Whether you’re looking to revamp your pantry with healthy staples or just want to simplify your healthy cooking routine, we’re sharing seven healthy pantry foods to always have on hand.
You can mix and match these ingredients to make various plant-based meals and most of these staples are easy to find and not super expensive.
5 Must-have Plant-based Pantry Staples
#1 Lentils
Lentils make the ideal plant-based pantry staple. They are rich in protein, fiber, and can be used to make veggie burgers, added to salads, or even used to make a plant-based “meat” sauce to enjoy with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
#2 Dry Beans
While it may take a little extra time to cook your own beans vs. buying them canned, keeping dried beans stocked is a super cost-effective option. Try cooking some black beans and keeping extras stocked in your freezer for when you need to add some plant-based protein and fiber to your dishes!
#3 Canned Coconut Milk
Canned coconut milk makes a great dairy substitute in baking or even used in place of creamer in your morning cup of coffee or tea. You can even keep a few on hand to use in creamy sauces.
#4 Nuts & Nut Butter
Try having some almonds, cashew, walnuts, pecans, or whatever your preference stocked in your pantry to use to make trail mix, add on top of salads, or enjoy with a side of fruit for a healthy snack. You can also keep some nut butter on hand to add to smoothies or enjoy with a sliced apple or banana for a healthy snack.
#5 Chickpeas
Having chickpeas stocked in your pantry makes it easy to make homemade hummus or to add some protein to salads! If you do make homemade hummus, you can spice things up a bit with some red bell pepper or garlic or whatever your favorite hummus flavors are.
Make Plant-based Eating Easy With Pantry Staples
Having certain foods on hand at all times makes it easy to toss together a nourishing plant-based meal. Try stocking your pantry with these staples to make plant-based eating that much easier.