What are my pantry/refrigerator staples? I don’t buy all this stuff all the time, but pretty much, if I eat it, it’s on this list. A lot of stuff is pretty generic. If there's a specific brand or flavor I like I will put it in the Food Finds page (or it's in paranthesis next to the item on this list).
Produce – Vegetables
- Carrot sticks – always have some on hand for snacking
- Cucumbers – always have one for salads
- Cherry tomatoes – great on salads, or try roasting in the oven with a little olive oil and basil
- Beefsteak tomatoes – only when in season, but they are so flavorful in the summer. Try slicing them up and drizzling with a little oil and sprinkling with basil for a great summery side dish.
- Bell peppers – all colors. Very versatile. Put them in salads, stir frys, sliced up as a snack, try roasting them and adding them to recipes. Really jazzes up the flavor.
- Celery sticks
- Sugar snap peas – I eat them raw all the time
- Broccoli – I can’t STAND frozen broccoli, and raw broccoli makes a nice snack when I’m tired of carrots
- Cauliflower – same as with the broccoli
- Green beans – so much better fresh than frozen
- Onions – sweet and red
- Mushrooms – white, Portobello. I am obsessed with Portobellos these days. I am loving them in place of meat in burgers and other dishes.
- Potatoes – sweet and redskin
- Zucchini, yellow summer squash – really good raw
- Butternut and acorn squash (especially in the winter)
- Bagged spinach – I always have a bag on hand
- Bagged salad (usually a romaine mix) – again, this is something I buy every week
Produce – Fruit
- Grapes – green and red
- Bananas – try them frozen. Make sure you peel first though…I made that mistake once.
- Apples
- Pears
- Naval oranges
- Clementine oranges
- Berries – only when in season
- Melon – cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
- Pineapple – I only buy it already peeled
Dairy
- Dannon yogurt – Light and Fit, Activia Light (both 1 pt. each, although the Light and Fit is 6 oz. and the Activia is 4 oz. The Light and Fit also has a lot more flavors)
- 8th Continent Light Original Soy Milk – my new favorite way to get my dairy servings in. 1 point per cup. Although I can’t really handle the vanilla flavor – too sweet – and I haven’t tried chocolate.
- Frigo or Sargento light string cheese
- Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges – these are the best thing ever. Spread on crackers, wraps, sandwiches, vegetables, mix in with pasta. The possibilities are endless.
- Egg Beaters
- All Whites – refrigerated egg whites
- Sargento reduced fat provolone cheese – 1 point per slice
- Veggie Slices – soy cheese slices. 1 point each. There are lots of different flavors and they melt and taste a lot better than fat free cheese slices. I find it with the produce. It’s made by Galaxy Foods.
- Veggie Shreds shredded cheese – shredded soy cheese. Also made by Galaxy Foods.
- Veggie Grated Topping – soy parmesan cheese. Also made by Galaxy Foods.
- 2 % Kraft Singles and shredded cheese
- President Fat Free feta cheese – this stuff is amazing on salads and is 1 pt. for an ounce, which is a ton of cheese!
- I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray – use it on popcorn, veggies, English muffins, etc.
- Fat free sour cream
- Low fat or fat free cottage cheese
Meat – I don’t really buy a lot of meat unless it is called for in a recipe…
- Extra lean ground beef
- Lean ground turkey
- Healthy Choice lunch meats
- Healthy Choice kielbasa
- Turkey bacon
- Fat free or turkey hot dogs – if we’re grilling in the summer
- Chicken sausage/brats – there are some really good flavors out there for low points if you can find them
Frozen Food
- Boca, Morningstar Farms, and Gardenburger veggie burger patties.
- Boca: original vegan burger, roasted garlic burger, roasted onion burger, cheeseburger
- Morningstar Farms: tomato and basil pizza burger, philly cheese steak burger, spicy black bean burger
- Morningstar Farms chicken patties, nuggets, buffalo wings, honey mustard tenders
- Morningstar Farms corn dogs, mini corn dogs, hot dogs
- Boca Chili
- Boca or Morningstar Farms meatless ground crumbles
- Morningstar Farms breakfast sausage patties and links
- Boca Bratwurst and Italian Sausage
- Lean Cuisine paninis and pizzas
- Lean Pockets (only occasionally)
- Low point Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Smart Ones, Lean Gourmet…etc. (only occasionally. If I find a really good one I like, I will put it in the Food Finds section)
- Berries, peaches, cherries, tropical fruit mixes for smoothies
- Potatoes – shredded, o’brien, etc. (watch the nutrition on fries though)
- Stir fry vegetable mixes
- Corn
- Individually frozen chicken breasts and tenders
- Individually frozen seafood fillets: tilapia, salmon
- Laura’s Lean Beef burger patties
- Weight Watchers Ice Cream desserts – sundae cones, sandwiches, stuff on a stick…the points are right on the box too, which is nice.
- Fat free, sugar free fudge bars – the small ones are usually around 30 calories, so you can have 2 for 1 point.
- Sugar free popsicles
- Smart Ones desserts – the cookie dough smoothie is amazing! I have heard good things about most of the rest too.
- Edy’s Slow Churned Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt – this brand really doesn’t taste like diet ice cream to me
- Skinny Cow Ice Cream desserts – they have a few different flavors of ice cream sandwiches (although I can usually only find the regular) and some sundae cones for 2-3 points
Bread
- Thomas Light MultigrainEnglish Muffins – 1 point a piece. I don’t really buy bread, I just make sandwiches on these. They also have a lot of fiber – 8 grams each.
- Flat Out Wraps – watch which ones you buy. The Light and Multigrain are 1 point each I think. I use them for pizzas, wraps, and quesadillas, and I am planning to make pita chips out of them soon. I’ll let you know how it goes.
- Whole wheat tortillas – I have tried so many different brands. I only buy 1 point tortillas, and usually the cheapest package I find that works out to 1 point is the one I buy. I’m not picky.
- Whole Wheat pita pockets – I found some that are already split in half ready to be filled for 1 pt. for a half of a pita. I have heard rumors of Weight Watchers making their own pitas with 1 point for the whole thing. I’ll keep an eye out.
- Light whole wheat bread – 1 point for 2 slices…depends on what’s on sale. I am again not too picky.
- Light hot dog and hamburger buns – you can find them for 1 point each
Grains/Cereal
- Success Boil in Bag Brown Rice
- Regular long grain brown rice – I cook it in the slow cooker
- Different grains: whole wheat couscous, quinoa, barley (these are ones I have tried, but I plan to expand my horizons and try some new ones in the future.)
- Whole wheat pasta – I usually buy Hodgson Mill, but any brand will do really. I buy spaghetti, lasagna, rotini, elbow macaroni, and penne usually
- Oatmeal – regular, instant, steel cut, occasionally flavored
- Shredded Wheat
- Kashi cereals
- Fiber One
Canned Goods
- Beans – black, kidney, garbanzo, chili, pinto, cannelini
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced green chilis
- Fat free refried beans
- Low point soups – Progresso, Campbell’s and Healthy Choice all make good low fat and calorie options.
- Hormel vegetable or turkey chili
- Pineapples in juice
- Mandarin oranges in juice
- No sugar added peaches, pears, mixed fruit
- Low sodium/fat free chicken or vegetable broth
- Canned pumpkin – not pie filling!
- Plain unsweetened applesauce
- Salsa – I like trying lots of different varieties to add some real flavor to raw vegetables, baked chips, wraps, and pretty much any meal. Salsas with fruit can be really good.
- 1 point marinara sauces – check the labels. I am buying Classico Tomato and Basil at the moment, but that’s just because I know it is one point for a half cup. Watch out for any that say meat, cheese, or sausage on the label.
- Tuna fish, salmon, chicken, and turkey (although I prefer these from a pouch)
- Dill pickle spears
- Black olives
- Green olives
- Mushrooms
Condiments
- Fat free mayonnaise – a lot of people find it gross, but it doesn’t bother me.
- Spicy mustard
- Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Flavored vinegars
- Light or fat free salad dressing
- Wishbone Salad Spritzers
- Bottled minced garlic
- Sugar free maple syrup
- Sugar free jelly
- Reduced fat Jif peanut butter
- Dill relish
Spices
- Mrs. Dash – tomato basil,l lemon pepper, garlic herb, onion herb…they are all good!
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic pepper
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Crushed red pepper
- Cilantro
- Kernel Seasonings popcorn seasoning – all flavors!
Snacks
- Sugar free jello cups
- Sugar free pudding cups
- Sugar free/fat free pudding mix
- Whole wheat crackers
- Fat free and baked chips
- Pretzels
- Popcorn – 94% fat free mini bags or air popped
- Beef jerkey
- Dried fruit (watch out for added sugar)
- Nuts – peanuts, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts…they are a great way to use up points if you’re one of those people who has trouble eating all their points
Other
- Sugar free hot cocoa mix
- Sugar free apple cider mix
- Splenda Flavor Blends for coffee
- Da Vinci sugar free syrups
- Crystal Light to Go
- Orbit gum (any kind works, but Orbit is my fav!)
- Diet root beer, ginger ale, Mountain Dew
- Fat free Cool Whip, Reddi Whip