If you follow along on Instagram you might have seen me raid Heather’s pantry and fridge last week. She has already made some awesome swaps recently (her Primal Kitchen salad dressing assortment made me so proud), but she wanted me to come and browse her pantry and see where she might be able to continue to make more nutritious choices for her and her family. Let’s spring clean this pantry shall we?!
#1 Crackers
Heather has Wheat Thins (which are delicious not going to lie) and Pita Bites from Trader Joe’s in her pantry. Nothing wrong with these products, but here are a few different options on the market that have higher quality ingredients. Look for minimal ingredients, higher fiber (>3 grams per serving), whole grains or 100% whole wheat, low sodium. Watch out for high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), added sugars, refined carbohydrates, partially hydrogenated oil (aka trans fats). My favs right now Mary’s Gone Crackers, Simple Mills Crackers, Jilz Crackers, Back to Nature Whole Wheat Crackers, Flackers, and GG crackers
#2 Peanut Butter
I spy a Jiffy container 🙂 I think she took the label off to try and hide it from me- ha! Sometimes kids don’t like the “all natural” kind and I get that…but here are some things to be mindful of when choosing a peanut butter (or any nut butter) for the house. FYI: Even brands that tout themselves as “all natural” can sneak in some extra ingredients that you’re better off avoiding…so read those ingredient labels! Look for 2 ingredients: peanuts (or whatever nut butter you’re buying) and a pinch of salt (not all brands will even add this)- that’s it! Watch out for hydrogenated oils and added sugars. You do not have to spend a lot of money to get a good quality nut butter. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s make their own that meet the approved criteria. My favorite brands are Whole Foods 365 ($), Justin’s, ($$)and Artisana ($$$)
#3 One Minute White Rice
Nothing wrong with some white rice…but there is zero fiber in it and you guys know how much I <3 my fiber. The minute rice is great because sometimes we don’t have time to cook rice the old fashion way, but leave it to Trader Joe’s to have a short cut for us. In their frozen section they have microwavable packages of quinoa, brown rice, and a rice medley.
#4 Baked Beans
OK Bush’s baked beans “family secret recipe” includes lots of added sugar, salt, and caramel coloring- no thanks! Read those ingredient labels because many canned baked beans (any canned products in general) have a lot of added ingredients. This is a good swap or try making your own bakes beans with this recipe or a bean salad like this recipe.
#5 Canned Soup
Soup is one of the main items that comes to mind when I think of pantry staples. However, our beloved childhood favorites aren’t as nutritious as we might have grown up thinking. This Campbell’s Tomato Soup pictured contains HFCS and a pretty high dose of sodium. I answered a Happy Hour question last week all about soup- read it here for more recs.
#6 Packaged Oatmeal
I totally get it. Those little instant oatmeal packages are so convenient and taste good. Oatmeal is a health food staple for sure, but the processed flavored kinds are not the best way to start your (or your kiddos) day. A few options here…buy packages, but choose the flavor “plain” and add a drizzle of maple syrup and/or fresh fruit if you’re needing a little sweetness. Another option that will save you some $$ is to buy a larger contain (or even bulk) of old fashioned rolled oats and portion the 1/2 c dry yourself. Keep the toppings in check 😉
#7 Condiments (ketchup, dressings, mayo, BBQ sauce etc)
I’ll lump all these into one category because you’re looking for similar things…added sugar/HFCS.
Let’s start with ketchup and BBQ sauce… I like Annie’s…there is still added sugar in both (4 grams in the original flavors) because that’s just part of the condiment game, but much less than other brands. This Thrive brand only has 3 grams…both of these are HFCS free. I have Trader Joe’s Organic ketchup in my fridge right now and only 2 grams of sugar…WINNER!
For salad dressings skip anything with vegetable oils, watch the added sugar, and do not stress about fat content (no fat free please!). My top picks for salad dressing are Primal Kitchen, Bragg, and Tessemae’s. Trader Joe’s also has some new awesome dressings with on point ingredients (Green Goddess, Carrot Ginger Miso, and Almond Butter Turmeric…all found in the fridge section).
Lastly, mayo…avocado oil mayo is my jam right now by Primal Kitchen surprise surprise… I also like Vegenaise. If you’re a fan of good old fashion mayo I like this brand.
#8 Bread Crumbs
Fun fact…you can crush most of the cracker I mentioned above in #1 and easily make you own bread crumbs. The Jilz Crackers make a yummy breading on chicken fingers…just sayin 🙂 Trader Joe’s also sells whole wheat bread crumbs that I use often when making meatloaf. You can often sub dry oats for bread crumbs in many recipes too.
#9 Hersey’s Chocolate Syrup
I mean who doesn’t love chocolate milk?! It’s a great way to get those picky eaters to drink more milk and also makes for a great post work out snack as mentioned in this post. There is no way getting around the sugar content here so let’s focus on getting good quality chocolate and milk. At trader Joe’s I just saw this new chocolate whole milk they also carry this chocolate almond cashew milk (which has a little less sugar- 10 grams per serving). My #1 fav chocolate milk is Organic Valley and if you prefer using a syrup try this one.
#10 Cookies
I just like giving Heather a hard time about the Girl Scout cookies…YOLO girl! But, when it is not Girl Scout cookie season and you’re wanting a more nutritious cookie alternative try these, these, or make this absolutely bomb cookie recipe (pretty easy too)!
OK now it’s time to spring clean your pantry and let me know what swaps you make. Do you have any questions for me about products in your pantry…ask away!
Disclaimer
All information on the The Champagne Theory blog, including but not limited to information about nutrition, health and fitness, is intended for general or background purposes only, and not as medical advice applicable to any individual. Please consult your medical provider or providers for instructions specific to your own medical concerns and condition.
