I’m someone who really enjoys going to the market, (Whole Foods feels like a second home to me) but I know it’s not for everyone. One of the most important things to me when food shopping though, is to use my money wisely. (I can spend a lotttt of money on food and not all of it goes to good use).

I try to purchase items that will have multiple purposes, and that I won’t throw out without ever using (this always happens when I buy mangoes).

I’ve listed 15 items that I always have to have on hand. These are foods that can stand on their own to make dishes, or be supplemented with additional items that I could buy fresh. As long as I have these items, I know I can make it through any workweek/snowstorm/or any other natural disaster!

15 Grocery Staples: 

1. Oats-These are perfect to have on hand to make a hearty breakfast of overnight oats, or they can be used to make cookies too.
2. Almond Milk-This is definitely necessary in anything I want to make—smoothies, overnight oats, chia pudding.
3. Guacamole Packets-I love the individual serving size ones made by Wholly Guacamole. When combined with ezekiel bread, this provides a great breakfast. They can also be used to top quinoa bowls and salads.
4. Frozen Strawberries-One of my favorite smoothies is a combination of almond milk, banana, strawberry, chocolate chips, and chia seeds. Frozen organic strawberries are good to always have in the freezer because they’re cheaper, add a great consistency to smoothies, and account for your daily berry requirement.
5. Chia Seeds-They’re so versatile and full of omega-3s and protein. You can add them to your baked goods, smoothies, or make chia seed pudding with these ingredients.
6. Chocolate Chips-They are great for snacking on when you have an intense chocolate craving. They’re also perfect for adding to your smoothie, overnight oats, healthy cookies, or chia pudding.
7. Quinoa-An essential seed that makes a wonderful base to add veggies, proteins, and any flavorings you want. At least once a week I eat a quinoa bowl as a meal.
8. Pasta-Another great base for a meal. I’m loving quinoa pasta at the moment. You can add pasta sauce and zucchini for a great meal, or make asian noodles, or a pasta primavera.
9. Tomato Sauce-This is easy to add to your pasta dish for a quick meal, or add to zucchini noodles, or grilled eggplant.
10. Cinnamon-Having this spice on hand is imperative to help increase your metabolism. You can add it to your apples for a sweet treat, add to smoothies, healthy cookies, or overnight oats.
11. Frozen Spinach/Broccoli-When it’s not always possible to grab fresh veggies, I love knowing I have frozen spinach and/or broccoli to throw into my quinoa/pasta bowls. It’s important to have veggies with as many meals as you can, so having these on hand is a lifesaver.
12. Ezekiel Bread-This sprouted bread is my favorite base for avocado-tomato sandwiches, or guacamole toast. It’s so easy to toast up, and makes for a filling and healthy sandwich.
13. Black Beans-This protein is excellent to add Mexican flavor to a quinoa bowl. They can also be used for baking brownies (although I haven’t tried them yet).
14. Bananas-I usually have some fresh on hand, but the second they start to turn brown, I freeze them. They make for the best smoothies and nice cream. The fresh ones I will add to puddings, or eat with peanut butter and chocolate chips for breakfast!
15. Frozen shelled edamame-This is another great source of vegetarian protein. I love adding edamame to salads or quinoa bowls. Sometimes I will just snack on it during the afternoon over rice crisps with guacamole.

So there you have my 15 Essential Grocery Staples. Having these on hand at all times is sure to make your life a lot easier and healthier.

Here’s some links to easy recipes to make with these superstar items:

Breakfast Cookie

Overnight Oats

Chia Seed Pudding

Quinoa Bowl

Asian Pasta

Strawberry Chocolate Smoothie

 

Let me know what is essential to your grocery list.