Healthy Kitchen Essentials

Use this guide to make sure your kitchen has all the items you'll need for healthy snacking and quick, easy-to-cook meals. Here we list some of the everyday staples, the basic provisions you should have on hand to be sure you can always put together a meal from a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator.

In the pantry
Baking powder Baking soda Cocoa powder, unsweetened Cornstarch Flours — whole-wheat and all-purpose Sugars — white and brown Vanilla extract Vinegars — balsamic, red wine Oils — olive, canola, sesame Cooking spray Peanut butter* Broth — chicken or vegetable, canned* Soups — mushroom, minestrone, or vegetable,
canned* Tomatoes, canned* Tomato sauce* Tuna, canned Herbs, dried Italian spices, dried Mushrooms, dried

Condiments Salt and pepper Ketchup* Mayonnaise, reduced-fat* Mustards* — Dijon, yellow Soy sauce Hot sauce Pickles and pickle relish* Capers* Olives*

Cereals, grains, and beans
Cereal — ready-to-eat, whole-grain Oatmeal Couscous Legumes (kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, etc.), canned or dried Pasta Rice — brown and white

Snacks
Graham crackers Nuts, mixed Popcorn kernels Whole-grain snacks like crackers and pretzels

Fruits and vegetables
Fruit, canned in juice Fruit, assorted fresh Raisins Garlic, fresh Onions Potatoes — baking or roasting, and sweet potatoes or yams Celery Bell peppers, green or red

In the refrigerator Butter Cheeses for grating, such as Parmesan Eggs Milk — low-fat or nonfat Yogurt, plain — low-fat or nonfat

In the freezer Bagels — mini or small (2 ounces) Breads — whole wheat and pita Berries and other fruit, frozen Fruit sorbet or fruit/juice pops Beef or chicken bones for homemade stock Chicken breasts, individually portioned Ground turkey or lean ground beef Meatless burgers Pizza crust, frozen Prepared dinners — reduced-calorie, frozen Vegetables, frozen

Miscellaneous Carbonated water Vegetable juices Sugar-free soda Iced tea, unsweetened Evaporated skim milk, canned Herbs, fresh Tomato salsa Green chilies, canned Tortillas — corn and flour, small

*These items may need to be refrigerated after you've opened them.