What’s in my Pantry?

I try to eat healthy most of the time. I’m still learning what that means–that’s a lifetime journey. Particularly interesting is the Eat Clean philosophy of foods, though I can’t say that I fully embrace it yet. I do try to limit processed foods as much as possible and watch my sodium intake carefully. I work to keep my weight in a certain range, but even more than that, I want to support my abundant life with healthy choices.

I follow the Weight Watchers program. When you pick up a product at my house, the Weight Watchers point value per serving is marked on the package with a Sharpie. It’s a way of life! It gives me the results I want while giving me freedom to eat the foods I like.

Pantry:
Steel cut oats
Maple Grove Farms wasabi dijon salad dressing (Kroger)
Maple Grove Farms honey mustard salad dressing (Kroger)
Braggs Liquid Aminos (great to pour on nuts before roasting)
Braggs apple cider vinegar
Tahini paste (for hummus, mostly)
Various rices
Chocolate whole wheat Cheerios (snacking)
Great Grains cereal (for mixing small amounts with yogurt)
Almond milk
Pacific Organic soups
Progresso low-calorie soups (I bulk these up big time with veggies chopped in my Vitamix)
Mandarin oranges (mostly for salads)
Chicken in the pouch
Tuna in the pouch
Garbanzo beans (for making hummus)
Various canned beans–extra protein for salads
Turkey chili (I love this over brown rice with guacamole and chopped tomatoes – a very quick meal when the rice is already cooked)
Lemon pepper
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Cumin
Cinnamon
Pampered Chef seasonings and rubs
Canola oil spray
Canola oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Grapeseed oil
Flax oil
Healthy cereals
Special K cracker chips (27 chipes=3 points plus)
Nonfat dry milk (I add a tablespoon to my yogurt or other foods for extra calcium)
100-calorie Hostess snacks (3 points plus)
Girl Scout cookies (I’m careful!)
Roasted red pepper (jar)
Fire-roasted tomatoes (can)
Tomato sauce
Whole Wheat pasta products
Spaghetti sauces (jar, no creams like alfredo)
Reduced sodium teriaki sauce
Reduced sodium chicken broth (I use a ton of this)
Coffee (of course!)
Angel food cake mixes
Sugar-free pie fillings (cans)
Great Start Breakfasts Hot Chocolate Packets
King Arthur bread flour
King Arthur whole wheat flour
King Arthur all-purpose flour
Small cans of vegetables with pop top (for portability)
Red and green lentils
Couscous
Quinoa pasta
Potatoes

Refrigerator:
Maple Grove Farms sugar-free syrup (an occasional exception to my aversion to sugar alcohols)
Nonfat Greek yogurt
Salad dressing spritzers
Organic baby spinach leaves (I eat a TON of fresh spinach)
Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes
Squash
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Carrots
Eggplant
Carrots
Weight Watchers shredded Mozarella cheese
Weight Watchers shredded Mexican blend cheese
Weight Watchers cream cheese
Weight Watchers string cheese (regular and new smoky)
Laughing Cow french onion cheese
Laughing Cow garlic/herb cheese
Laughing Cow blue cheese
Laughing Cow queso chipotle cheese
Hummus (used to buy but now I make my own)
Yoshida’s gourmet sauce (Sam’s)
Eggs
Egg Beaters
100-calorie guacamole packs
Soy grated parmesan substitute
Broccoli slaw (great crunch when added to salads)
Feta cheese
Salsa
Fresh fruits in season
Half and half (for my coffee–some things I just refuse to give up)
Smart Balance butter

Freezer:
Fiber One waffles
Schawn’s mini pancakes
Vitalicious baked products
Blueberries
Strawberries
Bananas (frozen for use in the Vitamix)
Nuts
Cooked turkey, some scrambled, some patties, portioned into servings in ZipLoc bags
Turkey sausage
Chicken
Salmon
Shrimp
Thomas whole-wheat bagel thins (3 points plus)
Earth Grains thin sandwich buns
Various nuts for roasting or baking
Onion/green pepper blends for seasoning
Miscellaneous vegetables and fruits from the Schwan company
Milton bread (from Sam’s)

What I don’t eat:
Mayonnaise and other heavy salad dressings
Soft drinks
Peanut butter
Prepared foods high in fat grams
Prepared foods high in sodium

Limited items
Sugar-free products containing sugar alcohols
Beef (on occasion I eat a hamburger somewhere or tacos from Del Taco–beef just hasn’t tasted that great to me for several years)
Ice cream
Baked goods (portion control always)
Pies, cakes, sweets (portion control always)

What’s in my snack bowl:
Weight Watchers snacks (bought at meeting)
Pre-portioned packs of Chocolate Cheerios
Barbara’s Bakery gluten-free snack bars from health food store
Hostess 100-calorie snack packs
Little Debbie 100-calorie snackes when I can find them

What’s in my desk at work:
Progresso soup (in case of lunch emergency)
Packets of Quaker oatmeal (ditto)
Herbal tea
Weight Watchers snacks