Freezer & pantry staples I always have on hand
In my previous post, I discussed why healthy eating can feel impossible and the things I do to help myself throughout the week. My last ‘tip’ was to stock your freezer and your pantry with some staple items.
Why?
I think these often get overlooked. There‘s a huge opportunity to create pantry meals, throw in some frozen veg, or have some frozen proteins ready to go to add to whatever you’re making. It’s not sexy, but it’s not complex either. These things will last you a long time, stretch your dollar, and are just (if not more) healthy and nutritious than fresh items.
Spoiler alert, as you’ll learn from a lot of my posts, a lot of nutrition is not sexy, but it doesn’t have to be if you’re trying to maximize your time, money, & health.
Photo by Deryn Macey on Unsplash
But first, why do canned and frozen items have a bad reputation? Historically, there’s been a lot of misinformation that frozen fruits or veggies are less healthy or lose nutrients during this process. This is false. Generally, frozen veggies are just as nutritious and in some cases, more nutritious than fresh produce. Frozen veggies are picked at peak ripeness, maximizing their nutrients. Fresh produce is often picked before ripeness (see green bananas, unripe avocados, etc.), as things like storage and transport are considered from the farm to the grocery store. You can also store frozen veggies for months. (Example: Frozen broccoli can be stored for 6-8 months compared to fresh, which you’ll need to eat within a week of purchase). These are just a few reasons why I <3 them and buy frozen fruits & veggies regularly.
Canned beans, fruits, and veggies have a different situation, as I know people are concerned with the BPA lining that comes in cans. BPA is a lining that acts as a protective barrier from the metal can and the food inside that can. It’s used as a protective shield and promotes food safety. I recognize the hypocrisy in typing this, as BPA has been said to leach into the food in the can, which we then consume. There have been claims both supporting and negating BPA from links to cancer, and recently, in 2023, a systematic review showed inconclusive evidence to support these claims. From where I sit, when evidence both supports and negates correlation, it’s very difficult to point fingers that X causes Y, or in this case, that consuming canned goods, ‘X’, causes cancer, ‘Y.’ From my research in this case, correlation doesn’t imply causation. Cancer and other health outcomes could come from other factors, not necessarily the BPA lining.
That said, if you’re concerned about this potential link and want to steer clear of canned items, many brands don’t have BPA lining. Trader Joe’s is one of them, and you can find a list of the products without BPA lining on their website. You can also buy beans in bulk and batch cook them on the stove if you want to avoid cans altogether.
Now that that’s out of the way… here’s a list of pantry staples I {almost} always have on hand:
Canned chickpeas, black beans, and white beans
Canned tunafish
Anchovies
White rice
Pasta
Canned tomatoes or canned pesto (easy pasta sauce)
Frozen fruits/vegs:
Frozen broccoli
Frozen blueberries
Frozen peas
Frozen corn
Frozen mixed berries
Frozen pizza
Frozen wontons
Just from the few things I listed, I can create several meals - tuna fish salad, black bean bowls, quesadillas, white bean tacos, pasta with anchovies/peas/any veg in the fridge, smoothies, and a frozen pizza in a pinch or when I just don’t have the time.
And there you have it. Just a few simple things to keep stocked to make a busy weeknight or a mindless meal at any time. Until next time! xx-Dane
