Create Your Clean Eating Pantry.......

Here's an article I found in the January/February 2010 issue of Clean Eating Magazine.
by Kitty Broihier, MS, RD.






It's a pretty extensive article about how to get started so I will break it down over the next couple of days...




HOW TO START......


organizing your pantry and cupboards will extend product shelf life and make finding items a breeze.  Here's a checklist to get you started:

• First, clear out and wipe down the shelves.  Discard everything that doesn't fit with your clean eating lifestyle.
• The items you rely on most often should be positioned in the most accessible spots; items you use infrequently can go on the higher shelves or in the back.
• Store dry goods (beans, cereal, pasta, flour, and rice) in containers with tight lids to keep out pests.  Try Libbey 55233 Cylinder-Shaped Glass Jars with Stainless-Steel Lids, Set of 4
• Whole grains and milled whole-grain products will last longer in the refrigerator or freezer (their natural oils tend to go rancid more rapidly at room tempeture).
• Oils, especially olive oil and nut oils, should be kept on a dark shelf and away from heat to preserve their freshness and quality.
• Check condiments, seasonings, syrups and bottled cooking ingrediants carefully  -  refrigeration my be required.
• Keep potatoes separate  from onions - preferably in different cabinet - to prolong the life of each (the gasses they each gove off hasten spoilage).  If you're storing them for less than two weeks, feel free to keep them together.  Both staples require a dark, cool, well-ventilated storage area.  Baskets or open paper bags work fine for each.

BEFORE RESTOCKING......

Here's what you need to ask yourself before restocking your pantry.

1. Does the ingrediants label and nutrition facts panel pass muster with my clean-eating plan?  Hint:  Too many ingrediants with scientific names you can barely pronounce usually means a product can be inappropriate.
2. Do you have room for the item?
3. Have I used this at least once in the last six months?  If not, keep it only if you have room.

Next time we will discuss the musthaves in your pantry...