When There’s NOTHING in the Fridge.

This is the dilemma I’m facing right now. Just take a look…there’s almost NOTHING in my fridge. Don’t judge, deep cleaning my fridge is on my to do list when I restock.

I’m heading out-of-town for the weekend Friday after work and I really don’t want to go to the grocery for just a few groceries. Since I try to shop healthfully, I stick to the perimeters of the grocery store, choosing fresh produce. I don’t want to buy something now and have it spoil over the weekend.

So, what’s a girl to do? Pray that she planned ahead has a well stocked freezer and pantry.That’s how I survive. My meals end up being a bit random. Luckily, I always have frozen vegetables on hand. Many times I’ll have a couple of cups of steamed vegetables with some herbs or spices mixed in for lunch during the work week. It’s quick, easy and helps me get veggies I need in. I always use my kitchen scale to measure my portions.

I’ve read that frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh produce, maybe even better for you if they contain only the veggie and no salt or sauces are added. I believe it. Vegetables are frozen right after being picked, locking in many nutrients. Fresh produce may lose some nutrients from the time they are picked, transported to the store and then taken off of the shelves. Generally when I shop, I get a healthy dose of both frozen and fresh produce. As a budget savvy girl, frozen veggies can sometimes be a better bang for your buck, too.

In my freezer, you will always find crinkle carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, though there may also be random surprises here and there, usually something I picked up on sale, stuffed in the freezer and then forgot all about it.

I generally stay away from eating a lot of pantry items. I find them to be carb heavy. However, there are a few staple items and exceptions that help me survive when I can’t make it to the grocery. These include:

• Instant oatmeal packets (I LOVE Quaker Weight Control Banana Bread Instant Oatmeal Active Lifestyle Maple, Brown Sugar and Pecan Instant Oatmeal found at Kroger. I almost always add a dash of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.)
• Tuna because I use it in My Morning Omelet.
• Salsa (I LOVE SALSA)
• Bran Cereal

While these few staple frozen foods and pantry items may not seem like much, it really gets you by for a few meals. The foods mentioned aren’t the only items I have on hand. They’ll pair well with the few other things on hand when I think creatively, like eggs, plain greek yogurt, Kale, etc.

This morning for breakfast, I enjoyed my morning omelet, but because I’m out of organic spinach, I used Kale.  It’s a chilly morning so I also enjoyed a cup of of caramel nut coffee, no sugar or cream added. Check out my Recipe page.

Ciao for now! Katie

• What about you? What are some key foods that you always have on hand?
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