Easy Food Staples for Hormone & Blood Sugar Balance
Let's chat about stocking your pantry for hormone balance and easier meal prep! The key to maintaining a balanced diet is consistently filling your pantry with hormone balancing food staples that’ll make meal time simple. This isn't your typical "What I Eat In A Day" rundown. Instead, we're exploring pantry essentials and weekly must-haves that can fit into your current habits and give them a hormone-balancing boost to make cooking a breeze while keeping your blood sugar and hormones in check!
Pantry Staples: Building the Foundation
Building a health-conscious pantry is key to effortlessly crafting nourishing meals throughout the week. Here are some staples I always keep on hand:
1. Beans and Rice
Versatile, fiber-rich, and a source of sustained energy, beans and rice form the foundation of many of my meals. I buy a lot of them at a time when they're on sale because I find it really easy to add different types of beans to any type of meat dish. It's a great fiber-rich carb source with some protein so it really stretches a meal. Love me some good old beans!
We typically buy our rice at Aldi. However, rice is pretty high in arsenic so I will soak it beforehand, rinse it out, and then I will cook it in a ton of extra water and then drain out the extra water to lower the arsenic content.
2. Jovial Products
From Einkorn noodles to cassava flour, Jovial has some great gluten-free alternatives that really elevate my cooking. We love, love, love the cassava noodles. They also have diced and crushed tomatoes in glass jars—those are a great pantry essential for adding extra flavor to sauces and stews.
Jovial does have a lot of different gluten-free noodles that I know that a lot of people love, like chickpea noodles and red lentil noodles. These are great because they have a higher protein content and I do love that they are gluten-free if you are needing gluten free but I will tell you that personally, my digestion does not like them at all, so just remember to choose what works best for you!
3. Seasonings
Healthy eating doesn't mean sacrificing flavor. Redmond's Salt seasonings and black truffle salt are my go-to's for enhancing dishes. Putting black truffle salt on Brussels sprouts will forever change your life. And don't overlook bulk options for everyday seasonings like oregano and cumin. Paleovalley just came out with some new seasonings too so I’m really excited to try those too!
Use code LEAH for 15% off at Paleovalley
4. Lotus Noodles
A recent discovery, lotus noodles have totally transformed my noodle game. Gluten-free and delicious, they're a must-try for any pasta lover. My gluten-eating hubby actually loves these even more than traditional pasta noodles!
5. Healthy Fats
Avocado oil, beef tallow, and high-quality olive oil are indispensable for high-heat cooking and adding richness to dishes. I like Chosen Foods brand for avocado oil and Paleovalley for beef tallow for higher-heat cooking. And I also use the Paleovalley olive oil. It feels like such a bougie olive oil, not in terms of price, but in terms of taste. Like it really feels like something you would get at a nice Italian restaurant to dip your bread in. So good! I also love to have Chosen Foods brand Avocado Mayo on hand.
6. Thrive Market Finds
I get a lot of my stuff from Thrive Market, especially when it comes to blood sugar balancing snacks and healthier alternatives for treats for the kiddos. Some of our favorites are:
Unreal candy bars - These are candy bars made with better ingredients. We love the peanut butter cups and the mounds.
Purely Elizabeth granola - I love the organic ancient grain granola!
Coconut sugar - I prefer this over cane sugar.
Coconut aminos - A great sub for soy sauce, especially if you’re gluten-free.
Arrowroot starch - I use this instead of cornstarch and it works really well!
7. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have become an absolute essential for me—they're my ultimate go-to, something I never thought I'd say! The reason? Chia seed pudding has completely won me over. Now, I used to be put off by the texture of chia seed pudding, but let me share my game-changing method with you. Ready?
Here's the deal: I whip up my chia seed pudding using coconut milk, which, by the way, I also snag from Thrive Market. Coconut milk is a pantry staple for me, plus it's pantry-safe. So, for every one cup of coconut milk, I toss in three tablespoons of chia seeds. Now, here's a tip: go for a container that's more on the flat side, as opposed to those tall jar-like ones—it just works better.
Once it's all mixed up, I let it sit overnight. In the morning, I take it out and give it a whirl in the blender along with some chocolate protein powder. This little trick helps eliminate that slightly gelatinous texture that can be a turn-off for some folks. Sure, it's still a tad gelatinous, but it's way more palatable. Now, with the added protein powder, I've got a powerhouse breakfast ready to roll.
I usually pair my chia seed pudding with some eggs cooked up with peppers and whatever other veggies I have on hand. It's an easy way to hit my protein target for the day, and let me tell you, I genuinely look forward to it. It's so darn tasty—I swear, you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dark, dead hands! Oh, and in case you're wondering, I opt for organic black chia seeds from Thrive Market.
8. Snacks
For times when we need to grab and go, I like protein bars, meat sticks, and things like that I look for things that will be a balanced blood sugar option. So you guys know I love the Paleovalley meat sticks. I also love their superfood bars. I like the lemon and the apple flavors. Those are my favorites. My kids are obsessed with the apple one. Landon will take a bite and give you a thumbs up. I actually pair them with a meat stick because I want a higher level of protein.
Another pantry staple for protein bars is Aloha. We get ours from Thrive Market. Those are really, really great. I personally love the mint one and peanut butter.
I’m also obsessed with Simple Mills. I love their veggie crisps! A great snack and great to add to a meal. You need a good carb? Veggie crisps. Need something to go with chicken salad? Veggie crisps. Tuna salad? Veggie crisps.
9. Freezer Staples
Let's talk freezer staples for a moment, particularly Kevin's Natural Foods. I stumbled upon these gems at Costco, and let me tell you, they're a game-changer. They're paleo-based, which means they're gluten and grain-free—a fantastic addition to any pantry.
That said, they're not the kind of thing that'll make you go, "Wow, this is delicious." But do they come in clutch when I'm in a bind? Absolutely. Am I grateful to have them in the freezer for those moments when I need a quick meal option? You bet. They don't exactly taste homemade but they serve their purpose, and sometimes that's all we need. Canyon Bakehouse gluten-free everything bagels are another must-have from the frozen aisle from Thrive.
Putting it all Together
You know what really kicks off my week of cooking, cleaning, and staying balanced? It's not just my trusty ol’ weekly grocery list; it's having these go-to staples ready to roll. These are like my secret weapons when it comes to cooking for different phases of my cycle. I mix up my veggies and meats depending on where I'm at in my cycle, but I always keep things like seasonings, coconut aminos, arrowroot starch, tomatoes, beans, and rice stocked up in my kitchen.
And to make things even easier for myself, I will sit down on Sundays to plan out my meals for the week and I always double or triple my dinners so I can have them for leftovers. Then, I rotate through two or three breakfasts while keeping dinners different each day. Plus, I make sure to have leftovers from dinner for lunch, and my kids eat what we eat.
With a well-stocked pantry and a thoughtfully curated grocery list, creating balanced and nourishing meals becomes second nature. By prioritizing whole foods and investing in quality ingredients, you can elevate your health and well-being one meal at a time!
Learn how to grocery shop for your cycle!
Download the FREE guide to learn more about balancing your hormones through nutrition so that you can finally experience pain-free periods, effortless weight loss, stable moods & more!
You May Also Like…
The recommendations presented in this blog are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor. Before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle, please consult with your health care provider.
Some of these links contain affiliate links.