If we run out of any of the following ingredients, I basically freak out and wonder how I’ll function. Ha ha! And don’t think I’m exaggerating here! What’s on your list of die hard real food staples that you just can’t imagine living without?
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- Milk
I mostly use milk for one meal of the day, but it’s often touted as the most important one – breakfast! And I don’t know how to function without my morning bowl of homemade granola cereal with fresh berries (and milk, of course).
– - Eggs
Eggs are the base for so many homemade baked goods and the perfect staple to come to the rescue when you don’t know what to eat! It’s hard to beat how quick and easy (and filling) scrambled eggs are any time of day. To kick things up a notch, be sure to puree them with some leafy greens first.
– - Butter
At any given time, you’ll catch me with approximately 24 sticks of butter in my freezer. I could never make my granola or quickly fry up those eggs without it. Or cook a plethora of other easy dishes in my repertoire. :)
– - Whole-Wheat Flour
Ditching the processed stuff means cooking from scratch is the way to go, and it’s hard to make muffins, tortillas, waffles, pancakes, or even cookies for a treat without flour!
– - Oats
My daughter’s recent growth spurt has made me be extra sure I always have oats on hand. She’ll eat a variety of snacks whenever she’s hungry, but her favorite is overnight oats. And when I don’t feel like helping her prepare something else, I love having these ready-to-go in the fridge.
– - Raw Nuts
Nuts are both a filling and portable snack, and let’s not forget, they’re quite important when it comes to making my beloved granola I keep talking about! Seriously though, you can add nuts to so many recipes or just throw them in the lunch box with a dried fruit mix when you don’t know what else to pack. It happens to the best of us. :)
– - Honey and/or Pure Maple Syrup
Even though I’m a die hard real foodie (who ditched sugar a while back), I still can’t stomach plain yogurt, coffee, or homemade treats without a little something sweet added. So I’m always happy to have these more natural sweeteners on hand (to be used in moderation, of course).
– - Dry Pasta
When you don’t know what’s for dinner, pasta can literally save the day. It’s filling enough to make up for your lack of planning and also versatile enough that you can add just about anything to it, including veggies, meat, herbs, or store-bought organic tomato sauce.
How does my list compare to yours? Please share in the comments! :)
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I am confused about the whole wheat bread. I know Lisa says it’s okay if it’s 100% whole wheat, but most studies I’ve read say stay away from any wheat or corn products. It’s all on the way they’re processed. We try to only eat things with almond flour.
If it’s 100% whole-wheat, then it falls into Lisa’s rules. While yes, bread can be highly processed, you just need to make sure you read the ingredients and know what to look for. – Nicole
You’ll never find me without apples, almond butter, whole-wheat bread, popcorn, grapes, broccoli, carrots, or canned beans/chickpeas!
And homemade stock. I realise I am fortunate to have such a thing. Time to make it and resources to get good quality ingredients.
Dried fruits
Fresh lettuce as we have salad every day, home canned tomatoes for soups, stews and over pasta, and a variety of cheeses.
I applaud cutting out processed foods. But, if I didn’t know better I would say your being subsidized by the dairy industry. Your next step should be to research the Best foods to give your family their daily nutritional needs. You need to question everything. Follow the money, and you’ll see that many foods you listed are only supported by dairy industry subsidized studies. Not independent double blind studies.
Thank you, I completely agree and had posted a similar response but it wasn’t published. I listed several studies hoping for an educated answer since she is so well read on nutrition. I have been searching for a decent argument on why anyone would continue to consume dairy and eggs after researching the industry as a whole.
We are vegan and gluten-free; my son is dairy intolerant and my daughter gluten-intolerant. My staples are soy milk/almond milk, virgin coconut oil (frozen, it’s a great substitute for butter/shortening), vegan spread, peanut butter, flaxseed, manuka honey, gluten-free flours and spinach/kale
I only use milk for recipes, and we discovered fresh egg pasta instead of dry tastes so much better than dry.. also almond and peanut butter are a must have on our list. We also keep everything else on Lisa’s list. Lol I don’t know if I would freak out if i didnt have one of these things though :-)
i have a question about a butter substitute. I am in a wellness group and one of the girls freaked out about the butter in a recipe. Is there a suitable substitute for butter. I personally like it and use it because its real food. But what can i say to her to convince her that she is not going to suffer from using butter??
Hi there. Coconut oil is a suitable sub but there are many articles and research available now that might help. Here is just one: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/24/opinion/the-trans-fats-that-wont-leave.html?_r=0.
Whole wheat bread, peanut butter, eggs, milk, oats and nuts.
How do you feel about coconut sugar?
Hi Kathy. Lisa does not use coconut sugar. She sticks with honey and maple syrup except for the rare occasion when she uses granulated. I, personally, use coconut sugar when I use sugar which is limited to a bit in my morning coffee and the occasional sweetening of something else. :)
Thanks Amy. Does anyone else have any research to support honey vs cocnut sugar?
Hello again. Lisa would say that sugar is sugar as a general rule but that honey and maple are closer to its most natural form. I choose coconut sugar because it is less sweet and seems to have less impact on my blood sugar.
Pretty much the same except wheat berries instead of whole wheat – do you not grind your own? To keep it shelf stable, they have to remove 26 vitimins and minerals after it’s been ground but the berries last forever – it rarely takes any extra time to grind because I grind while I get all the other ingredients out. It’s done by the time I want the flour.
Hi Renee. Lisa does grind her own sometimes: We do not post nutrition info on our recipes. This post helps explain why: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/.
My 8 real-food staples are milk, steel-cut oats, fresh Bartlett pears, frozen wild blueberries, peanut butter (nothing but peanuts and salt), 100% whole wheat bread, raw shelled walnuts, and for snack attacks, 72% cacao chocolate bars that I get from Trader Joe’s. For some reason I can eat just 3 squares (165 calories worth) of one of those dark chocolate bars and be satisfied for the day. But if I eat sugary, “regular” chocolate it sets off a craving and I just want more.
I keep a stock of frozen veggies and fruit. Also, dried cranberries, cherries and apricots. I can make a whole lot of stuff in combination with what you have on your survival list with them.
How does this diet work if you are lactose intolerant? I use Almond milk in my tea, but don’t think you can cook with it, to make the oatmeal.
Hi Linda. I use almond or coconut milk in almost all my cooking. It won’t work in every recipe but it does for many.
I think your list is identical to my own list of must have foods but I also need fresh fruit. Since I homeschool six kids being able to offer apple slices or a tangerine when I’m pressed for time is a life saver. Also keeps the kids craving something less healthy.
Yep. And my daughter was just put on an elimination diet….removing dairy, wheat, eggs, beef, and pork.
It makes my head hurt, but it’s cured HER chronic headache….
What kind/brand of pasta do you use?
Hi Rinney. Various brands. What matters is the ingredient list. Pasta should be 100% whole grain. Lisa usually uses whole wheat pastas.
Peanut butter! We use Pic’s Peanut Butter – just peanuts and salt. It goes on apple slices, toast (of course), and every morning it goes on top of my daughter’s porridge =) I start to get panicky if I don’t have at least 3 jars on hand.
Eggs, bread, avocado, frozen berries, frozen veggies, tortillas, and milk :)
Lisa, since you bake a lot and must have lots of flour handy, what do you store it in? Battling mealy moths and read your article on that but couldn’t figure out your flour storage.
Harpreet, in other areas she states her family stores their flour in the freezer. This prevents pest from getting to it, as well as spoilage. Hope that helps!