Winter is often the hardest season to maintain a healthy and wholesome diet, let alone transitioning and overhauling your pantry, but these eight pantry staples are the perfect starting point for anyone wanting to make a change but unsure where to start.
Brenda Teh, co-owner of The Source Bulk Foods Prahran, put together the below list after regularly meeting customers who were wanting to live a healthier lifestyle but found themselves confused and overwhelmed with the amount of products out there.
“The biggest problems in the health food sector are accessibility, cost and advice and people can become misinformed. We’ve created an environment where people can come in and get the help they need and leave equipped with the tools to change their everyday lives,” she says.
All listed ingredients are plant based, vegan friendly, gluten free and dairy free.
- Coconut Oil – Coconut Oil can be used raw or in cooking and boasts a high smoke point, meaning it won’t go rancid in high temperatures. It is also considered a healthy fat, which is believed to speed up metabolism and aid weight loss.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple Cider Vinegar boasts a range of health benefits including lowering cholesterol, reducing blood sugar levels and may assist in weight loss. This pantry staple can be consumed as a drink diluted with water and fresh lemon, made into a dressing or used in cooking.
- Raw Almonds – Raw Almonds are incredibly versatile and can be used to make almond meal, almond milk, almond butter or eaten as a healthy snack or salad topper.
- Medjool Dates – Medjool Dates are a great high fibre sweet snack and are used in most raw desserts as they act as a natural sweetener.
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a filling source of protein that can be served at breakfast (quiona porridge), lunch or dinner. Quinoa is a great replacement for both rice and pasta, is a great protein booster in salads and works well as either a main or a side dish.
- Maple Syrup or Rice Malt Syrup – A natural sweetener is often called for in healthy baking recipes, particularly raw desserts but can also be used in sauces and dressings. Rice Malt Syrup is also fructose free, meaning it is suitable for a fodmap diet.
- Raw Cacao Power – Raw Cacao Powder boasts an array of antioxidants and is a healthier alternative to cocoa. It can be used in baking, drinks, puddings, raw desserts and more.
- Buckwheat Flour – A popular gluten free flour, Buckwheat Flour is high in fibre and Vitamin B and is very versatile in recipes. It acts as the perfect pancake flour, can be used to thicken sauces and is often called for in gluten free baking recipes.
Brenda says that many wholefood recipes will call for these ingredients and are therefore the perfect starting point for those transitioning to a healthier lifestyle.
With a self serve system in place, The Source Bulk Foods Prahran allows customers to buy as little or as much of a product as they like, offering them affordability and accessibility to an enormous range of health foods.
“We educate ourselves on our products so we can educate the community but we also learn from the community and our customers, which creates a consistent loop.”
“We also want the accessibility to extend beyond the store, we let customers know that if they don’t know what to do with a product, send us an email or call us and we’ll send you recipes,” says Brenda.
The Source Bulk Foods Prahran is located at Shop 11, 176 Commercial Road, Prahran (VIC).