By Adam Garcia
Today on diabetic lifestyle we will be conversing on the easy diabetic pantry and how you can prepare quick meals using it. I have recently received a few emails requesting how to stock a pantry for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Cooking for someone with diabetes, whether for yourself or someone else, is really just a dedication to cooking healthy on a day-to-day basis. A basic idea is to learn how to read food labels and incorporate that into your diabetic meal plan. When your pantry is properly stocked, quick meals are as spontaneous as you want to be. You only have to shop for the fresh ingredients: meat, poultry, fish or seafood; fresh fruits and vegetables; and dairy products. Here’s a no pressure shopping list for the staples you will need for your pantry to prepare quick and easy diabetic meals.
Canned goods (reduced-sodium, low-fat)
· Beans:
o Black
o Cannellini
o garbanzo (chick peas)
o kidney
o navy
o pinto
o and white
· Broth
o Beef
o Chicken
o Vegetable
· Evaporated skim milk
· Tomatoes:
o Sauce
o Paste
o Crushed
o Diced
o and whole
· Tuna and salmon, packed in water
Beans, Legumes, Grains, Pasta, and Rice
· Dried beans:
o Black
o Cannellini
o chick peas
o navy
o pinto
o and white
· Legumes:
o black-eyes peas
o split peas
o brown and red lentils
o Couscous
· Instant polenta or stone-ground cornmeal
· Pasta:
o angel hair
o macaroni
o farfalle (bow-tie)
o fettuccine
o lasagna
o linguine
o penne
o Oriental rice sticks
o rotelle
o Spaghetti
o and ziti
· Rice:
o Arborio
o Basmati
o Brown
o long-grain
o quick-cooking
o and wild
Oils/Fats
· Cooking sprays:
o Olive
o refrigerated butter-flavored
o and canola
· Oils:
o Canola
o Olive
o and dark sesame
Condiments & Miscellaneous
· Artificial sweeteners
· Asian Chile sauce
· Baking powder
· baking soda
· Capers
· Cocoa powder
· Cornstarch
· Cream of tartar
· Dried chilies
· Dried mushrooms
· Dry bread crumbs (unseasoned)
· Extracts:
o Almond
o Lemon
o pure vanilla
· Flours:
o all-purpose
o whole-wheat
· Hoisin sauce
· Honey
· Ketchup (low-sodium)
· Light maple syrup
· Molasses
· Mustard:
o Dijon
o yellow mustard
· Natural peanut butter
· Fat-free and reduced-fat salad dressings
· Rolled oats
· Salsa
· Gelatin:
o Sugar-free
o unflavored gelatin
· Sun-dried tomatoes (dry-packed)
· Low-sodium soy sauce
· Spreadable fruit preserves
· Vinegar:
o Balsamic
o red wine
o and white wine
· Worcestershire sauce (low-sodium)
Seasonings
· Cajun blend
· Chili powder
· Chili seasoning mix
· Cinnamon
· Cloves
· Crushed red pepper flakes
· Ground Cumin
· Curry powder
· Ginger
· Dried herbs:
o Basil
o bay leaves
o dill weed
o oregano
o rosemary
o sage
o saffron
o tarragon
o and thyme
· Garlic powder
· Garlic salt
· Italian seasoning mix
· Mexican seasoning mix
· Paprika
· Poppy seeds
· Pepper
· Salt and kosher salt
· Taco seasoning mix (low-sodium)
For the freezer
· Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
· Frozen corn kernels
· Frozen unsweetened fruits and berries
· Fruit juice concentrate (Sugar-free)
· Frozen filo dough
· Frozen puff pastry sheets
· Unsalted butter
In the upcoming months we will be doing a lot of quick and easy recipes for the Diabetic Cookbook Blog. So stockpile your pantry and you will find that your time at the grocery store will be conserved.
For more on this topic you can email us or leave a comment or question below.
