Creating a healthy food routine doesn’t have to be complicated. These pantry staples will help you create healthy meals that your whole family will like… with minimal effort.
A healthy food routine starts with what you buy at the grocery store.
By buying the right ingredients, you’ll see that even the laziest of meals will turn out to be healthy… and yummy.
As a full-time student and health-nut, I have mastered the art of buying the foods that allow me to make fantastic meals with minimal ingredients.
This super-specific grocery list will help you create a simple and healthy food routine… without having to go to the grocery store all the time. Plus, it’s budget-friendly!
So below you have the main categories of things that I look for when I’m doing my big grocery haul. I’ve also added some examples of each that I love to use to create a healthy food routine.
This blog post is all about the fridge and pantry staples that will help you create a healthy food routine!
Pantry Staples For A Healthy Food Routine
So let me make one thing clear: the titles in BOLD are the categories of things you should have. The elements numbered below those titles are just a few ideas that I enjoy and have helped me build a healthy food routine. I am by no means saying that you should have every single on of these things!
Any type of salty spread or dip
I have at least 2 of these in my fridge at all times. Try opting for the healthiest alternative that you find: look at the number of calories they have per portion as well as the ingredients used. The cleaner the ingredients, the better.
- Hummus… or any variation of hummus that you find
- Artichoke dip
- Salsa
- Tofu spread (fave)
- Cottage cheese
- Guacamole
- Tsatsiki – though this one can easily be done homemade
Any type of sweet spread
I find having any of these super helpful as they can be used for many different recipes… smoothies, toasts, overnight oats, protein pancakes, you name it.
- Honey
- Any type of nut butter, like almond butter, peanut butter, or macadamia nut butter
- Jams – all jams taste the same to me, so I always make sure to take a lower calorie one… just in the spirit of saving calories in places where I don’t notice them
- Maple syrup
Take note
How to tell which nut butters are actually good?
It’s actually really simple.
The best nut butters are those that only have one ingredient: the nut being used.
So if you’re looking for almond butter, then the ingredient list should be “almonds”. That’s it.
This rule also applies to hummus and other such spreads.
Nuts, seeds and other such ingredients
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Pumpkin seeds – has some added protein
- Flax seeds
- Chia seeds
- Hemp seeds – has some added protein
- Raisins
- Dried cranberries
- Trail mix
Veggies that you can easily eat raw
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Celery – lowest calorie alternative
- Snap peas
- Radishes
Veggies that you can easily bake or boil
These were the cornerstone of 80% of my college meals. Just pop any of these into the oven with some protein like fish or chicken and you got yourself a one-pan meal. Minimal effort, minimal dishes, but fully balanced. Love.
- Asparagus
- Brussel sprouts – with pecans and balsamic vinegar glaze. I would make this at least once a week.
- Broccoli
- Zucchini – super low calorie and stuffs you a ton
- Cauliflower
- Aubergine
- Any type of pumpkin
- Any type of potatoes – yes, you can eat potatoes. They are great for you.
Any type of single-serve cheese sticks, preferably low-fat
I know this might sound totally random but I always had these on hand. Lazy lunches with raw veggies, some chicken, a spread and cheese were a go-to.
As for low-fat, I find that it really does make a difference and is another easy place where I can save a few extra calories without sacrificing the taste.
- Mozarella
- Cheddar
- Gouda
- Emmental (some people call it Swiss cheese)
Some type of crackers
Crackers, veggies, cheese sticks and a spread are my go-to snacks. Just try avoiding those crackers with a ton of added calories. If they look like they could glow in the dark, chose different ones. (Yes, I’m talking about you Cheez-Its.)
- Plain crackers
- Almond flour crackers – these ones from Costco are GREAT
- Sesame crackers
- Black pepper crackers
- Water crackers
- Dried fruit and nut crackers
Protein option 1: Lean meat and poultry
If you think the tray of whatever you buy will go back before you get a chance to finish it, then split it in single-portion size ziplock bags, freeze them, and take them out when you’ll need it.
- Chicken breast
- Turkey breast
- 5% ground beef – you can obvs have a higher percentage, but just keep in mind that the calories will go up as well.
- Ground turkey – I personally cannot stand the taste of this, but I know that it is a staple for so many people
- Ground bison
- Lean beef steak
- Pork tenderloin
- Flank steak
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Protein option 2: Any form of fish
I always have fish on hand too, especially shrimps as they are a great source of protein for minimal calories.
One thing to keep in mind is that the same type of fish can have vastly different types of calorie count. So for example, a farmed salmon might have as much as double the amount of calories as a wild-caught salmon. Just something to keep in mind.
- Shrimps – I always always have this
- Salmon
- Trout
- Canned tuna – also another one that I absolutely always have on hand
- Cod
Protein option 3: Vegan protein alternatives
- Tofu (silken, regular, firm, extra firm)
- Seitan
- Nutritional yeast
- Tempeh
- Beans (more in next section)
Canned ingredients that you can easily add to any recipe
Adding any of these to a recipe can add some extra flavour or texture that I always find really nice. Seriously just open up a can, pour it into whatever you’re making and you’ll be happily surprised.
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Pinto beans
- Chickpeas
- Corn
- Any variation of canned tomatoes – pureed, diced, whole
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Oats and breakfast cereals
I think that this list’s usefulness if pretty straight forward. Overnight oats, yogurt, pre-workout snack, and the list goes on.
Don’t be mistaken by how people advertise these things. Muesli or granola isn’t necessarily more healthy than Rice Krispies. Those two first ones tend to have a lot of sugars or a lot of fats so they tend to be much higher in calories.
- Oats – rolled, quick, instant
- Museli
- Granola
- Rice Krispies / Coco Pops – my go-to pre-workout snack with 0% milk 😉
Any milk of choice
Need I say more?
Keep in mind that just because almond milk is advertised as healthier doesn’t necessarily make it healthier. It has, for example, much more fat than a 0% milk. Just something to keep in mind if ever it is something that matters to you and your macronutrient goals.
- Almond milk
- Oat milk
- Soy milk
- 0% skim milk
- Rice milk (LOVE)
- Cashew milk
Things to use to make dressings or add flavour
not eat your salads without dressing. They suck, aren’t good, and above all, you aren’t a cow. Dressing is not evil.- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
- EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)
- Balsamic vinegar (with any extra added flavour)
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce / tamari sauce
- Mustard / Dijon
- Garlic
- Ginger
Breads of choice
Just like dressings, bread is not evil. Eat that avocado toast, make yourself a breakfast burrito or just a plain old ham and cheese sandwich.
- Multigrain bread
- Bagels – natural, all dressed, poppy seed bagels… another pre-workout staple
- Rye bread
- Sourdough bread
- Tortillas – I use these so often for healthy tacos
- English muffins
- Vollkornbrot
Spices
All the time. I use all of these all the time.
My favourite is mixing chicken with cinnamon and EVOO. I know it sounds WEIRD but trust me, you want to try it.
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Coriander
- Basil
- Chili
- Mexican mix
- Italian seasoning
- Cinnamon
- Everything but the bagel seasoning
Cheese you can use as a toppings, preferably low-fat
- Feta cheese
- Any type of blue cheese
- Any variation of grated cheese
- Parmesan cheese
Any form of high protein yogurt, preferably low fat
- Greek yogurt
- Icelandic yogurt
- Kefir
Cereals, grains and the sorts
- Rice – brown, white, bastami, wild, jasmine, long grain
- Quinoa
- Cauliflower rice & broccoli rice
- Pasta
- Couscous – mixing this with some protein, veggies and canned tomato to make some sort of stew was my definition of a comfort meal
- Shirataki konjac noodles – SUPER low calorie alternative, just make sure that you season it the right way
Fruits that you can add to salty meals
- Peaches
- Mangos
- Apples
- Berries
- Pomegranate seeds
Any other type of fruits you enjoy
Along with the previous list…
- Banana
- Pears
- Kiwi
- Grapes
- Pineapple
- Oranges
- Pears
- Avocado
Any form of protein that you can keep in the freezer for lazy days
- Stuffed chicken breast – I used to live off of this during midterms and finals
- Salmon – just put it in the oven even when it’s still frozen alongside some veggies and you’re good to go
- Lightly breaded chicken nuggets – bonus points if you make homemade McDonalds sauce
- Cauliflower pizza – I feel like Italy is going to remove my citizenship for saying this but honestly, it tastes the same as regular pizza.
- Frozen burger patties
- Protein bowls – check the nutritional value to make sure that it’s high in protein (I would aim for at least 25 grams)
- Frozen veggie mixes
- Frozen fruit mixes
A variety of protein supplements
For when I need a snack on-the-go or when I’m out of protein at home.
- Protein powder
- Protein pancakes mix
- Protein shakes
- Protein bars
- Clear whey isolate
A few snacks for when you're craving something sweet
One of the biggest mistakes people do when trying to lose weight and trying to build a healthy food routine is banning all “bad” foods from the house. This is doomed to fail.
Allow yourself to have them in your house, tell yourself that you can have them whenever you want and you’ll see how the cravings for them slowly go away. It’ll be a long-term process but you’ll get there.
- Edible cookie dough
- Low-calorie ice creams
- Popcorn
- Chocolate
- Smart Sweets
I hope this post make your trip to the grocery store more productive and helped you make better food choices!
This post was all about the 159 pantry staples to help you create a healthy food routine.
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