Have you ever wondered what is in someone else’s fridge? Or pantry? I am always curious what other people keep in their fridge and what they eat regularly. If it works for them, then it should work for me, right? I am going to give you a look in my fridge and what I keep in there regularly.
My fridge currently. I shop a few times a week so it’s never overflowing. And my son loves cream cheese =)
My staple fridge items are baby carrots (and other fresh veggies), milk and non-dairy milk, fresh fruits like apples, pears and berries, eggs and cooked chicken. Boring! Yes, I know these foods are not too exciting but it’s what you do with them and the other foods they take the place of that makes them so awesome!
Baby carrots are our stand-by veggie when 1. I’m out of my fave frozen broccoli or 2. I make brussels sprouts and my son needs a veggie to eat. They are a super fast and healthy snack or veggie to go with a quick lunch and they stay fresh longer than other fresh veggies. I buy these babies bags at a time! I also like bell peppers to have with eggs, on salads or with Mexican dishes. My favorite roasting veggies are broccoli, onions, peppers and brussels sprouts.
Milk is pretty much standard, right? It provides calcium, vitamin D, and protein. I buy 1% milk for my son(s) to have with cereal or to drink with a meal [insert Napoleon Dynamite quote here]. I like to use a protein non-dairy milk when I make a protein shake or have my “banana cereal”, which is on my recipe page. Beware of the low protein content of non-dairy milks, specifically almond and coconut varieties.
apple picking
We have fresh fruits All. The. Time! I keep fresh apples in the fridge constantly and cut them up for my son’s lunch or put a bowl of sliced apples on the table to go with dinner. They must, of course, be dipped in nut butter for a snack. My favorite pretty much year round variety is Pink Lady. It is crisp and sweet with a little tartness. Honeycrisp is a fall favorite as well. I am a texture freak so mushy apples are not allowed in my fridge!
Bartlett pears are another favorite fridge fresh fruit. Say that 3 times fast. Have you ever tried a pear with gorgonzola cheese? It is one of my favorite combos on a cheese plate.
Fruits are so important for lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Having them handy for snacks helps to avoid unhealthy snacks. Serve fresh fruit after dinner for a sweet treat that is beneficial for your body too!
I buy eggs by the 5 dozen at Costco. Did you know that eggs are a high quality protein containing all 9 essential amino acids? The yolk is the nutrient power house of the egg so definitely use it. The yolk contains choline, which aids in liver function and transports nutrients throughout the body. It also has antioxidants that decrease the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Our favorite breakfast is over-medium eggs on a baked sweet potato with avocado or some chicken sausage. We have eggs for breakfast at least 5 days a week. Does anyone else have breakfast for dinner like every week? No? Well you should! We like scrambled eggs with an awesome whole wheat yogurt waffle recipe I found or breakfast burritos with eggs, sausage and veggies. It is an easy, cheap dinner that everyone in my house loves! I also like to make a batch of boiled eggs weekly to have on salads, with lunches or for a snack.
I love the versatility of cooked chicken! Rotisserie is definitely a super easy option but I like to bake chicken breasts with some yummy seasonings and keep it on hand. My favorite seasonings are lemon pepper (without sugar), Italian seasoning, cumin and chili powder…but not all together! Don’t forget the EVOO, of course, and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes depending on how thick your chicken breasts are.
Chicken is a great lean protein source, which also contains beneficial vitamins and minerals. My favorite uses for cooked chicken are on salads, chicken salad (chicken, apples, grapes, celery, greek yogurt, salt, pepper and tarragon), or any kind of Mexican dish. PSA, make sure you store your chicken on the lowest shelf in the fridge so to not contaminate any other foods with the juice if it leaks…eww. I usually keep mine in the plastic grocery bag as well.
My other fridge staples are:
natural peanut butter (no sugar added) and other nut butter (Trader Joe's is my go-to for these)
a good salsa
salad greens
Garlic Expressions salad dressing
yogurt ranch dressing
minced garlic
avocado when it gets ripe and I’m not ready to use it
a bottle of Rose or Pinot Grigio – #balance
What are some of your healthy fridge staples?
Lin