Pantry Tips and Tricks
Stocking A Basic Healthy Pantry
- Choose a space for your pantry. If you have no dedicated space, any indoor place that is cool and dry can work. Keep it near your kitchen if possible.
- Consider the food items you eat regularly. Make a list of foods you eat weekly and their main ingredients (e.g., pasta, chicken, tomato sauce, bread, eggs).
- Follow MyPlate. Include items from all food groups and choose healthier options like low-sodium broth, olive oil, dry beans, and whole grains. Store items in sealed containers to keep them fresh.
- Use your fridge and freezer as pantry extensions. Keep staples like frozen vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk, and cheese.
- Keep your pantry stocked. Check weekly, restock essentials, and buy extra when items go on sale.
Healthy Pantry Staples
- Herbs and Spices: basil, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper
- Baking Supplies: whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, cocoa
- Liquids: olive oil, canola oil, vinegars, honey, cooking spray
- Cans and Jars: tomatoes, beans, peanut butter, tuna, stock, applesauce, fruit in juice, corn
- Packaged Goods: oatmeal, cereal, nuts, cereal bars, whole wheat crackers, popcorn, BBQ sauce
- Dry Goods: potatoes, onions, garlic, winter squash
- Pasta and Rice: brown rice, white rice, whole wheat pasta, couscous, barley
One Pot Pantry Pasta
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb fettuccine or spaghetti (whole wheat preferred)
- 8 oz frozen chopped spinach
- 1 (28 oz) can low sodium diced tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Add broth to a large skillet. Add pasta, spinach, tomatoes (with juices), onion, garlic, and seasonings. Stir gently and ensure pasta is submerged.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir, cover, and let sit 10–15 minutes to absorb remaining liquid.
- Serve hot with parmesan cheese.
Cooking Tip
You can cook pasta directly in a small amount of liquid with sauce ingredients in one pan. This saves time, water, energy, and reduces dishes.
Fry Pan Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 quart low sodium chicken stock
- 1 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Add broth and water to a large fry pan. Add pasta and turn on heat.
- Bring to a boil and cook according to package instructions.
At the end, the pasta will be flavorful with a thickened liquid base. Add extras like cooked chicken, spinach, and parmesan cheese, then stir and serve.
Recipes and Tips Courtesy of Chef Ellen Clevenger-Firley
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
-1 Cup Skim or 1% Milk (Plus 1 Tablespoon)
-4 Teaspoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
-1 Teaspoon Honey
-1 Peppermint Tea Bag
Directions:
-Heat one cup of milk in a microwave safe container for about one minute
-Add 1 tablespoon of milk and the cocoa powder to a mug
-Mix with a fork until it makes a liquid
-Add the warm milk to the mug
-Add the honey and mix together
-Add the tea bag to the mug
-Let steep before drinking
Sweet Potato & Kale Recipes
Kale & White Bean Soup
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 large yellow onion, diced
-4 stalks celery, diced
-2 large carrots, chopped
-6 cloves garlic, chopped
-8 cups water
-2 (15 ounce) cans white beans (cannelloni), drained
-Juice and zest of 1 lemon
-2 bunches fresh kale, ribs and stems remained
-Salt and Black pepper to taste.
DIRECTIONS
- Add oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Saute the aromatics for seven minutes, until the
aromatics are soft and fragrant. - Add the beans and stir until well combined.
- Add the lemon zest and water and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for twenty minutes.
- Add the kale and stir until the leaves have wilted.
- Turn off heat and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Stew
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
-2 tablespoons sesame oil
-1 yellow onion, sliced lengthwise
-1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
-4 cloves garlic, chopped
-3 cups diced sweet potatoes
-1 can coconut milk -2 cups cooked brown rice
-½ cup chopped cilantro
-Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add the oil and heat until ripples appear.
- Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Saute for three to five minutes.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes and stir for a minute or two.
- Add the coconut milk and a quarter cup of water.
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer for twenty minutes, adding salt and pepper. Stir occasionally.
- When completed the stew should be thick and fragrant. Stir in cilantro and serve atop steamed brown rice.
Kale & Sweet Potato Bolognese
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-1 chopped yellow onion
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
-1 cup sweet potato, small diced
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1 bunch fresh kale, stems and ribs removed
-½ cup fresh basil, hand torn
-Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat In a sauté pan.
- Add the onions and garlic and sauté for three minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Cook for about fifteen minutes.
- Add the oregano and basil. Simmer for another five to seven minutes.
- Add the kale and simmer until the kale leaves are wilted about three minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in basil.
- Serve a top whole wheat pasta.
National Peanut Butter Day
Peanut butter is one of the most popular American foods, but is it always a healthy choice?
Pros
Peanut butter contains a lot of protein and fiber, which are both important nutrients. It is also energy-dense, meaning a small amount of peanut butter contains a lot of calories. All of this means that just eating a little peanut butter will help us feel full for longer and is a great option when we need a quick energy kick.
Peanut butter is also high in several important vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant
- Magnesium, which helps to keep our bones healthy
- Potassium, which helps our muscles and nerves work correctly
- Manganese, which helps the body heal
- Vitamin B6, which helps our bodies use and store energy
- Vitamin B3 (niacin), which helps to lower cholesterol and improve brain function
Peanuts in general are also good for your heart, memory, sleep, and immune system.
Cons
Because peanut butter is energy-dense, eating too much of it can quickly put us over our recommended calorie limits for the day. It is also high in fat and can have added sugars and salt (sodium).
Peanut Butter the Right Way
Peanut butter can be a great option when eaten in the right portion! One serving size of peanut butter is 2 Tablespoons, so don’t go overboard.
When choosing peanut butter, choose all-natural or organic options that only contain peanuts–check the ingredients list on the nutrition label. Beware of added sugars, oils, and salt. Healthier peanut butters will often separate and need to be stirred, so if you see a layer of oil on top don’t worry, just stir! This separation happens because there are no added “binders” to keep the natural oils mixed in.
If you have a high-speed blender or a food processor, you can try making your own peanut butter! Just blend plain peanuts until a paste forms, and feel free to add extras like cinnamon, vanilla flavoring, or raisins.
-Bethany Helm, Student Employee
Sources: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/is-peanut-butter-good-for-you/
Chore-Aerobics: Make Cleaning Active and Fun
Why let chores be a bore when you could turn them into a fun activity the whole family will enjoy? Here are some ideas to help make cleaning and tidying activities that will get everyone moving, working, and smiling!
For Little Kids
- Do chores with one foot, one hand, while singing, taking only giant steps, taking only tiny steps, hopping, or walking backwards.
- Turn chores into a game of Simon Says, giving short and specific tasks like “Simon says pick up the yellow toy as fast as you can.” No one should move unless you say “Simon says.” You can combine this with the first idea too!
For Big Kids
- Time how long it takes one child to complete a chore. Next time the chore needs to be done, time a different child and see if they can do it faster. Add a few minutes or a few seconds if the chore is poorly-done, and keep track of the family’s fastest time!
- Make it a relay race: split up multi-step chores (like making beds, doing laundry, and cleaning bathrooms) and give everyone a specific step. Maybe one person gathers all the dirty laundry and the second loads the machine. For cleaning, one person could sweep and the next could mop. Split into teams and see which team can complete their chores fastest.
For Everyone
- Come up with a secret word and assign an exercise to every room–squats in the kitchen, sit ups in the living room, jumping jacks in the bedroom. Whenever anyone yells the secret word, do 5-10 of the exercise that belongs to whichever room you are in.
- Set a timer or shuffle your favorite playlist. Every time the timer goes off or the song changes, swap tasks with someone else in the house.