Trying to Lose Weight? Stock Your Pantry With These Staples

How healthy is your pantry? Do you have the good stuff in there to help you prepare a nutritious meal no matter what’s in the fridge? If you’re trying to lose weight, is it supporting those efforts? If so, rock on! If not, today’s guest post is for you!
Chef Alejandra Schrader is probably best known as the fan favorite on the hit FOX show “MasterChef,” but she’s a total culinary maven and knows a thing or two about having a healthy pantry. Despite no formal culinary training, her traditional, middle-class Venezuelan upbringing mixed with cultures she has come across since moving to the United States makes her food worldly, fresh, delicious and totally fun. She recently shared with us her five must-have staples for a healthy pantry that help with weight-loss, and we’re passing them on to you!

Making smart choices at the market and filling my pantry with healthy items has been the key to my weight-loss plan. It encourages me to cook at home and to avoid the temptations of dining out. It also allows me to control my calorie intake, as well as the quality and wholesomeness of the food that I consume. When I am hungry, I don’t always make the best food choices, but if I’ve already made good ones ahead of time and stocked my pantry with healthy items, I’ve won half the battle!
I like to keep a few healthy staples in my pantry, versatile ingredients that allow me to create a quick and wholesome meal. Some of my go-to items are canned beans — black, garbanzo, and cannellini beans being my favorites. I like to use them as a side dish as well as in salads, soups and stews. Canned beans also star in delicious hummus and dips — which make a great snack accompanied by vegetable crudités. Here are some of my other pantry must-haves!
1. Quinoa. This pseudo-cereal lends a great deal of nutrition-providing protein, amino acids, fiber and more. It is also a gluten-free food, and must be why the Incas in ancient Peru called it “the mother grain.” I love to substitute rice for quinoa and get creative with it to make risotto, salads and soups.
2. Oats. It is my go-to healthy and quick breakfast option. This heart-healthy cereal helps us lower cholesterol and provides a type of fiber that enhances our immune systems. Sounds great to me! I love it with shaved almonds and dried cranberries.
3. Spices. They add amazing flavors to your food and have disease-fighting properties. I like to keep a large variety of spices in my pantry from cinnamon to ground cumin, from smoked paprika to cardamom. Even if heat isn’t your thing, you can always find a spice to suit your taste.
4. Nuts and dry fruits. Baked goods are often carb-bombs filled with bad fats. Trust me, I know they’re delicious, but I try to avoid them. I like to keep walnuts and golden raisins in my pantry and use them in apple and pear crumbles. They help add healthy fats and a nice bit of fiber to any dessert.
5. Coconut oil. This healthy oil is delicious and works great at high temperatures, so I love to use it for stir-fries and sautés. They say that good fats help our bodies get rid of the bad ones. Get it organic and unfiltered; you’ll thank me later!
How many of these are in your pantry right now? —Jenn