Stocking a Healthy Kitchen
Stocking a Healthy Kitchen
Keeping a well-stocked kitchen can make it easier to prepare quick and healthy meals. It is helpful to stock your kitchen with a variety of basic foods, but it is best to buy fresh ingredients as you need them.
Make sure you have the following on your kitchen shelf:
| Brown rice and/or couscous | Brown sugar |
| Pasta | Honey |
| Bulgur or barley | Cornstarch |
| Beans (dried or canned) | Baking powder and baking soda |
| Fat-free refried beans | Vinegar |
| Reduced-fat condensed cream soups (a variety) | Ketchup, mustard, light mayonnaise, and relish |
| Chicken or beef broth | Reduced-fat salad dressings |
| Salsa or picante sauce | Canned tuna or salmon (packed in water) |
| Pasta sauce | Peanut butter |
| Vegetable cooking spray | Ready-to-eat whole-grain cereals |
| Vegetable oil, such as olive oil | Oatmeal |
| Herbs and spices | Baking potatoes and/or yams |
| Flour | Dried fruit, such as apricots and raisins |
| Sugar | Bread crumbs |
Try to have the following in your refrigerator:
| Fresh fruit (variety) | Parmesan cheese |
| Fresh vegetables (variety) | Low-fat margarine or butter spray |
| 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices | Eggs or egg substitute |
| Onions | Low-fat sliced cheese |
| Tortillas | Reduced-fat deli meat, such as turkey breast |
| Fat-free milk | Bottled lemon juice |
| Low-fat yogurt | Light soy sauce and teriyaki sauce |
| Low-fat cottage cheese | Fresh garlic |
Try to have the following in your freezer:
| Frozen vegetables | Lean meats (chicken breasts, lean beef, pork loin chops) |
| Frozen chopped onions | Fish |
| Shredded low-fat cheese (a variety) | Frozen yogurt, sherbet or sorbet; frozen juice bars |
Once you have your kitchen stocked, it is time to turn those ingredients into wholesome, nourishing meals the whole family will love.
One large part of your stocked kitchen will probably be meat, poultry, and fish. These foods can contribute a huge part of your fat content for the day, so it is important to choose cuts carefully. Certain cuts of meat, poultry and fish are leaner than others. Look for these examples when stocking your kitchen:
Healthy meat, poultry, and fish stock
| Beef: | Choose USDA Select or Choice grades of lean beef trimmed of fat, such as round, sirloin, flank steak, eye of round, top round steak, top loin steak, tenderloin, roast (rib, chuck, rump), steak (porterhouse, T-bone, cube), ground round |
| Poultry: | Chicken or turkey (white meat, no skin), Cornish hen (no skin) |
| Pork: | Canadian bacon, tenderloin, center loin chop |
| Lamb: | Roast, chop, leg |
| Veal: | Lean chop, roast |
| Fish: | Fresh or frozen cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, trout, fresh tuna, tuna canned in water, fresh salmon, salmon canned in water, catfish, canned sardines |
| Shellfish: | Clams, crab, lobster, scallops, shrimp, imitation shellfish, oysters |
Substituting extra-lean ground beef, ground round, or ground turkey for regular ground beef will reduce fat content by 7 to 9 grams per ounce. That's a fat savings of 63 to 144 grams of fat in one pound of ground meat. Family favorites like Sloppy Joes, tacos, hamburgers, chili, spaghetti sauce, and meatloaf taste just as satisfying without all the saturated fat. To keep chicken, pork, or fish moist, poach it in heavy aluminum foil with herbs, onions, your favorite vegetables, and other flavorings. Secure the package well, and bake or grill.