What are your healthy staple foods?

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Originally Posted by spokewench

I agree with Knotted. There are a few things I avoid completely and try to eat lost of veges, fruit, whole grains, etc.; but the things I avoid are processed foods, sodas, things like that that I have no control over what is in them.

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Oh, Dear, I need to read Knott's post more carefully. You never know what is being discussed when the grammar police is out patrolling!

I always have in my fridge and kitchen:
eggs
1% milk
coffee
oj
Whole grain bread
corn tortillas
salsa
parmesan cheese
cheddar cheese
blue cheese crumbles
pasta (many types)
brown rice
white rice
potatoes white and sweet
onions
garlic
lettuce
avocado
cucumber
red bell peppers
canned hominy
canned tomatoes
canned beans (many varieties)
dry beans (many varieties)
chicken broth
veges - whatever looks good right now, beets, artichokes, arugula, escarole, parsley, tomatoes, zucchini,
strawberries
bananas
Right now I have raspberries and blackberries and watermelon, oranges, limes, lemons, and grapefruit, apples, grapes (always have fruit)
eat mostly chicken, but I do eat sirloin and pork occassionally.
Lots of herbs
pecans (unsalted)
almonds (unsalted)
red and white wine
beer
and, of course, tequilla for an occasional margarita!

My kitchen staples (i.e. the stuff that almost always has a presence in my kitchen):

• Raw almonds
• Dried blueberries (unsweetened)
• Quinoa
• Eggs
• Green onions
• Red onions
• Kale, or other dark leafy green thing
• Broccoli (fresh or frozen, depending on season)
• Herb salad mix
• Garlic
• Walnut oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Hummus (or ingredients for hummus)
• Black beans
• Canned tuna
• Canned salmon
• Fresh fish and meat -- this varies, because I just tend to buy whatever is on sale when I happen to be shopping
• Coconut oil

I eat other things, but those are the items that I eat most often. For instance, in the summer, I'm a sucker for Rainier cherries...can't keep my hands off of them.

Fage 2% plain yogurt, chevre, and cheddar used to be on that list...but I'm working on giving up dairy. Given that I've already tossed out sugar, gluten (I'm allergic to wheat), caffeine and most refined carbs, dairy is the last of the potentially "problematic" foods left in my diet.

Thanks for all your replies. I knew this was going to be a popular thread! I forgot that onions and garlic are a staple for me as well. Bananas used to be until I was told I shouldn't eat them (for now anyway).

On the subject of eggs, I posted a new thread on the subject, because it's kind of a big "thing" for me. I love that so many people commented that they eat whole eggs and they and/or their spouse's cholesterol is normal. I just had mine checked too, and it was normal.

On the subject of "healthy" verses "healthful" ... haha! It's such a normal thing for me to say "healthy", but I get what you're saying. You'll be glad to know that the word "healthful" has NOT died out. Rachael Ray says it all the time. I used to think it was so weird! But then realized it actually makes sense. It's just not a word I learned growing up. I spose my mamma dun didn't teach me right! And her mamma dun didn't teach her neither, cuz her mamma came from Poland and English was a second language ... so that there is my excuse. ;)

Dark Chocolate and red wine. That's what I'm having tonight. It's been quite a day.

I could eat 1/2 dozen eggs a DAY, which is why I eat so many egg whites (from Trader Joe's in a box). I dearly love eggs and also get free range eggs from a friend - I don't separate those :) It is cool knowing the chickens that lay my eggs :)

When it was just me doing the shopping:
Nuts: Almonds and walnuts, mostly. PB for oatmeal or toast.
Fruit: Berries, apples, bananas (when it was only me because DBF's allergic)...whatever I felt like, looked good and could afford.
Dairy: 1%/2% milk, cheese (cheddar, chevre, Cotswold usually), cream cheese, yogurt, butter
Carbs: Oatmeal (steel-cut for me, rolled for DBF), brown rice, sushi rice, brown/wild rice mix; breads and pasta of various types, bagels
Protein: Beans (mostly black for soups and chili), chicken and/or turkey, ground beef, bacon, occasionally flank steak, chicken stock (sometimes homemade) and beef stock for soups and stews. Sushi (tuna or salmon) when we went out. Eggs (which I don't care for, but I've managed to get myself to eat...)
Veggies: much along the same line as fruit--whatever looked good. We did have some staples: Broccoli, boxed salad greens and spinach, carrots
Snacks and dessert: Tortilla chips and salsa for me. Homemade oatmeal cookies (that's healthy, right?)
Misc: garlic, onions, lemons, limes, olive oil

I'm starting to think eating properly is for those with money...:/

Other staples:
soy sauce
cornflakes

My staples have changed since moving to another part of Canada. When living in Vancouver, my staples used include:

salmon
oatmeal (I just haven't gotten around to buying right microwaveable container for oatmeal yet where I am now.)

I know there are whole eggs fans here, but I have egg whites which I have to eat first and they expire in 2 wks. But still I won't be on the egg kick at this time..there's other things I have to work on..ie. reduce sugar intake..

A CSA share is my first staple - 3 years ago DH and I started with a half share of 20 weeks of vegetables/goodies. This year we decided to graduate to a full share because we spent last year buying local veggies and fruit to supplement our half share. I also have a 6 x 3 raised bed for extra greens and herbs.

Fridge & pantry:
nonfat greek yogurt
hummos
brown rice
canned low sodium & dry beans
whole wheat & unbleached white flour
eggs
egg whites (add equivalent volume of egg whites to whole egg to make b-fast burritos)
avacados
quinoa
dried fruit
local honey
steel cut oats
chopped nuts (I buy walnuts, almonds & pecans, mix them and add to oatmeal)
spices (mostly for mediterranean and indian flavors)
tomato juice
grapefruit juice
winter squash & sweet potatoes (to make baked chips or roasted cubes for salad)
kettle cooked reduced fat potato chips (gotta indulge every now and then)
5 year old whole wheat & rye sourdough starter
truvia & raw sugar (DH will only use sugar, seems to use less if raw)
oranges, lemons, & limes

Freezer:
fish (no farm raised, mostly wild caught cod, salmon & halibut)
locally raised chicken & turkey
locally raised beef
single serving size raspberry sorbet (i can't be trusted with a 'normal' size :D)

This is all great information! Here are my wholesome faves:

Eggs
Low fat cheese
Sourdough bread (put those three together and you've got an egg "mockmuffin"--a common breakfast for me)
Old fashioned oats (I prefer cooked with milk)
Milk
Maple syrup for my oatmeal
Extra lean turkey bacon
Deli turkey
Chicken breasts
Tons of salad -- baby greens, shredded cabbage, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes
Supplemented with other crunchies....nuts, water chestnuts, chow mein noodles (just a little bit!), seeds
And some sweet accents...in moderation as well...mandarin oranges packed in juice, golden raisins, chopped apple, dried cranberries
Grapes! Lots of 'em
Tofu
Brown rice
Extra lean ground turkey and beef
Salmon, shrimp, and other fish would be on the list but my husband hates seafood so I only eat it when I dine out (similarly, he abstains from some foods I find too stinky to bear)
Other treats...kashi chewy granola bars, kashi golean and golean crunch, skinny cow ice cream sandwiches (not health food but a step up from a drive thru milkshake)

These are my healthy Staple foods
Grapes,
bananas,
blueberries
Almonds
Chicken breast
Peanut butter
Whole Wheat Bread
asparagus
brocolli
red onions
eggs
chicken
natural nut butters

Looks like the tread of this is...fresh food, not packaged food. Pretty simple to eat healthy when its not processed.