Living real food starts with fresh ingredients. Whether you get them from your local farmers’ market, grown them in your own garden, shop at a neighborhood grocery store or a large chain supermarket, filling your fridge with fresh foods is the first step to living real food.
When you’re stocked up with fresh ingredients—even if you just bring a few items home to start—means you’re sure to have something to build a quick meal around. For example, if you’ve got a chicken breast, some fresh peas, and a lemon, as well as a purposeful pantry (read our blog on Building a Purposeful Pantry), you’ll be all set to make a number of satisfying and delicious meals.
Fresh foods can be categorized into 7 main categories:
Aromatics (onions, garlic, chives, fresh ginger, chiles, scallions, and shallots)
Fresh herbs (such as basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, and dill)
When your pantry is stocked with fresh ingredients, a quick, satisfying meal is always just minutes away
Fruit (strawberries, apples, bananas, peaches, melons, and more)
Citrus fruits (A subcategory of fruit, citrus is often used for adding flavor to dishes and providing acid to balance out other flavors in cooking. These include lemons, limes, and oranges.)
Vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, celery, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, squash)
Proteins (chicken, beef, pork, bacon, shellfish, fish, eggs, tofu, beans)
Dairy products (cheese, milk, cream, yogurt, butter)
With an item or two from 3 or 4 of these categories, you will be well on your way to a delicious and satisfying meal.