Class #9 Pantry Staples
The easy thing would be for me to just hand you a list of pantry staples and say here,
buy these. But you wouldn’t learn from that experience. I want to help you determine
what you need for the type of cooking that you do. In this class I will help you define
your needs, give the top 5 must haves, and a quick lesson on buying bulk. In the video
you will learn my kitchen “must haves” and I will discuss why I need them and what I use
them for.
1. Define the Pantry Staples for Your Style of Cooking
None of us cook alike. We all have different ways of doing things for our personal
lifestyle. This is why it does not work for me to give you a master list of pantry items. For
example, I am a plant-based eater. I like to cook with fresh herbs. Maybe fresh herbs
are not practical for your family of 6 so you prefer dry herbs, after all they last longer and
you have found that you can use less with the same flavor punch. What if you are
vegan? The chicken stock and eggs I keep on hand won’t suit your lifestyle. This is why
I have to teach you to form your own pantry staple list. Here are a few tips to help you
out.
- A pantry staple is an item that you use more than once a week. More often, it is
something you use every time you cook. For me, it’s things like sea salt, coconut oil,
cayenne, garlic salt, quinoa, veggie stock, olive oil, mint, fresh garlic, and so on. - A pantry staple can be spices, healthy fats, fresh herbs, dry grains, fresh produce and
even meats. Broccoli, carrots and cauliflower are always on my staple list. - You can start a simple process of taking notes when you cook to determine the things
you use the most and even consider buying bulk. We will talk more about that in later
lessons.
2. 5 Pantry Items Every Healthy Kitchen Should Have
I want you to consider changing out a few things in your pantry list. These are easy
switches that will make a great impact on your health. If I were to give you a whole list
these are the top 5 things I would say you need to keep stocked for healthy cooking.
- Swap regular table salt for Real Sea Salt. This is an easy change. The benefit here
is regular table salt is highly processed and void of the vital minerals that salt should
give you. Sea Salt will give you a boost of life giving minerals. - Change out vegetable based oils for healthier oils like extra virgin olive oil, hemp oil,
avocado oil or coconut oil. - Most of us have butter in our kitchens. Swap out margarine and traditional butter for
grass fed butter or ghee. - Grains are a pantry staple. Switch white rice for brown, wild rice or better yet, use
quinoa. - I think every kitchen I have been in has a favorite sweetener. If you are using whitesugar think of going to organic pure cane unrefined sugar, coconut sugar or even try
honey. No artificial sweeteners.
3. When to Buy Bulk
A great way to save money is to buy in bulk. I only buy what I have room to store. If you
are limited on space, buying bulk might not be a great idea. Even if it helps you save
money, your kitchen frustration levels will rise with the lack of efficient storage. Pantry
staples are the perfect items to buy in bulk. These are the rules I follow.
- I don’t buy bulk just because it is a good deal.
- I only buy bulk if I know I have a way and place to store it.
- Dry goods are great to buy in bulk – coconut flour, coconut sugar, almond meal, beans,
and grains. - Buy herbs in season and dry them to save when you can’t get them fresh.
- Save money on nuts and seeds by buying them in bulk.
- Buy cooking oils when they are on sale. They can be stored for long periods of time.
- Buying produce in bulk at farmer’s markets in season allows you to save money and
you can freeze or can them to have all year long.
I love wholesale clubs and the fact that they are making the move to more organic
products. You can save a ton of money buying this way. If you don’t have room to store
it all, go with a buying partner. Make a list of things you want or need and ask your
buying partner to do the same. Compare the list and buy the things that are on both
lists. Then divide them out evenly. You have saved money and you will have room to
store them. Remember to rotate your bulk stock. You don’t want your staples to go bad
because you have not used them. When you use the meal planning technique of
shopping your kitchen before you shop the grocery store you will find ways to use your
bulk items more efficiently.
Surprise, the worksheet is a pantry staple checklist. It will be up to you to incorporate
what you learned in the lesson with the style of cooking you do. Having a properly
stocked pantry will help make cooking easier. Having what you need when you need it
makes the world turn in a healthy kitchen.
