While perusing a thirty year old copy of the 'Joy of Cooking' recently, I realized just how vastly times have changed. Gone are the days when a recipe calls for lard or twice sifted flour. A wealth of international ‘superfoods’ have flooded our grocery shelves over the past decade. Alongside exotic choices, we have new information about traditional foods, ‘super’ in their own right, that have been hiding in plain sight for years.

The global village, online information, and a huge increase in consumer savvy have brought us new and amazing ideas about what we eat. In fact, there has been so much information about what foods are good for you that it can be plain dizzying when you get to the grocery aisle.

The following ingredients give you a ‘cheat sheet’ to the best of the best of what’s out there. It's never been a better time for selection. If you can learn to weed out the frankenfoods, our supermarket shelves offer a bounty of delicious and nourishing food. As you get to know these items, you’ll develop your own favourites, and will ultimately find new additions that will add extra flavour and nutrient punch to your pantry!

Treats and Snacks

Dark chocolate of any variety
Raw nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds…. all are great)
Seaweed snacks (don’t knock it until you try it!)
Popcorn (organic if possible)
Hummus (higher in calcium than milk)
Tortillas (plain, salted)
Plain pretzels
Plain Greek yogourt (add maple syrup and nuts/ seeds/ fruit)
Plain kefir
Edamame beans

Sweeteners

Raw honey
Cane sugar
Coconut sugar
Maple syrup
Molasses

Spices*

*all natural spices are great - this means no additives you can’t pronounce!

Sea salt
Cayenne
Cinnamon
Garlic
Turmeric
Ginger
Black pepper
Any and all fresh herbs (basil, dill, mint, coriander…)

Canned Goods

Any type of legume (lentils, navy beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, black eyed beans…)
Canned salmon (bonus if it’s wild)
Canned tomatoes
Organic soups and stews
Baked beans
Tahini
Pumpkin (great to add to sauces, soups and stews

Condiments

Almond butter
Mustard (plain or fancy, this is one item that has remained relatively pure from additives through the years)
Organic ketchup
Bragg’s Soy Sauce (this entire line is delicious)
Apple Cider Vinegar (keep refrigerated after opening)
Fermented Kimchi or Sauerkraut
Tabasco (still only the three original ingredients)
Pickles, especially those without added sweeteners

Fats and Oils

Extra virgin olive oil (always better from a good Italian market)
Sesame oil
All nut and seed oils, such as walnut, macadamia, and pumpkin seed (refrigerate after opening)
Organic butter
Coconut oil

Superfoods

Steel cut oats (sky high in iron)
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Goji and Acai berries
Cacao powder or nibs (raw, unprocessed chocolate - crunchy, slightly bitter and delicious)
All fruits and vegetables: stick with the Clean Fifteen or buy organic