What's In Our Kitchen...

A Peek Inside Our Real-Food Pantry

The staples our family actually keeps on hand — organized, expanded, and marked for my gluten-free friends.

Years ago I jotted down the foods our family really buys, because “what do you keep in your kitchen?” is one of the questions I’m asked most. I’ve since cleaned that list up, grouped it so it’s easy to shop from, added the newer favorites we’ve picked up along the way, and marked what does and doesn’t work for those of us eating gluten-free.

Two honest notes before we start. First, this is our family’s list, and we’re not all celiac, so a few items contain wheat. I’ve flagged those clearly so no one gets caught out. Second, real food doesn’t have to be expensive or perfect. We buy organic when it counts and don’t lose a wink of sleep when we can’t. Think of this as a starting point, not a rulebook. Pick one category, swap a thing or two, and build from there.

Natural sweeteners

Even the good ones are still sugar, so we treat these as treats, not staples.

Raw honey

Pure maple syrup (the darker, the richer)

Blackstrap molasses — a mineral-rich splash for baking

Rapadura or whole cane sugar

Stevia — a little goes a very long way

Dates and date paste — a whole-food way to sweeten

Fats & oils

The trick is matching the fat to the heat.

Extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed, in a dark bottle) — everyday, low-to-medium heat and finishing

Coconut oil — higher heat and baking

Avocado oil — a high smoke point for searing and roasting

Macadamia nut oil

Grass-fed butter and ghee

Whole-food fats: avocados and olives

Fresh produce

The heart of the cart. Organic when it matters most to you.

Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables (kale, chard, broccoli, cabbage)

A rainbow of fruit — berries, citrus, apples

Flavor bases: garlic, onions, lemons, fresh ginger

Fresh herbs

Sweet potatoes and winter squash

Fresh sprouts — I grow my own, and they last longer and taste better than the store kind

Proteins

We use meat sparingly, mostly in the colder months, and let plants carry a lot of the load.

Organic, pasture-raised meat (used lightly)

Wild-caught fish

Pastured eggs (ours come from Heritage Farms)

Canned beans — kidney, pinto, black, garbanzo

Lentils and split peas

Fresh hummus

Bone broth — lovely for soups and sipping

Dairy, and an honest word on raw milk

Organic yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, and butter

Aged and raw cheeses

Occasionally raw goat milk, cheese, and yogurt — a treat here, mostly because of the cost

About raw milk. We’ve chosen raw milk in our home. Raw (unpasteurized) milk can carry harmful bacteria, and public-health agencies advise against it — especially for young children, pregnant women, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Pasteurization exists to kill those germs. Aged raw cheeses are generally considered lower-risk. If you choose raw dairy, know your farmer well and go in with open eyes. If you’d rather not, there is no shame at all in reaching for pasteurized.

One more thing worth knowing: if you’re newly gluten-free, dairy can be hard to digest at first while your gut heals, and it often gets easier with time. (I wrote more about that celiac-and-lactose connection in another post.)

Ferments & gut-friendly foods

A spoonful alongside a meal adds bright flavor and is kind to digestion.

Sauerkraut and fermented pickles (we love Bubbies)

Kimchi and gingered carrots — I make these myself

Kefir and plain yogurt with live cultures

Miso — look for a gluten-free variety

Kombucha — an acquired taste (friends say it’s like red wine with a kick); note it has a little natural caffeine and a trace of alcohol

Grains, starches & the gluten-free question

Here’s where my celiac friends need to lean in, because this is where gluten hides.

Brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and millet (naturally gluten-free)

Certified gluten-free oats (regular oats are often cross-contaminated — look for “certified GF”)

Flax seeds — wonderful ground, or made into crackers (naturally gluten-free)

Sprouted-grain cereals and breads, like the Ezekiel style (contains gluten) — these are sprouted wheat, barley, and spelt. Sprouting does not remove gluten, so they’re a fine choice for gluten-eating family members but are not celiac-safe. For a swap, look for certified gluten-free breads.

Bread from freshly ground wheat, and warm rolls with honey and butter (contains gluten) — a treat for the gluten-eaters at our table. Celiac friends, reach for your gluten-free loaf instead.

Nuts, seeds & snacks

Raw nuts of all kinds

Seeds to snack on or sprinkle: pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, chia, hemp

Nut and seed butters, including tahini

Dried fruit — figs, dates, prunes, raisins

Fruit leather

Nori and seaweed snacks — a surprise hit with the kids

Raw corn chips (Agi’s) (naturally gluten-free corn)

Homemade trail mixes of dried fruit and nuts

Pantry staples & condiments

Bragg apple cider vinegar

Bragg Liquid Aminos (a gluten-free stand-in for soy sauce; coconut aminos work too)

Bragg salad dressings (the ginger-sesame is our favorite)

Fresh salsa, guacamole, and hummus

Coconut milk and coconut water

Good sea salt or Real Salt

A note on salt and iodine. If you skip iodized salt like we do, just make sure you’re getting iodine somewhere else — sea vegetables, fish, and dairy are good sources. It matters for thyroid health, and especially during pregnancy.

Teas & herbs

I don’t drink coffee or black tea, so herbal teas are my daily comfort.

Red raspberry leaf, spearmint, peppermint, chamomile, and nettle

Herbal blends from Dr. Christopher’s line — longtime favorites of mine

Two gentle cautions: red raspberry leaf is a traditional women’s tonic, so if you’re expecting, check the timing with your provider. And even lovely herbs deserve respect — if you take medication or are pregnant, run new herbal blends past someone knowledgeable first.

That’s our real-food pantry, tidied up and grown a little since I first scribbled it down. Please don’t feel you need every item on it. Start right where you are, swap one thing this week, and build slowly. Real food is a direction, not a finish line, and every small step counts.

With love,

— Steffanie