMON
Wild salmon is one of my favorite proteins. It’s incredibly nutrient dense and rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins. It’s also incredibly versatile. You can make a tequila lime salmon for a Mexican inspired dinner or an Asian inspired dinner with coconut aminos, maple syrup and fish sauce. You can grill it, pan fry or roast it. And it doesn’t take long at all. It’s also perfect for salads and keeps well for lunches.
AVOCADOS
One of my favorite foods ever. Rich, creamy and high in fiber – the avocado is a staple that’s always in my fridge (once they start to ripen just a little bit, I move them to the fridge so they don’t turn brown – this is the trick to avocados).
Avocadoes make an awesome side dish, dip or snack. I love making guacamole with them. I always throw an avocado or four into my smoothies (I make them in bulk to drink throughout the week). This adds a serious punch of both nutrition and fiber – the latter of which can be hard for a lot of people to obtain enough on a daily basis.
OLIVE OIL
Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils available. It’s high in monounsaturated fat, rich in antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory. I prefer to consume olive oil in its raw state, which I also think is how it tastes best. I often use it for salad dressing. My favorite is olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon, raw honey or maple syrup and garlic all blended until smooth.
COCONUT OIL
Coconut oil is something I consume every day. It’s different from other oils in the sense that it is immediately used for energy and it also contains lots of medium chain triglycerides and lauric acid. Because of this, coconut oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral – making it great for the gut!
I take a tablespoon every morning to boost energy and to improve my gut health. Because of the many benefits of coconut oil, it also helps kill off harmful bugs in the gut while allowing the good bug to proliferate!
BONE BROTH
Bone broth is also great for the gut – not to mention bones, joints, cartilage, hair, nails, skin, etc. It’s rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It helps heal and seal gut lining, which is incredibly important. Due to the modern day diet, the majority of people have weakened gut lining, which can cause everything from allergies to a weakened immune system to full-blown autoimmune diseases.
Bone broth is great in soup, sauces, stir fry or just to sip on.
FROZEN GREEN VEGGIES
Do these really need any explanation? They’re healthy. They’re easy. I keep frozen broccoli, frozen green beans, frozen spinach and my new favorite is frozen veggie blends. I buy a California blend which consists of carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli.
It’s so easy to throw these in a pot with a little water, cover until steamed, then toss with salt and butter. Easy, healthy, delicious.
RASPBERRIES
I don’t consume a ton of fruit, but raspberries are the fruit I consume most. They’re low in sugar, high in antioxidants and rich in fiber. Plus I just think they taste great. I primarily add raspberries to smoothies for sweetness and fiber.
ONIONS
Onions are my favorite. I seriously must have the worst breath. Onions go on/with everything with me. I love sautéing them with butter or even eating them raw. Onions contain polyphenols, they’re anti-inflammatory, great for the gut and studies have even shown they’re beneficial for certain cancers.
GARLIC
They don’t call it Russian Penicillin for no reason. Garlic not only enhances the flavor of just about anything and smells divine when cooked with butter, it also contains alicin. It has very potent anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. This makes raw garlic great when you’re sick. I chop it up into pill form when I’m sick and consume throughout the day.
I like to eat it raw in my salad dressing as well, which helps kill off harmful bacteria in the gut. Plus, who doesn’t like garlic? It adds flavor to any dish.
POTATOES
Poor potatoes. They get such a bad rap for being unhealthy – especially the white potato. In reality, the white potato 
isn’t unhealthy at all. It isn’t some evil carb-bomb waiting to give you diabetes. Yes, potatoes are rich in carbohydrates. This is why you shouldn’t over-consume them, but they’re not inherently unhealthy.
I keep white and sweet potatoes in my pantry. I hate sweet potatoes, but make them for my husband’s lunch daily. White potatoes are my preference. I use them for breakfast potatoes, roasting and making my favorite – mashed potatoes.
LEAFY GREENS
Do these even need any explanation? Rich in nutrients and perfect for salads, these are always in my fridge. I throw them in my smoothies and also use them to make salads. Also, I can toss greens, chopped onions, walnuts, tomatoes, eggs, peppers – pretty much anything I have on hand for a big ol’ salad.
I then top with that olive oil salad dressing I mentioned above.
TOMATOES
Tomatoes and avocados are my favorite fruit. They’re anti-inflammatory and rich in lycopene. I use them in salads, to make salsa, to scramble with eggs, to sauté with ground beef, etc. Tomatoes are another food that’s incredibly versatile. Throw them on the grill or eat them raw. They taste great either way.
RAW HONEY
Okay, technically this is the sixteenth items, but garlic and onions kind of go together and are almost one in the same. I mean, I constantly use them together. Anyway – back to honey. I don’t use a ton of sweetener or consume a lot of desserts, but when I do – I always use raw honey. Raw honey has antibacterial properties that also make it great for warding off colds. Hell, you could even use it on a cut. Raw honey never goes bad if stored properly and is one of the healthiest options when it comes to sweeteners. I don’t keep refined sugar in the house, but I always have raw honey on hand.
