I got asked to do this post a loooong time ago, but only just got around to it. Better late than never I suppose.
Ready for my ALWAYS on supply stash?
10 hungry hungry hippie grocery staples
1. Oats
2. Quinoa
3. Fresh fruit (apples, bananas, something)
4. Spinach
5. Sweet potato/potato
6. Hummus
7. Almond Milk
8. Carrots
9. Nuts (almonds, cashews, something)
10. Brown Rice
There should be an asterisk to let you know that tomatoes would normally be on this list, but I grow my own now.
Most of these items are bulk bin things that I have huge containers of. Brown rice, quinoa, and oats, for example, are things I’ll never be without because if I see a container is getting low, I’ll add the item to the grocery list. I store them in big containers from Crate & Barrel. Most of the other bulk pantry things I store in mason jars. These include nuts (of all kinds), dried beans and lentils, TVP, corn meal, almond flour, brown rice flour, oat flour, and coconut. I can do almost anything with this stash alone (grain + legume = meal).
Of course fresh produce is good to have on hand, too, for obvious reasons. Spinach and carrots are the top grocery list items that I will never be without.
I also stock frozen veggies, like peas and corn, because Kyle turns to those often when I’m not around to make something. Don’t get me wrong, I use them too. They’re the perfect way to round out my grain + legume combo. Most recently (ie since pregnancy laziness kicked in), I’ve taken to frozen collard greens and frozen broccoli too.
You may think it’s weird I didn’t put tofu, seitan, or tempeh on the list, but I was trying to go with things I have 100% of the time. Vegetarian proteins are always on rotation in the HHH household and Kyle and my preferences change based on our moods. Sometimes it’s nice to splurge on Field Roast and sometimes I feel like making seitan. Also, Kyle favors tempeh, whereas I prefer tofu. But we are never without hummus. Ever.
We go through almond milk faster than anything else on the list. It’s a coffee staple. It’s an oatmeal staple. It’s a drink-with-dessert staple. And since there are often sales at WF, I buy the smaller ones to keep as back-up in the pantry just in case. We go through at least of the big cartons of unsweetened vanilla each week, but the fridge is never without the unsweetened plain (for cooking) either.
Fresh fruit goes without saying. If the fruit basket is empty, there’s a problem. Aside from apples and bananas, I try to stick to whatever is seasonal and/or local. Organic is a must, naturally. In spring and summer, we get lots of melon and stone fruit. In fall and winter, it’s apples and pears galore (plus squash!!!). Kyle’s picky about fruit, but I’ll eat just about anything. Lucky for me, our neighbor has a lemon tree that keeps my fizzy water tasty almost all year long.
So there you have it!
The top ten things I’m never ever without – hope it gives you ideas.
If you have a question or readers request topic you’d like me to address, ask away! I’ll try to get to it faster than I did this one. 🙂
My list would be quite similar–surprise, surprise–but I would have to say it’s almond milk, oats, asparagus/broccoli/kale, bananas, rice/farro, chickpeas, Earth Balance, unsalted almonds, Ezekiel bread and sunflower seed butter. The bare necessities 🙂
I can’t believe hummus wasn’t number 1 on your list! My question is not about the food itself, but about the storage. Do you have any thoughts about plastic usage vs. glass for storage? Of course we are all moving away from BPA plastics, but more and more it seems I am reading that glass may be better over all. I’ve started replacing my crappy college plastic with glass as it dies but I haven’t found bulk glass storage for flours/oats with airtight lids that I like.
My list would be similar, but I’d have to add chia seeds. I eat chia seeds every morning for breakfast! I can’t imagine starting my day without it 🙂
Our pantries are twins! I would add nut/seed butter to the list, though, because there is a minimum of 3 jars in the pantry at all times. Sometimes you want chunky, sometimes you want sunflower…always be prepared. I’m curious about your legume preference – specifically, if there’s a variation or preparation you prefer that keeps your tummy happy. I almost always buy dry beans, and I’m curious if there’s a true benefit to putting a piece of seaweed in the pot.
Thanks! I requested this post, and it was as helpful as I thought it would be. Thanks again!
Great list. Mine is similar, except the addition of nut butter. I cannot survive a single day without some kind of nut butter. It is also the one thing I never travel without.
Thanks for the post!
Nutritional yeast?!!! I thought it would be no. 1!!!
the list isnt in any particular order. so the numbers dont refer to order of importance. 🙂
ok, so about the glass storage stuff. ive been looking for a long time. the only ones ive found are tall and narrow – not good to scoop out of and not shelf friendly. erg. i go through rice, quinoa, and oats too fast to have a smaller container though. if you find anything send a link my way.
the only reason thats not on mine is because i make it with the nuts 🙂 i usually have 2-3 jars going at a time too…
me either janie. me either.
the only reason butters arent on mine is because i make mine with the nuts. 🙂
That is exactly the problem I’ve found. Nothing scoop friendly that is airtight. I’m intense about the possibility of bugs so I demand good (food grade) seals. Right now I am re-purposing every spaghetti sauce jar, coconut oil jar, pb jar, salsa jar but I’m still not crazy about the metal lids.
Back in the day when you hated “non-store-bought” tomatoes, we detested almonds (aka. bombbitters), and you preferred regular potatoes to sweet potatoes – did you ever think 3 of those items would make your top 10?? oh how you’ve evolved 🙂
Srrrrriously. I just wrote a post that’s about the evolution of my grocery list and its kinda crazy.
Just like me I list down all the needed things to buy for groceries.
your list has everything good. it would be so hard for me to narrow down a list of 10
My list is pretty similar to yours! I, too, could never be without hummus–that would be a crime. I usually have two!
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I am switching over to glass for all things similar. I just found Anchor Hocking glass “Montana” jars – wide mouthed. Found them at Bed Bath & Beyond on line for much less than “big kitchens” through amazon. Can’t wait for my order to arrive – but all reviews stated they are great for scooping out of and every day my family is doing this. There are also “stacking” glass storage containers in smaller sizes that I bought for my tapioca flour, potato starch, arrow root and such. My pantry leans towards gluten free as well so I need to have some additional items on hand.
thanks for the rec! i found them on amazon, but ill check bb&b to compare prices. we have free shipping through amazon.
i love that they stack – let me know how you like them once they arrive – im all about personal recs from people i trust (never know who those amazon reviewers are).
Elise, do you eat white rice too? Or usually stick to brown? Do you find white rice to be constipating? I do, but white rice seems more soothing. Just curious as to how you react to them.
do you prefer to eat quinoa?