Stock your kitchen for success...Part 2 The Food

Having a stocked refrigerator and pantry is very important. You should always have many options for meals and snacks at the ready. When you don’t have the proper food at home it is more likely that you will turn toward fast food or frozen dinners instead of a wholesome, well-balanced meal.

Stocking your home can seem expensive but if you buy ingredients that can be “cross-utilized” and buy some items in bulk you will save money in the long run. Spending $10 a day on fast food equals $70 a week. That is $280 a month and $3360 a year! Take the time to go to the store and cook for yourself. Your body and wallet will thank you.

The first step in properly stocking your kitchen is cleaning out all the “bad” foods that you have. That regular pasta you have in the cabinet? Those chips and cookies? Give them away. There are plenty of food-banks and shelters that are happy to take even small donations of unopened food. Have things that are open already? Give it away to friends or family. After you have removed the offending food from your home the next step is to go shopping. I keep two shopping lists, one of staples (things I always have) and one of extras (things I want for specific meals).

The most important list is your staples list. These are foods that can be used in a variety of dishes (cross-utilization). Here is mine:
Eggs- You can get eggs that have Omega-3’s for a little boost but they aren’t necessary.

Bread-whole-grain...read your labels again here! A lot of “healthy” breads on the market can contain high fructose corn syrup and other sugars. I also get whole wheat tortillas.

Oatmeal- Not the “quick” kind. Get the “old-fashioned” it only takes another couple minutes and the benefits of the oats have not been processed out.

Bell Peppers- I use red peppers. They are full of vitamins and have more flavor than green.

Fruit- See what looks good at the store and buy things you will eat. Bananas and pineapples are T-boosters (some other fruits are as well) as we discussed before but you should always have a variety in the house. Make it easy to grab a piece of fruit as a snack. Fruit has fiber, is loaded with vitamins and should be part of a healthy diet. Plus the natural sugars can give you a bit of a pick-me-up! I also keep some dried fruit around as well. Dried cranberries and raisins with some nuts are a great snack. When getting fruit juices make sure you buy ones that are 100% juice and have no added sugar!

Nuts- Speaking of nuts I always have these around. Keep a few different types and buy in bulk. Look out for salt and if you get peanuts stay away from the dry-roasted kind. This goes out especially to you vegetarian/vegan guys as they contain MSG and gelatin (which is an animal product), and are loaded with salt.

Milk- I am a little lactose intolerant (as are a lot of folks who don’t even know it) so I buy lactose free milk. If you want regular milk just watch your fat content and go organic/hormone free. There can be some of those pesky phytoestrogens in the hormones they give cattle commercially. You should avoid soy milk (remember the foods to avoid post) but if you are looking for an alternative to animal products try almond milk.

Fish- Get Omega-3 rich fish like tuna or salmon. Most saltwater “meaty” fish have good levels of Omega-3s so tuna and salmon are not your only options. Oysters and other shellfish are great too and fish (when properly stored) freezes well so it’s something else you can get in bulk.

Meat- Skinless-boneless chicken breast, lean beef (ground and steaks) and turkey. Once again buy in bulk and invest in some freezer bags or even better a “food-saver” vacuum sealer…they really work.

Beans- I always keep many varieties of beans in the house. Red and black beans, lentils and even a can or two of VEGETARIAN refried beans (ones that do not say vegetarian on the can have lard in them) for when I have a “cheat” meal.

Veggies- Just like fruit I like to have a variety. Frozen vegetables can be bought in huge bags and have the same nutritional value as fresh. Fresh celery, spinach, onions and squash can be cooked in tons of meals or eaten raw. Canned veggies are full of salt and the canning process sucks out all their nutrients. Remember your cruciferous vegetables (T-boosting with food post)!

Garlic- Cook it in food or add it to a smoothie. Just make sure you eat your garlic! Garlic is an immune system booster as well as a T-booster and adds tons of flavor to your meals.

Herbs and spices- Get Kosher or Sea Salt when you buy salt. Traditional “table-salt” is great for baking, so have it in the house but not on the table! I do not own a salt shaker and no one misses it when I cook for them. Pick up a pepper grinder because fresh-cracked pepper has much more flavor and will not contain any additives like anti-caking agents. Other than those get as many herbs and spices as you can. Food that is packed with flavor is more enjoyable and many seasonings can have added health benefits. Don’t get “seasoned-salt” or garlic-salt. Too much salt in your diet will make you bloat and can cause many health problems. Once again read your labels!

Pasta and Sauce- Whole wheat is best and I keep a box or two of regular or vegetable pasta around for a “cheat” meal. When buying sauce (you can make your own but how many of us actually do???) read your labels (can not stress that enough!) and go as natural as you can get. Watch for high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Buy a plain tomato sauce not one with cheese or meat added. You can add all of your own stuff at home without all the added fat and preservatives. These are also great items to buy in bulk.

Peanut Butter- Natural is best.

Honey- Great as an alternative sweetener or on a peanut butter sandwich instead of jelly. Also honey never goes bad so buy a big one and use clean utensils to get it out and you can have it for years.

Cheese- There is a debate on dairy and testosterone…here are the facts. Cheese (dairy in general) in moderation is not going to hurt your levels. Actually cheese contains some zinc and calcium. Cottage cheese is great to have around and most important cheese can be used in an amazing amount of meals and is delicious. Get real cheese! Avoid “processed-cheese foods” like American or cheese sauces.

Plain Yogurt- Watch your sugar and get organic if you can. Yogurt contains active cultures good for your digestion and plain yogurt can be eaten with fruit, added to a smoothie or used in savory dishes as a sauce base.

Of course there can be some modifications to this list for vegetarian/vegan guys. Just remember meat substitutes are soy products so avoid them or eat in small quantities.

Now that you have your equipment and you have gone shopping we can get to some actual cooking! Watch out in the next few posts for some quick and easy meal ideas.
Any questions about things already covered in the blog? Feel free to contact me on Twitter!