Stock Your Pantry with Healthy Staples
Smart food choices become easy when you’re prepared. Having healthy options at home is crucial for successful weight loss. Keep these smart choices on hand for quick and delicious meals and snacks.
Fruits and Vegetables
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh vegetables
- Bagged salad
- Frozen fruit
- Frozen vegetables (without sauce)
- Frozen diced onions and green peppers
- Canned fruit (packed in juice or water)
- Dried fruit
- Low-sodium and low-fat pasta, pizza, and tomato sauce
- Canned diced tomatoes
- 100% fruit juice, including calcium-fortified (limit juice to 4 ounces daily)
Dairy
- Fat-free or 1% milk
- Nonfat or low-fat yogurt
- Fat-free cheese
- Frozen yogurt or fruit sorbet
Whole Grains
- Whole-grain breakfast cereals
- Rice: brown (regular and instant), wild, mixed
- Oatmeal
- Whole-grain bread
- Whole-wheat pita bread
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Whole-grain crackers
- Fat-free microwave popcorn
Proteins
- Fat-free refried beans
- Black, kidney, or navy beans
- Low-sodium canned tuna in water
- Other omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish
- Skinless, white-meat poultry
- Soy cheese
- Tofu
- Dry roasted nuts
- Individually frozen skinless chicken breasts
- Individually frozen salmon, cod, or other fish
- Frozen shrimp or scallops
- Frozen veggie burgers
Staples
- Fresh garlic and onions
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Red wine and/or balsamic vinegar
- Fat-free cooking spray
A great meal at home doesn’t require expensive or exotic ingredients, and you certainly don’t have to be a master chef. Whole-grain pasta with loads of veggies, a salad, and whole-grain tortillas or whole-grain pita bread are all easy meal options. You can even put together a snack plate and include your favorite raw veggies, nuts, and healthy dips like hummus.