A well-stocked pantry turns your house into a home. Whether you want some staple food items so you can cook a mouth-watering dinner for your family or you love to have quick and easy snacks on hand, make sure you are equipped with what you need so you are prepared for any situation. Keep reading to learn about some of our all-time favorite pantry essentials:
Heart-Healthy Oils
Extra virgin olive oil
We make sure to always stock extra virgin olive oil because it is minimally processed or refined. Without heavy processing, it retains all of the incredible health benefits of olive oil such as providing antioxidants and healthy fatty acids. Extra virgin olive oil has a beautiful grassy & earthy flavor and can be found in many of our vinaigrettes.
Coconut oil
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
Coconut oil is a great source of saturated fat, which helps increase levels of “good” cholesterol, or HDL, in your body. It is great for baking, especially in baked goods that already have coconut in them!
High-oleic sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is an important staple food item because, unlike many other cooking oils, it has a perfectly neutral flavor. This is why we use it on almost all of our roasted and sautéed ingredients as well as in our baked goods. It is important to get high-oleic sunflower oil, which does not contain trans fat. Trans fat has been shown to increase LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and lower HDL cholesterol.
Avocado Oil
This heart-healthy oil is neutral in flavor, so we love including it in tropical dressings when we don’t want the taste of olive oil to overpower the other ingredients.
Toasted Sesame Oil
We don't cook with this oil; instead, we drizzle it over proteins, legumes, and dressings to add a toasty, rich, sesame-forward flavor.
Gluten-Free Whole Grains and Flours
Chickpea, Brown Rice, and Quinoa Pastas
Our preferred brands: Banza & Edison
These gluten-free pastas are higher in protein and lower in carbs than most other pastas on the market, which means they help keep you satisfied longer! The chickpea pasta in particular holds its shape really well and can be used to recreate your favorite wheat pasta dishes.
Quinoa (white, red, rainbow)
A standard component in most of our salads, we love quinoa because it is flavorful, high in protein, and a good source of important minerals such as magnesium and calcium.
Rice (brown, red, black, pink, wild rice mix)
Our preferred brand: Lundberg
One of our most versatile pantry staples for healthy eating, we use a variety of rice in our breakfasts and dinners and especially love the chewy bite and nutty taste they lend to our dishes.
Steel Cut Oats
Our preferred brand: Edison
We always use steel cut oats as the base of all of our cooked oatmeals because they are extra hearty with an extra depth of flavor. Whether you want to enjoy them for breakfast or as a quick snack, steel cut oats are high in fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer.
Gluten-Free Flours (Oat, Cassava, and Bob’s Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour)
We love these working with these gluten-free flour options these because they react similarly to traditional all purpose flour and have a comparable texture and flavor when baked. In particular, oat flour has a hearty flavor that is similar to that of whole wheat flour. and cassava flour is slightly sweet and makes a great pie or sweet bar crust base!
Spices & Dried Herbs
Chipotle powder
We love chipotle powder for its balance of heat, sweetness and smokiness. Chili powder is also a great substitute pantry staple to use in a variety of meals!
Turmeric
Along with its incredible superfood and anti-inflammatory benefits, turmeric adds a very unique flavor to many of our dishes as well as its characteristic bright yellow color. We use turmeric in all of our tofu scrambles and serves as the base in many of our curry blends.
Cinnamon
This versatile spice can be found in many of our oatmeals, baked goods, and granolas, as well as many savory spice blends. Not only does it add flavor, but it can also help stabilize blood sugar.
Cumin
Ground cumin is the key ingredient in so many familiar flavors. We use cumin in almost all of our Latin American-inspired sauces and meals, as well as in most Middle Eastern dishes. Cumin has a unique warming flavor that rounds out almost any dish.
Pink Himalayan Salt
Pink Himalayan Salt is a rock salt that contains trace minerals like iodine, which helps with optimizing thyroid function . It can be used to enhance both sweet and savory meals and makes the perfect pantry staple for any home.
Beans/Legumes
Black Beans
An incredibly versatile legume that can be cooked into a stew or soup, blended into a dip, or tossed with spices and herbs in a salad.
Pinto Beans
Although pinto beans are slightly larger in size and creamier in texture than black beans, they can still be swapped for black beans in most applications. Pinto beans have a more traditional “bean” flavor, which some people prefer to other legume options.
Garbanzo Beans
Not only are these nutritious and delicious beans the traditional base for most hummus recipes, but they are also great additions to salads and other Middle Eastern-inspired dishes.
Cannellini Beans
Cannellini beans are the perfect enhancement for sauces and dips because they provide both body and richness.
Black, Red, and Green Lentils
Lentils of any color are really high in protein and somewhat neutral in flavor. They are especially delicious when tossed with herbs and spices, or blended into curries and stews for a thicker texture and deeper flavor.
Nuts & Seeds
Hemp seeds
These seeds are the highest protein seed we use. We put them in granolas and savory seed/nut mixes for an added protein boost. You can also blend them with water and make your own hemp milk.
Chia seeds
Our preferred brands: Edison and Terrasoul
Chia seeds are packed with nutrition. They’ve got fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. They become gelatinous when wet, so they act as a natural thickening agent in our smoothies and puddings. We also blend them with frozen fruit to create completely raw jams.
Flax seeds
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
Flax seeds are the perfect pantry staple because they are both nutritious (anti-inflammatory and full of fiber) and versatile. You can use them as is or ground them into a flax meal for a vegan pantry staple that can replace eggs in baked goods! Just soak flaxseeds in water for a few minutes to create a mixture that can be used instead of eggs.
Sunflower seeds
Along with being a nice, hearty seed for granolas and savory toppings, we also blend sunflower seeds into some of our pestos, sauces, and dips to add that “nutty” flavor and texture without having to use one of our customers most common allergens - tree nuts.
We also use sunflower butter in many of our smoothies, baked goods, and even a few savory sauces! You can make your own by simply blending sunflower seeds (raw or toasted) into a paste.
Almonds
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
We use almonds in almost every form - blanched, sliced, slivered and whole. Almonds are full of protein, healthy fats and fiber, and are a great, quick snack that will keep you satiated.
Canned Goods, Condiments, and Snacks
Dairy-free milks
Our preferred brands: Coconut milk by Edward & Sons or Native Forest, Hemp Milk by Living Harvest, and Oat Milk by Oatly
Coconut milk is a rich and creamy dairy alternative, which makes it great for decadent puddings and smoothies. Hemp milk is slightly sweet and higher in protein than some other dairy-free options. Oat milk is impossibly creamy and smooth and has a wonderfully neutral taste. Any and all of these milk options are ideal vegan pantry staples.
Chili paste & curry paste
Any chili paste such as gochujang or samabl can be your go-to ingredient to spice up any dish or sauce when you’re not quite sure what to do to make it extra tasty! Gochujang is one of our favorites as it contains both heat and sweetness from the fermented chilies. It's great for adding that extra depth of flavor to any dish! Also, don't forget: any of these chili pastes or curry pastes can be diluted with water, coconut milk, vegetable broth, nut/seed butters, oils, vinegars, or really any liquid you can imagine to create sauces, marinades, or dressings. The possibilities are truly endless.
Miso
Keep miso on hand for a tasty allergen-friendly option that can be used to make soups, dressings, or enhance side dishes such as grilled veggies.
Nut & Seed Butters
Our favorites include: tahini, almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower butter. Tahini, made of ground sesame seeds, is a useful ingredient for creamy dressings, hummus, and smoothies. Tahini has a wonderfully nutty flavor and is safe for those with nut allergies. Sunflower butter is our favorite of the seed butters—it’s fairly neutral in flavor and does a great job replacing peanut butter or other nut butters in most recipes.
Tamari and Coconut Aminos
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
Tamari is wheat-free soy sauce and with a salty-umami flavor found in many Asian dishes. Coconut aminos are a great soy-free alternative to tamari. Coconut aminos are also slightly sweeter and will caramelize a tiny bit when sautéed.
Gluten-free crackers & chips
Our favorites are plantain chips by Barnana and crackers from Cult Cracker and Mary's Gone. Out of the many gluten-free crackers & chips available, these are our favorites for their super clean labels, limited allergens (only coconut), and no added sugars or preservatives.
A well-stocked pantry turns your house into a home. Whether you want some staple food items so you can cook a mouth-watering dinner for your family or you love to have quick and easy snacks on hand, make sure you are equipped with what you need so you are prepared for any situation. Keep reading to learn about some of our all-time favorite pantry essentials:
Heart-Healthy Oils
Extra virgin olive oil
We make sure to always stock extra virgin olive oil because it is minimally processed or refined. Without heavy processing, it retains all of the incredible health benefits of olive oil such as providing antioxidants and healthy fatty acids. Extra virgin olive oil has a beautiful grassy & earthy flavor and can be found in many of our vinaigrettes.
Coconut oil
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
Coconut oil is a great source of saturated fat, which helps increase levels of “good” cholesterol, or HDL, in your body. It is great for baking, especially in baked goods that already have coconut in them!
High-oleic sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is an important staple food item because, unlike many other cooking oils, it has a perfectly neutral flavor. This is why we use it on almost all of our roasted and sautéed ingredients as well as in our baked goods. It is important to get high-oleic sunflower oil, which does not contain trans fat. Trans fat has been shown to increase LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and lower HDL cholesterol.
Avocado Oil
This heart-healthy oil is neutral in flavor, so we love including it in tropical dressings when we don’t want the taste of olive oil to overpower the other ingredients.
Toasted Sesame Oil
We don't cook with this oil; instead, we drizzle it over proteins, legumes, and dressings to add a toasty, rich, sesame-forward flavor.
Gluten-Free Whole Grains and Flours
Chickpea, Brown Rice, and Quinoa Pastas
Our preferred brands: Banza & Edison
These gluten-free pastas are higher in protein and lower in carbs than most other pastas on the market, which means they help keep you satisfied longer! The chickpea pasta in particular holds its shape really well and can be used to recreate your favorite wheat pasta dishes.
Quinoa (white, red, rainbow)
A standard component in most of our salads, we love quinoa because it is flavorful, high in protein, and a good source of important minerals such as magnesium and calcium.
Rice (brown, red, black, pink, wild rice mix)
Our preferred brand: Lundberg
One of our most versatile pantry staples for healthy eating, we use a variety of rice in our breakfasts and dinners and especially love the chewy bite and nutty taste they lend to our dishes.
Steel Cut Oats
Our preferred brand: Edison
We always use steel cut oats as the base of all of our cooked oatmeals because they are extra hearty with an extra depth of flavor. Whether you want to enjoy them for breakfast or as a quick snack, steel cut oats are high in fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer.
Gluten-Free Flours (Oat, Cassava, and Bob’s Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour)
We love these working with these gluten-free flour options these because they react similarly to traditional all purpose flour and have a comparable texture and flavor when baked. In particular, oat flour has a hearty flavor that is similar to that of whole wheat flour. and cassava flour is slightly sweet and makes a great pie or sweet bar crust base!
Spices & Dried Herbs
Chipotle powder
We love chipotle powder for its balance of heat, sweetness and smokiness. Chili powder is also a great substitute pantry staple to use in a variety of meals!
Turmeric
Along with its incredible superfood and anti-inflammatory benefits, turmeric adds a very unique flavor to many of our dishes as well as its characteristic bright yellow color. We use turmeric in all of our tofu scrambles and serves as the base in many of our curry blends.
Cinnamon
This versatile spice can be found in many of our oatmeals, baked goods, and granolas, as well as many savory spice blends. Not only does it add flavor, but it can also help stabilize blood sugar.
Cumin
Ground cumin is the key ingredient in so many familiar flavors. We use cumin in almost all of our Latin American-inspired sauces and meals, as well as in most Middle Eastern dishes. Cumin has a unique warming flavor that rounds out almost any dish.
Pink Himalayan Salt
Pink Himalayan Salt is a rock salt that contains trace minerals like iodine, which helps with optimizing thyroid function . It can be used to enhance both sweet and savory meals and makes the perfect pantry staple for any home.
Beans/Legumes
Black Beans
An incredibly versatile legume that can be cooked into a stew or soup, blended into a dip, or tossed with spices and herbs in a salad.
Pinto Beans
Although pinto beans are slightly larger in size and creamier in texture than black beans, they can still be swapped for black beans in most applications. Pinto beans have a more traditional “bean” flavor, which some people prefer to other legume options.
Garbanzo Beans
Not only are these nutritious and delicious beans the traditional base for most hummus recipes, but they are also great additions to salads and other Middle Eastern-inspired dishes.
Cannellini Beans
Cannellini beans are the perfect enhancement for sauces and dips because they provide both body and richness.
Black, Red, and Green Lentils
Lentils of any color are really high in protein and somewhat neutral in flavor. They are especially delicious when tossed with herbs and spices, or blended into curries and stews for a thicker texture and deeper flavor.
Nuts & Seeds
Hemp seeds
These seeds are the highest protein seed we use. We put them in granolas and savory seed/nut mixes for an added protein boost. You can also blend them with water and make your own hemp milk.
Chia seeds
Our preferred brands: Edison and Terrasoul
Chia seeds are packed with nutrition. They’ve got fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. They become gelatinous when wet, so they act as a natural thickening agent in our smoothies and puddings. We also blend them with frozen fruit to create completely raw jams.
Flax seeds
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
Flax seeds are the perfect pantry staple because they are both nutritious (anti-inflammatory and full of fiber) and versatile. You can use them as is or ground them into a flax meal for a vegan pantry staple that can replace eggs in baked goods! Just soak flaxseeds in water for a few minutes to create a mixture that can be used instead of eggs.
Sunflower seeds
Along with being a nice, hearty seed for granolas and savory toppings, we also blend sunflower seeds into some of our pestos, sauces, and dips to add that “nutty” flavor and texture without having to use one of our customers most common allergens - tree nuts.
We also use sunflower butter in many of our smoothies, baked goods, and even a few savory sauces! You can make your own by simply blending sunflower seeds (raw or toasted) into a paste.
Almonds
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
We use almonds in almost every form - blanched, sliced, slivered and whole. Almonds are full of protein, healthy fats and fiber, and are a great, quick snack that will keep you satiated.
Canned Goods, Condiments, and Snacks
Dairy-free milks
Our preferred brands: Coconut milk by Edward & Sons or Native Forest, Hemp Milk by Living Harvest, and Oat Milk by Oatly
Coconut milk is a rich and creamy dairy alternative, which makes it great for decadent puddings and smoothies. Hemp milk is slightly sweet and higher in protein than some other dairy-free options. Oat milk is impossibly creamy and smooth and has a wonderfully neutral taste. Any and all of these milk options are ideal vegan pantry staples.
Chili paste & curry paste
Any chili paste such as gochujang or samabl can be your go-to ingredient to spice up any dish or sauce when you’re not quite sure what to do to make it extra tasty! Gochujang is one of our favorites as it contains both heat and sweetness from the fermented chilies. It's great for adding that extra depth of flavor to any dish! Also, don't forget: any of these chili pastes or curry pastes can be diluted with water, coconut milk, vegetable broth, nut/seed butters, oils, vinegars, or really any liquid you can imagine to create sauces, marinades, or dressings. The possibilities are truly endless.
Miso
Keep miso on hand for a tasty allergen-friendly option that can be used to make soups, dressings, or enhance side dishes such as grilled veggies.
Nut & Seed Butters
Our favorites include: tahini, almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower butter. Tahini, made of ground sesame seeds, is a useful ingredient for creamy dressings, hummus, and smoothies. Tahini has a wonderfully nutty flavor and is safe for those with nut allergies. Sunflower butter is our favorite of the seed butters—it’s fairly neutral in flavor and does a great job replacing peanut butter or other nut butters in most recipes.
Tamari and Coconut Aminos
Our preferred brand: Hummingbird
Tamari is wheat-free soy sauce and with a salty-umami flavor found in many Asian dishes. Coconut aminos are a great soy-free alternative to tamari. Coconut aminos are also slightly sweeter and will caramelize a tiny bit when sautéed.
Gluten-free crackers & chips
Our favorites are plantain chips by Barnana and crackers from Cult Cracker and Mary's Gone. Out of the many gluten-free crackers & chips available, these are our favorites for their super clean labels, limited allergens (only coconut), and no added sugars or preservatives.
