There are a few things that just about every kitchen has in stock across the country, things like sugar, milk (or a variation of), butter, bread, just to name a few. But if you’re on a healthy diet, there are healthy foods to always have in the fridge as well.
These healthy foods help make your life easier when making healthy meals daily and that means they are staples in a healthy kitchen. Whether you eat healthy to lose weight, to get fit or just because health is important to you, you’ll want to make sure these foods are readily available in your kitchen.
Stock up and stay stocked on the best healthy foods to always have in the fridge at home so you can make a healthy meal whenever you want.
Healthy Staples | Veggies
Of course, veggies must be on this list as they are packed with nutrients, easy to cook, and can be added as a side to any meal. Some staples you may want to have include carrots, celery, bell peppers, and beets.
All of these veggies have longer shelf lives than most and can easily be incorporated into a healthy dish.
Healthy Staples | Fruits
Fruits are among the topmost important healthy foods to always have in the fridge. What we’re looking for are fruits that have a longer shelf life than most and can be enjoyed as a quick snack.
Apples, grapes, berries, and pears all fit the bill for shelf life as long as they’re stored in the fridge. You can use these fruits as a quick snack, bake them into something or simply add slices to your breakfast.
Healthy Staples | Greens
Greens are very important for a healthy diet and they are crucial in making healthy salads or snacks. For greens, you want to go with things like lettuce, spinach, and kale. Rotate out if you’d like just be sure to have some sort of greens in your fridge.
Healthy Staples | Dried Fruits
Did you know you can use dried fruits as natural sweeteners in things like tea, water, or as just a quick snack? This is why dried foods made the list of healthy foods to always have in the fridge.
Any dried fruits are fine, whatever you prefer. These will have a long shelf life and can be used in so many different ways.
Healthy Staples | Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are part of a healthy diet and that is why you should always have some on hand. You can sprinkle some over a salad, get creative and make your own milk from them, or just enjoy as a snack. The important thing is that you use unsalted as your go-to.
Healthy Staples | Humus
This one is a bit of a preferred taste but it is a good preference to have. Humus is very healthy for you and can be used as a sandwich spread or as a dip for your veggies. No matter how you use it, you will get plenty of health benefits from humus.
Healthy Staples | Skim Milk
Milk is also good for you but it is better if you go with skim milk or even 1%. This will help keep the fat content low but also allow you to enjoy a bowl of healthy cereal or you can use it in other recipes.
If you need to live dairy-free, coconut milk is always a good choice, same for almond milk.
Healthy Staples | Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt is often used in low carb recipes or low-fat recipes because of its consistency. You can also mix your fruits in the yogurt to make a snack or a small breakfast in the morning. Just be sure to get the low-fat versions of your favorite flavors.
Healthy Staples | Boneless Chicken Breasts
The freezer is part of the fridge, right? So, stock up on chicken breasts so you can make a great dinner or simply grill a couple of pieces and add to a salad. There are so many ways to enjoy chicken and it is one of the healthiest proteins around.
As far as healthy foods to always have in the fridge or freezer goes, chicken is a top priority.
Healthy Staples | Fish
This one is a tricky one as you don’t want to hold onto a salmon filet for too long. But if you’re headed out to shop for groceries, add salmon to your list of things to get. Just be sure to enjoy it before too long and then restock it as needed.
Healthy Staples | Ground Turkey
Using ground turkey instead of ground beef is always a good idea. Ground turkey packs some great nutrients but is also versatile and can be used in just about any ground beef recipe in place of the ground beef.
Healthy Staples | Honey
Honey is nature’s sugar and can be used as such. Put honey in your tea, add it as a salad dressing, you can even incorporate it into your baking. Using honey instead of sugar is healthier, more flavorful and in baking can keep things moist and delicious.
Healthy Staples | Beans
Beans are filled with fiber, protein, and other nutrients. You’ll want to keep some beans like chickpeas on hand. One cup of chickpeas, for example, contains 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber.
Nature is pretty amazing when you stop to look at the facts. Chickpeas aren’t the only beans you can keep on hand, black beans, and white northern beans are also great options.
Healthy Staples | Quinoa
Speaking of nature being amazing, quinoa is another one of the most important healthy foods to always have in the fridge. In one cup of quinoa, you will get 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and only 222 calories.
Cook quinoa as a side dish, add it to chicken, eat it along with some almond milk, dried fruit, nuts, and honey for a bowl of something similar to oatmeal.
Healthy Staples | Eggs
We finally made it to eggs, packed with protein and utilized in so many different recipes. Having eggs on hand is already a kitchen staple but they also fit into the healthy food category which is why they make the list.
You can hard or soft boil them, scramble them or just use them as an ingredient in a different recipe. No matter what, you should always have eggs in your fridge.
Healthy Staples | Fresh Herbs
Many things in life have become simple but that simplicity has also cost us nutritional value. For example, fresh herbs and spices pack more nutrients than the dried, ground up versions you get from shakers.
Utilize fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, or rosemary. While these may not have very long shelf lives, there are ways around that too. While buying the whole versions of these herbs is fine, storing them in the fridge is crucial, but you could also have a little herb garden in the backyard or in little planters in your kitchen.
Healthy Staples | Mustard
Did you know that mustard is packed with immune-boosting minerals like turmeric and selenium? It is and that alone makes it one of the healthy foods to always have in the fridge.
Really, the type of mustard doesn’t matter, the benefits are relatively the same. Keep dijon or honey mustard, grain mustard too, whatever you prefer to use on sandwiches, or as an ingredient for dressings or sauces.
Healthy Staples | Avocados
Avocados are a fruit, that is true but they are so important they deserve an excerpt of their own. Ripe avocados can be stored on the counter or in the fridge, however, you prefer.
Just keep in mind that once ripe, they will need to be used, they could last up to 5 days in the fridge though.
Healthy Staples | Juice
Juice is a great way to get vitamins and minerals in a tasty way. However, most juices available are filled with sugar and artificial flavors. Be sure to look for juices that are 100% natural and that have no sugar added.
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