The Autumn Pantry
A new season is here and while we can tend to carry on as we always do, it can benefit us to pay attention and gently shift our daily routines to match with the season. It is time to eat more warming foods and cooked foods. It is a good time for a daily walk outside- perhaps in the middle of the day as the days get shorter. It is time to slow down a bit and move more inward, as we move toward winter. It is time to support the immune system to be ready for the winter viruses.
It is a good time to clean the pantry and fridge and prepare for the next season. This can be a big (but satisfying) job, so start at the easiest parts for you. Check the use-by dates and throw out old food. Make some meal plans for foods needing to be used up soon. Throw out or use up foods you no longer wish to have around. Check for weevils in the dry goods.
I encourage some meal planning, even if it is just, in retrospect, writing down what you ate on a calendar- then you will have inspiration for meals in the future! Some planning, and a well-stocked pantry and fridge, make healthy eating so much easier.
We have a wide range of fruits and vegetables available year-round here in Perth, but currently we have grapes, apples and pumpkins in abundance. Also, with the cooler weather, all the leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables are now coming in and growing in the gardens. It is also lime season, and our guava tree has been producing prolifically. The summer fruits are disappearing from the shops.
Autumn wholefood pantry staples
Beans – dried legumes and canned ones - such as chickpeas, borlotti beans, black turtle beans, mung beans, split mung and lentils. I also stock Aldi organic baked beans as they are such a convenient quick meal.
Wholegrains - brown rice, millet, quinoa and oats are my standard grains
Nuts and seeds – I like to keep a good range of these although we don’t eat large amounts. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, linseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. These store well in the cool season but if you buy in bulk, storing in the fridge or freezer can extend their shelf life and freshness.
Dried fruit- raisins, figs and dates are my main items here. I will often add them to a winter salad or dessert, or morning porridge
Tahini and other nut pastes. I like the unhulled tahini, and it has higher calcium.
Dried herbs and spices- these need to be checked and thrown out at least annually, and new ones bought, as they deteriorate easily
Nowadays I don’t use oil or vinegar very often, but if you do, go for the best quality ones you can, and throw out any old oils
Legume pastas
Cassava flour is my main flour nowadays (it is a root, not a grain)- I often make tortillas/ flatbreads with it, and pancakes, so I buy it in bulk
Honey- I consider this a superfood and an important staple, even though we eat it in small amounts :)
Herbal teas- many of mine come from the garden nowadays, dried and blended to make them easy for hot drinks through the cooler months, but I also have bought ones including dandelion root for dandy coffee, and mushrooms like reishi, lions mane and chaga for warm drinks
Bottled organic passata (tomatoes
Not so healthy but still staples
Noodles and gluten-free pastas made of white rice
Flours such as cornflour, tapioca, arrowroot for thickening and other uses
Baking powder/soda for the occasional banana bread or other treat
Canned fish
Canned tomatoes
Sweeteners- maple syrup and coconut sugar
soy/other plant milks, and some tetra packs of dairy milk for guests
Fridge and Freezer staples
Orange juice- this is the one juice I keep in the house, because it is so good and there is so much evidence for its benefits! I buy the Nudie brand, or sometimes one from Aldi.
Frozen berries and other fruits (I usually have wild blueberries, raspberries, mango, and bananas)
Frozen meal leftovers for days I dont want to cook
Stock- I make my own vegetable stock and freeze it, but you could also find a good quality one (check the ingredients!) and keep it on hand, or use a bone broth paste if you prefer.
Frozen lemon /lime juice if you have a glut, you can store in ice cube trays
some meat and seafood for Dave
Condiments
Miso paste
Dried seaweed such as kombu
Tamari / Braggs
Tamarind paste
Red/ green curry paste
cacao powder
Fresh garlic and ginger, which I make into a paste (with some lemon juice) in the blender and keep in the fridge
lemons and limes - I use a lot of these for various meals, sauces and dressings
With these and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, I can easily whip up healthy meals daily. I usually double or triple quantities for evening meals, so each dinner usually has leftovers for the next day, and perhaps some for freezing. In Autumn, I am starting to make soups almost daily and more cooked foods. My daily big salad has more cooked vegetables tossed into it, especially cooked potatoes re-heated in the air fryer.
