Once upon a time my pantry was filled with glowing labels, cans that promised to be”Mmm, mmm, good” and boxes which maintained that if I added only two ingredients I’d have a dinner, a cake or some other miraculous outcome. Slowly, very slowly, that started to change. The more I learned about food and nutrition, the more I managed to make one positive change at a time.
Let’s start
I didn’t do everything at one time. To begin with, I am a creature of habit and change comes slowly for me (just being honest, haha!) but going slow was best because changing everything at once would be overwhelming. I went at my pace that is what I urge each of us ought to do: create change at a pace that works for us. When we do so, we’re much more likely to stay with it. When my peanut butter ran outside, I chose whether or not to change brands, create my own or leave it out of my pantry from then on.
I made that type of decision once I completed the pasta, or the cooking oil I was using, everything. And bit by bit I constructed a pantry that match my shifting understanding of what healthy looked like. I’m the first to admit that I am still a work in progress but I have figured out some critical pieces to healthful living.
Keep in mind
One essential piece to have in place is a well-stocked pantry that promotes healthful living. I will share with you the 3 things that my healthful pantry always has inside. Rather than stocking up on over-processed and chemicalized foods such as boxed pastas, flavored rice and brightly colored kiddie snacks which fill the millions of square feet of supermarkets in each area, I now stock up on healthy choices in the local health food shop. I am able to buy grains, raw nuts, seeds and dried fruits in bulk that saves me money but also puts healthy choices within reach.
After purchasing these minimally processed foods, I just transfer them to fundamental glass jars for storage. My top reason for using glass is that it’s just cleaner. Because it’s non-porous, food and germs can not get absorbed into glass jars like it may in plastic containers. Also, toxins do not pass into the food as they can when storing in plastic. Glass containers are easy to use and clean. Let’s not forget that a pantry filled with glass jars is only a good deal prettier and is simple to organize.
Coconut oil
Once I learned the basic advantages of coconut oil there was no turning back for me. Coconut oil is a constant staple in my pantry. Coconut oil is antiviral, antifungal and antifungal. Coconut oil reduces inflammation, improves brain function, boosts the immune system and the body’s ability to fight cancer, supports healthy digestion, is a excellent source of energy and the list continues! Do a little research of your own and if you decide it’s time to introduce coconut oil to your house, welcome to the club! I am a mother.
I am busy. A day can go from calm and simple to chaotic and hectic at the drop of a hat. Literally, the incorrect hat can place that whole down spiral. Moms know that I am absolutely serious here. So, I have some back ups available. A couple of containers of organic soups, a bundle or two of organic macn’cheese, things like this. They may not get used for some time, but this is OK.
Conclusion
The reason they are there’s so I can successfully prevent a desperate call for take out once a day falls apart. A natural macn’cheese is an option I can live with a little easier than some of the take-out choices I’ve made before. It’s not a question of IF I have a bad day here and there, it’s merely a question of WHEN those days will come. When they do, I’m ready. You may be able to guess that this is only the start. There’s more to a healthy pantry than those three items, but this is a fantastic beginning: an idea on storage, a wholesome ingredient and copies, something every busy mom needs! Needless to say, there’s more but this is a beginning. There’s absolutely not any need to overhaul your entire pantry at once either. Make a couple of changes at a time and before you know it, your healthful pantry will have a updated look!