Nutritionist, Louise Pyne, reveals how to make healthy eating a breeze, with these go-to kitchen staples…
September is synonymous with back-to-school routines and fresh starts, making it the perfect time to rethink your eating habits. When it comes to eating well, I always encourage my clients to focus on what they can ‘add in’, rather than cutting things out.
Stocking your kitchen with a handful of healthy essentials can make eating well easy, affordable and enjoyable, whether you’re feeding a family, cooking for a partner or simply looking after yourself. From fibre-rich pulses to healthy fats and protein-packed staples, here are six kitchen essentials to have on hand to make healthy eating feel effortless.
6 healthy food essentials you need in your kitchen
Fibre
Frozen peas
Don’t underestimate the humble bag of frozen peas. They’re inexpensive, keep for months in the freezer and are one of the easiest ways to boost the nutritional value of everyday meals. Packed with fibre, plant protein and vitamin C, peas are a simple addition that can support gut health, contribute to your daily vegetable intake and help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Nutritionist hack: Stir a handful into pasta dishes, curries or soups, or mix them into mashed carrots, butternut squash or sweet potato for an easy, fibre-rich side dish.
Tinned beans
Tinned foods often get a bad reputation because some varieties can be high in salt or added sugar. However, when it comes to beans, they’re one of the best-value healthy staples you can buy. Whether you choose cannellini, kidney, butter or black beans, canned pulses are rich in both plant protein and fibre, making them a fantastic ingredient for supporting fullness and helping you meet your daily fibre intake.
Nutritionist hack: Mash cannellini or butter beans with avocado, lemon and a little seasoning, then spread onto sourdough for a satisfying breakfast or lunch. You can also stir beans into soups, pasta sauces or stews to boost both the protein and fibre content with very little effort.
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Healthy fats
Almonds
Each variety of nut offers its own unique nutritional benefits, but almonds are a particularly useful kitchen staple, providing a combination of healthy unsaturated fats, fibre and plant protein. A 30g handful contains around 6g of protein and up to 4g of fibre, making them a satisfying snack when hunger strikes.
Keeping a large bag of almonds in your kitchen cupboard means you’ll always have a nutritious option to reach for, while their versatility makes them easy to incorporate into meals throughout the day.
Nutritionist hack: Add a handful of almonds to a small pot of Greek yoghurt with fresh berries for a satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack. You can also roughly chop them over salads, roasted vegetables or grain dishes for an effortless boost of crunch and nutrition.
Extra virgin olive oil
A bottle of extra virgin olive oil deserves a permanent place in your kitchen. Rich in monounsaturated fats and naturally occurring plant compounds called polyphenols, it’s a simple way to add flavour as well as beneficial fats to your meals. It’s also a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, which is consistently associated with better long-term health outcomes.
Rather than thinking of healthy fats as something to limit, I encourage my clients to focus on the quality of the fats they’re choosing and to make them part of a balanced diet.
Nutritionist hack: Use extra virgin olive oil to dress salads, drizzle over roasted vegetables or add to soups and grains just before serving. For an easy dip, mix it with lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of herbs and serve with wholemeal bread.
Protein
Eggs
If you’re looking to build a balanced meal in minutes, add eggs to your shopping list. They’re an affordable and versatile source of high-quality protein, with around 6–7g per egg. They also provide a range of other nutrients, including choline, which contributes to normal brain function.
Nutritionist hack: Layer scrambled eggs into a warm tortilla with salad ingredients of your choice – spring onion, cherry tomatoes and diced peppers work nicely. Top with a little grated cheese and chopped parsley for a quick and satisfying brunch wrap.
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is having a moment on social media, and for good reason. This retro favourite is back in the spotlight thanks to its impressive nutritional profile. Rich in protein – typically around 10–12g per 100g, depending on the brand – as well as calcium and B vitamins, cottage cheese is an affordable fridge staple that’s as versatile as it is nutritious.
Better still, supermarket own-brand versions can be relatively inexpensive, making it an easy way to add more protein to your meals without spending a fortune.
Nutritionist hack: You might think of cottage cheese as purely savoury, but it works surprisingly well in sweet dishes too. Top it with mixed berries, a sprinkle of nuts or seeds and a drizzle of honey for a satisfying, protein-rich breakfast or snack. You can also blend it into tomato or pesto-based pasta sauces for a creamy texture and extra protein.
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