Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (2024)

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By Brittany Mullins

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Published Mar 20, 2020, Updated May 15, 2020

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Looking for healthy and easy recipes that you can make with pantry staples? Here are some of my favorite recipes with ideas for everything from oatmeal and peanut butter to pasta and canned beans.

What a time to be alive… I know it can feel really overwhelming at times but I want to support you in any way I can! When I asked on Instagram what content would be helpful right now, so many of you wanted a healthy pantry staple recipes, so I compiled a list of my favorites for you!

Be sure to check out my guide to stocking your pantry with healthy food. That said, if you don’t have all the ingredients to make a recipe you see here, I encourage you to be resourceful and substitute things as needed based on the ingredients you already have on hand. For instance, if an oatmeal recipe calls for specific toppings that you don’t have, skip them or add whatever toppings you have! If a smoothie calls for frozen blueberries, but you only have frozen strawberries…use those! If one of the dinner or lunch recipes calls for a specific vegetable that you don’t have, just skip it or swap it with another vegetable (frozen or fresh). Being creative in the kitchen is fun and who knows, it might help you discover something delicious.

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (2)

Breakfast

  • Peanut Butter Toast – Breakfast doesn’t get much easier than this. A family favorite!
  • Peanut Butter Chia Pudding – Delicious for breakfast, snack or dessert!
  • – A protein-packed breakfast that will keep you full for hours.
  • Baked Oatmeal Cups – Keep these baked oatmeal cups (in four flavors) in your fridge or freezer for an easy, healthy breakfast!
  • Baked Blueberry Oatmeal – I’m a huge baked oatmeal fan! They’re perfect for meal prep and can be customized based on the ingredients you have on hand. I have over 10 baked oatmeal recipes to choose from on the blog!
  • Oatmeal – A round-up of a ton of delicious oatmeal recipes for you to choose from!
  • Coconut Flour Pancakes – Perfectly fluffy pancakes made from pantry staples.
  • Egg cups – One of my favorite recipes to make in bulk! Customize with your favorite flavors.
  • Green Smoothie – A staple smoothie recipe made with items you can stock your fridge and freezer with!
  • Banana Almond Butter Smoothie – Another smoothie recipe made from staples.
  • Golden Milk Smoothie – An immune boosting smoothie – one of my favorites!
  • Tofu Scramble – Serve with sliced avocado and toast for a tasty breakfast or snack.
  • Oatmeal Chia Cookies – Perfect for breakfast or as a healthy snack!

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (3)

Lunch

  • Lemon Tuna Salad – The simplest “recipe” if you can even call it that!
  • Broccoli Avocado Tuna Bowl – Packed with immune-boosting ingredients that will keep you full for hours.
  • Hummus Tuna Sandwich – An absolutely delicious open-faced sandwich made from ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen!
  • Vegan Power Bowl – Use whatever grains and vegetables you have on hand to create this tasty bowl!
  • Lentil Tuna Salad – Mix pantry staples with a few fresh ingredients for this filling salad!
  • Lentil Salad – If you can get your hand on Trader Joe’s pre-cooked lentils, they make prepping this salad a breeze!
  • – Another bowl recipe you can customize depending on what you have on hand.
  • Chickpea Salad – I love curried chicken salad so I decided to make a plant-based version!
  • Egg salad – Another protein salad made with items you likely have on hand.

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (4)

Dinner

  • Enchilada Pasta – Dinner in one skillet coming right up!
  • Penne Alla Vodka – A lightened up, protein-packed version of the classic.
  • Butternut Squash Tahini Pasta – Switch up pasta night with this mediterranean inspired pasta dish.
  • Lemony Rice Salad – Mediterranean inspired salad made from pantry staples.
  • Sriracha Sheet Pan Meal – A simple, spicy vegetarian dinner.
  • Shrimp Sheet Pan Meal – Fajitas made on a sheet pan? Yes please!
  • Baked Falafel – Grab your canned chickpeas and whip up this super simple falafel!
  • Shrimp Curry – This easy curry is so comforting.
  • Black Bean Burgers – Believe it or not, these vegan burgers are made with pantry staples!
  • Shakshuka – A curried version of the classic.
  • Black Bean Soup – Truly doesn’t get much easier than this!
  • Red Lentil Stew – A slow cooker stew made of tasty ingredients that you can store for long periods of time!
  • White Bean Chicken Chili – I love this lighter version of a chili – made with white beans and broth yet still creamy and delicious.
  • Lentil Soup – Dinner in under an hour… thank me later!
  • Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili – A chili based almost entirely on pantry staples.
  • Turmeric Chicken – An immune-boosting and insanely delicious chicken recipe!

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (5)

Miscellaneous

  • Frozen Broccoli – Did you know you can roast frozen vegetables? Meet my new favorite kitchen hack that takes frozen veggies from bland to delicious.
  • Turmeric Dressing – A dressing that goes well with soooo many recipes. Love having this on hand!

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (6)

Snacks

  • Protein Balls – No-bake protein balls made from pantry staples in four different flavors.
  • Samoas – Yep, you read that right. My favorite Girl Scout cookie made in the comfort of your own home!
  • Energy Balls – Peanut butter no-bake balls made with just 8 ingredients.
  • Bird Food Energy Bites – Another energy bite recipe made with pantry staples.
  • Hemp Granola – Made from a variety of nuts and seeds.
  • Grain-Free Granola – 5-ingredient granola with no sugar!
  • Coconut Almond Granola – Extra crunchy and clumps up perfectly!
  • Tahini Bars – Chewy granola bars that are perfect to have on hand to snack on.
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars – Each bar has 9 grams of protein… talk about packing a nutritional punch!
  • Cranberry Coconut Chocolate Chip Granola Bars – Another delicious granola bar that is super simple to whip up.

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (7)

Desserts

  • Black Bean Brownies – No one will know you’re sneaking in black beans to this dessert!
  • PB Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies – Made with just 10 ingredients in one bowl… you can thank me later.
  • Coconut Flour Cookies – A simple cookie made from pantry staples!
  • No Bake Cookies – Made with half the amount of sugar as traditional cookies but still just as tasty.
  • Peanut Butter Balls – Peanut butter + chocolate = the best combination ever.
  • Coconut Flour Banana Bread – Whip up this simple banana bread for a delicious breakfast, snack or dessert!
  • Blueberry Frozen Yogurt – Need a treat made from just three ingredients? I’ve got you covered.

I hope you find this post helpful! If there is a pantry staple recipe that you don’t see here that you’d like me to create, leave a comment below letting me know!

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About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany

Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (13)
Healthy Pantry Staple Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the healthiest staple foods? ›

These include items like whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, nut butters, dried fruits, and vegetables. You can also stock up on canned foods like beans, tuna, salmon, and chicken, which last for a long time and help avoid wasteful spending. Let's break down some of the best foods to reach for in the grocery store.

What staple foods should every kitchen have? ›

Basic Foods Checklist: How to Stock Your Kitchen for Simple Meals
  • Breakfast & Cereals.
  • Canned, Jarred, & Pouched Foods.
  • Grains, Pasta & Sides.
  • Produce.
  • Snacks.
  • Baking & Cooking Supplies.
  • Condiments & Salad Dressings.

What foods should I always have in my pantry? ›

Pasta, grains, canned goods, spices, and baking staples are the types of pantry essentials everyone should keep in their kitchen. These foods are the basis of many meals and have a longer shelf life than items you store in the refrigerator.

Are staple foods healthy? ›

Although staple foods are nutritious, they do not provide the full, healthy range of nutrients. People must add other foods to their diets to avoid malnutrition. Rice is a food staple for more than 3.5 billion people around the world, particularly in Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa.

What are the top 3 foods to avoid? ›

Worst Foods to Eat for Your Health
  • Foods with added sugar. Examples: Cookies, cake, ice cream, candy, sugary breakfast cereals, flavored yogurt. ...
  • Foods with added salt. Examples: Chips, pretzels, breads, crackers, canned soup, processed snack foods. ...
  • Refined carbohydrates. ...
  • Processed meats.
Nov 18, 2021

How do you stock a healthy pantry? ›

how to stock a healthy pantry: a step-by-step guide
  1. Assess Your Current Supplies. ...
  2. Choose Whole Grains. ...
  3. Select Lean Proteins. ...
  4. Incorporate Healthy Fats. ...
  5. Add Flavor with Spices and Herbs. ...
  6. Include Nutrient-Dense Snacks. ...
  7. Don't Forget About Canned and Frozen Produce and Dried Goods. ...
  8. Keep Hydration in Mind.
Aug 25, 2023

What are the top 3 staple foods? ›

The world has over 50 000 edible plants. Just three of them, rice, maize and wheat, provide 60 percent of the world's food energy intake.

What are the 3 main staple foods? ›

Almost all of the world's food energy intake is satisfied by just a few crop plants. Rice, maize and wheat make up two-thirds of this already small group of foods. These three grains are the staple foods for more than four billion people both as a source of nutrition and income.

What is the most requested item at a food pantry? ›

Specifically, food banks often need items like:
  • Peanut butter.
  • Canned soup.
  • Canned fruit.
  • Canned vegetables.
  • Canned stew.
  • Canned fish.
  • Canned beans.
  • Pasta (most prefer whole grain)
Jan 14, 2020

How do I stock my pantry for a month? ›

The Pantry
  1. Root Vegetables and Hardy Vegetables.
  2. Stocks and Broths.
  3. Canned or Jarred Fish.
  4. Canned Vegetables.
  5. Canned Soup.
  6. Crackers, Crispbreads, Rice Cakes.
  7. Cooking Oil and Condiments.
  8. Tip: Learn how to make your own salad dressing to save money and space.
Oct 18, 2021

What are the 4 main staple foods? ›

The four staple food categories include:
  • Fruits or vegetables;
  • Meat, poultry, or fish;
  • Dairy products; and.
  • Breads or cereals.
Nov 20, 2023

What are the 10 most healthy foods? ›

Here are the top 15 foods you should be eating according to our experts:
  • Fish. ...
  • Broccoli or any of the cruciferous vegetables. ...
  • Beets. ...
  • Spinach and other leafy green vegetables. ...
  • Kale. ...
  • Peanut butter. ...
  • Almonds. ...
  • Mangos.
Apr 5, 2019

What is the most eaten meal in the world? ›

Rice, for instance, claims the throne as one of the most consumed staple foods worldwide due to its versatility, affordability, and high caloric yield, making it a reliable source of sustenance for billions.

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