Items that Should Be On Everyone’s Basic Grocery List

Meat & Fish

Meat – what type is entirely up to you. We would recommend skinless white meat such as turkey or chicken as these are considered the healthiest because of the low amount of saturated fat. If you fancy something redder, then try to choose lean cuts.

Oily fish – it is recommended that each person eats two portions of fish per week, one of which should be an oily fish, such as tuna, haddock, or mackerel.

Luncheon Meat – these are good for popping into sandwiches

Grains & Bread

Pasta – this is a great basic that’s easy and quick to cook

Rice – another great meal essential that will fill you up and bulk out your meal

Bread – great for sandwiches. To get more healthy fiber into your system, you recommend wholemeal or wholegrain varieties.

All-purpose flour – it’s always good to have some of this around. Not only is it the core ingredient for a cake, but you can also use it as a sauce thickener, or coat meat and other ingredients to give them a crispy finish when frying.

Breakfast cereal – this will help give you a decent start to the day. Try to avoid the more sugary varieties, and opt for ones high in fiber, as this will keep you full for longer. Consider things like unsweetened granola or porridge oats/oatmeal.

Oil & Fat

Cooking oil – you’re going to need this to cook most things. For healthier options, opt for olive oil,l rapeseed oil, or other oils choc full of omega 3.

Butter – if you’re making sandwiches, you’re going to need something to spread on your slices. You’ll also need this if you fancy making a cake.

Dairy & Eggs

Milk – a breakfast essential if you have cereal for breakfast, if prefer your hot drinks a lighter shade of brown, or want to make a sauce. Vegans and the health conscious should check out milk alternatives like soy or almond.

Eggs – these versatile little things are essential ingredients for a cake or can be made many different ways for a quick breakfast or lunch.

Cheese – a great standard sandwich filler or for an ingredient in cheesy side-dishes or main courses

Produce

Onions – it’s difficult to imagine a homemade dish that doesn’t utilize these. These keep well in cool dark places and are always good to have a few extra just in case you find yourself doing some extra cooking or having to make bigger portions

Garlic – another essential ingredient in many meals to add flavor

Fruit – these contain a host of vitamins and fiber that will help you be healthy and maintain an effective immune system. They also serve as great healthy snacks.

Vegetables – a great source of vitamins. It’s best to mix as many different colors as possible, as each color of vegetable usually contains different essential vitamins. So, make sure your greens are not all green!

Tinned & Dried Produce

Pulses – if you’re vegan, vegetarian, or even flexitarian, you’ll be wanting to fill up on these to get that essential protein into your system in lieu of meat and fish

Chopped tomatoes – these are incredibly handy as it saves skinning and chopping fresh tomatoes yourself. Furthermore, these form the basis of many sauces and meals. Need a quick basic meal? Fry up some onion, garlic, and add a tin of chopped tomatoes for a simple tomato sauce to go with some pasta.

Soup – a great quick emergency lunch. Tinned soup tends to contain more nutrients than their instant counterparts. However, they do take up a lot more storage and are a little pricier.

Fruit, seeds, and nuts – these are great for filling and healthy snac

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