Part 2: How to Stock a Plant Forward Pantry

The food that is in your house directly influences how “healthy” you eat ~80% of the time. So the simplest thing you can do to improve your health is take control of your kitchen and learn to stock it with the right food! And that’s exactly what we’re talking about today.

This is also to part 2 of the 4-Week Eat More Plants Challenge. As a reminder, here’s what you’re in for:

1. Welcome: What is a Plant Forward Diet
2. Setting up Your Plant Forward Pantry <== You are Here
3. When Organic Food is Worth the Cost
4. Calculate How Much Protein YOUR Body Needs
5. The Best Sources of Traditional & Plant Based Proteins
6. Preventing Food Waste with Proper Food Storage
7. Which Plants Can Cause Bloating and Inflammation
8. Cultivating Sustainable Healthy Habits

Now that you know the what it means to follow a plant forward diet and the benefits of it, it’s time to set up your kitchen. And we start with the pantry. Over half of the ingredients in unprocessed, plant forward recipes will live in your pantry. When you have the right foods on hand, plant forward eating isn’t just possible, it’s actually quite easy!

How to Stock a Plant Forward Pantry

From both personal and professional experience I know that making lifestyle change is not easy. I want you to know how glad I am that you’ve landed here! I know that getting started can feel overwhelming, so I will break it down for you today. In today’s post I’m going to tell you exactly what you need to stock your plant forward pantry, how to organize it, and share my favorite tools.

Stocking a Pantry is a Proactive Process

The way you stock your fridge and pantry are huge contributors to your success (or demise) when it comes to living in a body you love. “Out of site, out of mind” is a 100% true statement. Having the right foods on hand will make it easier to stick to your plan and reach your goals.

But it’s something you need to do, it will not happen on its own. You need to clear out the bad stuff and then replace it with the right stuff. And you need to keep it stocked.

Half of “Whole, Real Food” lives in your pantry

At the core of unprocessed plant forward (Clean & Colorful) eating is a philosophy that relies on fresh produce. But you can’t do a whole lot with the fresh stuff if you don’t have the right plant forward pantry basics on hand. More than half of the healthy eating equation involves learning how to stock a your pantry correctly.

In my Plant Forward Meal Plans and Recipe Guides, I leverage the same pantry ingredients in multiple recipes. When your pantry is properly stocked, you only need to pick up your perishables each week. This makes weekly shopping super fast and simple. In fact, perishable produce and other fresh ingredients are conveniently located on the perimeter of the grocery stores. So you can run in, shop your circle and be on your way out in minutes.

Key ingredients for your Plant Forward Pantry

From nuts and seeds to special health boosting spices. There are a total of nearly 70 ingredients that can live in your pantry or refrigerator with an extended shelf life. Making it very east to be set you up for success for weeks to months. I’ve included the full shopping list from Volume 1 of my Clean & Colorful, Plant Forward Recipe Guide. This will give you an idea of exactly what you’re looking for at the market.

Get Printable Plant Forward Pantry & Shopping List!

Here is exactly what the Clean and Colorful Grocery List looks like. You can click on it for a full downloadable and printable list. Save it to your computer and use it guide your healthy efforts as you fill your Clean and Colorful Kitchen! Consider, if it’s not on this list, perhaps it should not live in your kitchen?

Stocking your Plant Forward Pantry with Bulk Bins!

(Note: Due to the pandemic, bulk bins may not be an option in your area at this time.) Almost a third of the plant forward pantry items can be bought in the bulk bins at your local health food store. I have recently become a huge fan of bulk bins for a few reasons:

1. You can buy as little or as much as you need or want. Buying from bulk containers lets you indulge in the natural and organic ingredients you need, in the exact quantity you need.
2. It’s less expensive. These bulk bins are stuffed with natural and organic foods which can offer an average savings of 30-50% percent versus packaged food.
3. Less packaging. You save money on the packaging you don’t need and not only is that cheaper, it’s better for our planet. Talk about win-win!! Eliminating packaging reduces your carbon footprints. It cuts down on the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills and on and on…
4. More efficient, less waste.  When you get to buy the exact amount you want, you are allowed to become a smarter shopper. Being forced to buy more than you need sometimes saves you money. But not if it expires before you can use it. Having this control saves you from tossing food in the trash.

How to organize your Plant Forward Pantry

Now that we know exactly what to get, let’s talk about organization! Who wants a pile of leaky bags that leave puddles of chia seeds or quinoa at the base of your cupboards (other than the critters and the mice — eek)? What’s worse than picking up the inevitable spilled flax seeds that got all over the counter when you tried pouring it out of a plastic bag? You’re going to need 2 things, and 2 things only:

1. Mason jars. A variety of sizes is good.

I love mason jars for pantry storage! They are air-tight, making them 100 times better than a plastic, mildly, resealable bag. These jars stack well, making it easy to organize. They are not very expensive and will last forever. Mason jars are easy to scoop and pour out of and wash up and clean out perfectly. And let’s be honest, they look cool! I used to have a pile of baggies, boxes and other funky containers in my pantry. One day I just decided that I used my kitchen too much to not be organized. So I dug in and did it!

I’ll be honest, you can get mason jars much cheaper at your local Smart & Final. Although, if you like shopping online, Amazon does have some options. They are oddly, one of the few things I’ve found to be more expensive online.

2. Labels. Now you know what lives in said mason jar.

You’ll want to label your jars to make ingredients easier to find. They also make it easy to identify and refill what’s running low. A simple label maker will work. These Eye-D Bands were designed to be put on packages so they can easily be stored in the pantry or fridge.  You can easily get Eye-D Bands online and they are reasonably priced and look quite nice.

In Summary & Next Steps

I know that’s a lot of information. But knowing how to how to stock a plant forward pantry will make all the difference. It will make unprocessing your diet and eating more plants a piece of cake.

1. Print your Plant Forward pantry list. If you are signed up for the 4-week challenge, add it to your small binder or folder with your other challenge printable action sheets.
2. If you want to get really organized, get the right tools, mason jars or other containers and labels.
3. Get to work in your kitchen. Separate what you have from what’s on the list. Mark you list with anything missing that you know you’ll want to use and go shopping. Inventory what you have left that is not on the list. Determine a plant to make the best use of that product – then don’t replace it.
4. Order a Clean & Colorful Meal Plan or Recipe Guide if you want simple and easy to follow recipes using your pantry ingredients.
5. Talk to your family. Changing the base food in your kitchen is a big deal. Make sure everyone understands what is happening and why. Maybe not everyone will be 100% with you on this Plant Forward adventure. Get clear on everyone’s goals and establish a plant that makes everyone happy.

Up next in the 4-Week Eat More Plants Challenge: Learn how to prioritize your organic budget and know when organic foods are worth the cost. If you’re not signed up for the free challenge yet, you can do that right here!

There you have it! You’re well on your way to adopting a Plant Forward diet and feeling the amazing benefits!