Pantry Essentials

So my entire stock, including the cabinet doors were blown away! (literally) But, I know that thankfully you are not in that situation. When you start a new way of eating (or lifestyle) it is often recommended that you purge the house of poor quality foods, ingredients, etc.

Here are a few of my MUST HAVE'S! These are things I have already bought to replace even though I don't have my kitchen back yet.

1. Good Seasonings! Organic Italian Seasoning and Garlic paste. Pink Himalayan salt and whole pepper that can be freshly cracked! The best thing about paleo eating or cooking in general is experimenting with flavors and seasonings.

2. Good oils. What do I consider good oils? I buy Simple Truth organic olive oil that is beautiful and adds a great flavor to chicken even with just some good salt and pepper. Coconut oil which I use for many things, including a moisturizer or face mask!

3. Organic/ All Natural Meats. Sometimes it's not always possible to get organic meat, so I choose brands like Simple Truth that have made a commitment to keeping 101 chemicals out of their products. It can be a scary experience when first going paleo knowing that a good 25% or more of your bill can go to just meat. When you know you're spending $20 on four pounds of beef, it can be a little daunting. I am always amazed to come out on budget!

There are plenty more things that I need to buy. There are things such as arrowroot, almond flour, coconut flour, and things of this nature that I may need in the future. It's always easier to buy one at a time because they are quite expensive.

Transitioning to paleo can be a challenge if you're pantry is already full of non-paleo foods. If you transition and discover you are gulten intolerant like I did and within a week or two can't eat gluten without getting sick, this could be even more of a challenge. My advice is try to use up all those non-paleo items within the first one to two weeks. When you make this decision, do NOT buy anything non-paleo. For instance, use up all of your cheese, then don't buy anymore.

If you're on a budget like we are, make sure to pick and choose what you just HAVE to buy a higher quality, and where you can save.