Having foods on hand is only half the battle. Organize and arrange your pantry to help you find foods easier and make healthier choices.
| Top Row: Kitchen supplies and sweet snacks |
| Eye Level: Healthy snacks and easy-to-fix meals |
| Middle Row: Canned and dried foods |
| Bottom Row: Baking supplies |
The top row should house your extra kitchen supplies, miscellaneous items, and a box of sweet indulgences. Place your sweets in a box that you cannot see through and put it in the top corner. Buy sweets that are snack size and portion controlled. Do not let your sweets overfill the box that was designated for them. Some examples of good dessert-type snacks that won’t break your diet are: snack sized chocolates, 150 calorie chocolate cakes (found in the cake mix aisle), and 100 calorie snack packs. These should only be eaten occasionally.
At eye level, place your healthy snacks and easy-to-fix meals. These healthy snacks should be the first thing you see when you walk into the pantry looking for something to munch on. They should be easy to fix for all members of your family. The easy-to-fix meals should consist of foods that are easy to prepare. They will help you resist the urge to eat out when you are very busy. Use the checklist below to stock up on some healthy snacks and easy to prepare meals.
Healthy Snacks:
- Fruit cups- applesauce, pears, peaches, pineapples, oranges, diced apples, tropical fruits or mix fruits.
- Canned fruits- any fruit canned in their own juices
- Popcorn- in the 100 calorie snack bags
- Nuts- low salt or no added salt
- Graham crackers
- Corn chips and salsa
- Pretzels
Easy-to-fix meals:
- Boxed taco meal
- Fat-free muffin mix
- Macaroni and cheese
- Soups and soup mixes
- Hamburger, chicken, or tuna helper
The middle row should hold all of your canned and dried foods. These items are used frequently in recipes and are nice to keep on hand rather than going to the grocery store every time you need one.
Canned and Dried Foods: - Canned tomatoes- crushed, diced and paste
- Canned vegetables- corn, peas, mushrooms, etc.
- Canned chili beans
- Canned tuna and salmon
- Fruit preserves or jelly
- Peanut butter
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Whole grain crackers
- Whole grain or “Smart Taste” pasta- elbow, spaghetti, and lasagna
- Brown Rice
- Coffee
- Tea
The bottom row can be used to store baking items and seasonings. Buy spices in small amounts and replace them every few years to make sure they stay fresh.
Seasonings:
- Bay leaf
- Pepper- cayenne, black, and white
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Dehydrated onion
- Italian seasoning
- Mrs. Dash lemon pepper seasoning
- Parsley
- Ranch dressing mix
- Rosemary
- Iodized salt
Vinegars, oils, and sauces:
- Vinegar- balsamic, apple cider, white, rice, and red wine
- Oils- sesame, olive and vegetable
- Chicken broth or bouillon cubes
- Hot sauce
- Ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sugar- powdered, brown, and white
- Corn meal
- Corn starch
- Evaporated milk
- Flour
- Honey
- Jell-O mix
- Pam
- Oatmeal
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa
