10 Must-Have Healthy Foods to Keep in Your Fridge
By Amie Valpone for Glamour.com
The first step to eating healthier is making sure your kitchen is stocked with good-for-you foods. There are plenty of healthy pantry staples that don’t spoil quickly, so you can buy them periodically and always have them at the ready. Here are 10 great foods—from hummus to chocolate bars—to keep around for a healthy lifestyle.
A Light Salad Dressing
I use Litehouse OPA dressing—it’s made with Greek yogurt for a lighter take on blue cheese and ranch flavors. It’s also gluten-free, made with no artificial ingredients, and has less than 1 gram of sugar. Drizzle lightly on top of your favorite salads, or use as a creamy dip for dunking raw veggies. It works well on tacos too.
Flax Oil
Organic flax oil is a vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO food that is packed with nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. Add it to dressings, yogurt, oatmeal, and smoothies for a boost of nutrients in every spoonful.
Dairy-Free Chocolate Bars
For a healthier sweet, try Enjoy Life dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free chocolate bars. In both dark and rice-milk flavors, these bars are a tasty guilt-free dessert. Enjoy alone, or try the crunchy chocolate bar crumbled on top of Greek yogurt for dessert!
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Hemp Hearts
Hemp hearts are super seeds that have 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of omegas per serving—even more than chia seeds or flaxseeds. You can add hemp hearts to cereal, smoothies, salads, or yogurt for a boost of nutrition.
Hummus
Hummus is a tasty, creamy dip that can be paired with almost anything. I like Sabra’s Olive Tapenade Hummus along with chopped veggies or using it as a spread on pizzas or on sandwiches in place of mayo.
Avocado
Avocados are a great go-to food because they come ready to eat. Slice a ripe avocado in half, remove the pit, and sprinkle with lime juice, salt, and pepper for a snack you can make in under a minute. You can also add avocados to salads, sandwiches, omelets, toast, or tacos for delicious flavor and a serving of heart-healthy fats.
Chickpea Miso Paste
Chickpea miso paste is an alternative to soy-based miso that can be used in many of the same recipes. Whether you have soy allergies or just want something healthier—chickpeas are one of the most easily digested beans—add this flavorful paste to soups, dressings, and marinades for a salty boost.
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Organic Apple Cider Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar
Stock vinegars such as balsamic and apple cider for dressings and marinades. Both contain probiotics that help with digestion as well as antioxidants to counter the effects of free radicals. Drizzle them on your salad or fruit bowl, or make your own dressing with fresh herbs.
Freshly Squeezed Citrus Juice
Lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits—citrus fruits add flavor to everything from meat to water. Whether you’re adding zesty lemon flavor to a salmon filet or adding a boost of lime flavor to your water, citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C, folate, and potassium.
Almond Butter
Almond butter stores well (in the pantry or fridge) and is the ideal protein boost when you’re on the go. Add almond butter to toast, cereal, and apple slices.
photos: Romulo Yanes (2); Krista Desjairlais (1)
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