Pantry Staples

Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour:  I buy it in bulk at our co-op.  I use it in place of all-purpose flour. It works better for baked goods than heavy  stone ground wheat flour (which is great for bread making... I just haven't reached that level yet).  Plus, when you scoop it from the bin and keep it in your own air-tight container, it costs much less and saves unnecessary packaging :)

Honey- raw, pure, local:  I get it at the Farmer's Market because I know it's actually local, and it's said to help allergies like hay-fever if you consume honey made from local bees.  In it's raw, unrefined state, is very healthy and the more you get used to replacing it for sugar, you won't miss the processed stuff at all.

100 % Pure Organic Maple Syrup:  A good alternative to refined sweeteners.  You don't need to add much of it to get a flavorful sweet taste.

Organic Turbinado Sugar:  I've tried different healthy sweetener alternatives for putting in my coffee, but nothing matches a spoonful of turbinado (raw) sugar.  At least it isn't processed or grown with pesticides or chemicals.

Organic Whole Milk:  We had been buying Organic Valley, but started buying fresh milk (well, in a glass jar with fat on top) from a local farm at our co-op.  It isn't much more money than OV and it's nice knowing exactly where our milk is coming from.  I buy it for my husband and daughter; it's too fatty for me and I don't really enjoy it. 

Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk:  I still have yet to find a brand that I love.  Almond milk is very good for you in a lot of ways (you can look it up) but it only lasts for a few days after making it, so basically all brands have some form of preservatives in it.  One day maybe I'll learn an easy way to make it myself, but for now I buy Silk because it doesn't have carrageenan  and is Non-GMO certified.  It tastes fine for me in cereal or baked goods as is, but if I just wanted a glass of it, I definitely need to purre some fruit in it or something.

Plain Yogurt: My favorite affordable brand I've found is Nancy's.  I'm not sure if they have it everywhere... It doesn't have a lot of additives even if you don't buy the organic products.  Unsweetened yogurt is so versatile.  My husband and daughter love yogurt and I've found simple ways of adding flavor and natural sweetness that they approve of.

Peanut Butter:   Oh how I love a spoonful of peanut butter.  It's one of my favorite ways to cut hunger and cravings quickly and healthily.  It is also versatile to add to somewhat bland foods to give it a yummy and satisfying spin.  My favorite affordable brand right now is Adams because of the simple ingredients, price, and glass jar I clean out and can re-use for containers, glasses... I buy salted but definitely not sweetened- if you want to sweeten it up, have it with honey or bananas.



Bananas (including frozen bananas)

Rolled Oats

Popcorn Kernels

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Canned Organic Diced Tomatoes

Canned Garbanzo and Black Beans

Whole Wheat Noodles

Eggs-  Cage-Free Non-Hormones

Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Organic Valley Half-and-Half

Brown Rice