How to Stock a Healthy Organic Pantry on a Budget

Thank you, Sprouts Farmers Market, for sponsoring this post! As always, all thoughts and opinions are truly my own.

Did you know that stocking your pantry and fridge with nutrient-dense food is essential for keeping your body nourished and healthy?? If your family is anything like mine, they like to raid the pantry and fridge in search for snacks and treats. They are ALWAYS hungry for some reason lol!

As a Registered Dietitian, my family’s health is very important to me, so to keep everyone on the right track I make sure that my fridge and panty is stocked with wholesome, organic foods. Having an organized and well-stocked arrangement of nutrient-dense items on hand will make it SO much easier for you and your family to eat healthfully! It will actually get excited about cooking when you see a beautiful, organized assortment of wholesome food.  It will also save you time and money because you’ll be able to quickly and easily identify what you already have on hand for those weekly grocery shopping inventories.

When searching for the perfect pantry and fridge staples, I rely on Sprouts Farmers Market to provide me with the best organic products at a very reasonable price. Last week, I was able to give you a little tour of my weekly grocery shopping trip, and today I’m going to share how to stock a healthy organic pantry on a budget.

1. Start with a clean slate.
In order to have a neat and organized pantry, you have to start with a clean slate. This includes tossing out expired food or donating unopened food that is not expired and that you no longer want.

2. Let’s get organized.
Now that you have a clean and empty pantry, it’s time to start organizing! Start by wiping down shelves, and gathering any storage containers or bins that you’d like to use to help keep things neat and easy to find.

3. It’s time to stock it up.
Here comes the fun part…it’s time to stock it up with goodies! Choose whatever placement works for you and your family, but here are a few tips that I like to go by.

Think about foods and ingredients you use frequently and store together. For example, I like to store my salad dressings, oils, and sauces together because I use them almost every day.
Put things that your kids use often somewhere they can reach them easily. As you can see, I have all of the kid’s favorite foods and snacks on the bottom shelf so that they can access them easily.

Here are a few things that I keep in my pantry that help to make healthy eating easy:

• NUTS:
We are pecan lovers in our home, but we also like to keep a variety of almonds, cashews, pine nuts, and walnuts on hand. Most of our nuts and grains come from the Bulk Department at Sprouts. It’s so easy to get exactly what I need. I usually fill up my re-usable bags with some of our favorite bulk time when buying at Sprouts, and then I store the items in jars or containers once I get home so they stay fresh.

• WHOLE GRAINS:
Whole grains are a staple because they help to keep up my energy and they help to keep my family satisfied. Some of our favorites are brown rice, lentils, quinoa, whole grain pasta, and oats. We also keep whole grain cereal on hand too.

• OILS/VINEGARS/FLAVORINGS:
This is the most popular area in the pantry! These items are the key to some of my most flavorful dishes! Oils are super important because of their healthy fat content. They help us absorb nutrients, and balance our hormones. I like to keep a variety of canola oil, avocado oil, olive oil, vinaigrettes, and organic sauces on hand. These ingredients come in handy when it comes to making the perfect marinade!

• CANNED FOODS:
I am a huge fan of canned foods. Most people are unaware that you can buy organic food in cans, which comes in handy on those busy weeknights. I like to keep several cans of beans, corn, tuna, tomatoes and peas on hand. They are very inexpensive which means that I usually stock up on several of these items.

• CONVENIENCE SNACKS:
Because we are a house full of “snackers,” I have to keep some convenience foods on hand. Our go-to snacks include organic popcorn, raisins, applesauce, nuts, and crackers.  My kids LOVE Sprouts Organic Crackers. I keep all of these items on the bottom shelf for easy access.

Let’s talk about produce!

The produce department is one of my favorite departments at Sprouts! Everything is so bright and colorful which makes me want to stock up on everything!

As soon as I get home, I wash and sort my produce in preparation for storage. When organizing my produce, I like to make sure that everything is stored in the right place. I like to keep items such as spinach, tomatoes and tropical fruit in one of the bottom refrigerator bins, where the humidity is controlled. If vegetables lose too much moisture, they get limp and may lose those essential vitamins.

Here’s a quick list to use when you’re stocking up on produce:

1. Staple Vegetables
My list of staple vegetables includes carrots, kale, bell peppers, and onions. These items can be used for making stews, stock, or they can made into a delicious snack.

2. Staple Fruits
For fruit, I like to stock up on apples, grapes, berries, and bananas. These are good for snacking or in oatmeal and baked goods.

3. Greens Such as Lettuce, Spinach, and Kale
Fresh greens are always good for making a quick salad or for steaming or sautéing. You can also throw them in stews and soups.

4. Fresh Herbs
I always keep a stash of fresh herbs on hand to add flavor and freshness to my recipes. My favorites are cilantro, parsley, thyme, sage, dill, and rosemary.

To get your pantry and fridge in tip-top shape, be sure to download the Sprouts App gets where you can access more than $100 in coupons every month and stock up on your favorite products today! And if you would like to win groceries for an entire year from Sprouts, just text “Sprouts” to 777688. For full details go to www.sprouts.com/newyear

If you have any questions about shopping at Sprouts Farmers Market or stocking your pantry and fridge, let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to answer them! Make sure to check back next week as I show you how meal prep an entire week’s worth of organic meals with items that I purchased from Sprouts!