Five Foods That Are Always In My Fridge
Years ago, a local magazine interviewed me about what was in my fridge. But, of course, that was still when I had a teenager in the house, so things looked slightly different then. They even sent a photographer to the house, and I swear I didn’t clean the fridge in preparation for their arrival.
Today there are still some foods that are always in the fridge. So if I am running low, the replacement is on the list for the next grocery run.
While some staples include condiments, yeast, maple syrup, and butter, I do not have them on this list.
Other items in there I won’t replace as soon as they are gone but purchased if I decide to use them in a specific recipe. For example, I bought almond flour for a particular recipe and packages of chia and flax seeds, which I don’t always remember to use.
However, if you come to my house any day of the week, this is what is in there.
MILK
There are two kinds: traditional cow’s milk and vanilla soymilk.
The cow’s milk is usually 1%, and my husband has it in his cereal each morning and mixed with the Carnation Breakfast Essentials (what we used to call Carnation Instant Breakfast). It is his post-workout recovery beverage. It is cheaper than expensive protein powders and is just as good.
The vanilla soymilk is for me. I like cow’s milk, but my body doesn’t always agree. Also, I can handle it in small amounts only, so the vanilla soy milk is for my nearly daily smoothies: a full cup and vanilla for the flavor.
YOGURT
Again, there is more than one kind here—individual containers of fruit-flavored Greek yogurt and a larger container of plain Greek yogurt. Sometimes there is also a large container of vanilla Greek yogurt.
The individual containers are for my husband’s daily breakfast.
The plain yogurt is for the daily smoothies to add protein. It also works as a sour cream substitute.
And the vanilla is a backup option for the smoothies or in case the individual containers are out. But we sometimes have the vanilla as “dessert” or a snack.
CHEESE
Cheese is always in the fridge, keeping in the dairy theme, which didn’t occur to me until I was writing this. There is an entire drawer dedicated to cheese. There is a variety of cheeses in there.
Shredded cheddar, sliced cheddar, individually wrapped cheddar, shredded mozzarella or Italian blend (for pizza), Mexican blend for tacos, parmesan for all kinds of things. Sometimes there is fresh mozzarella, blue cheese, feta cheese, and queso fresco, but these vary depending on the menu and my mood. I don’t have all of these cheeses at one time. But it is almost guaranteed there will be at least five different packages.
EGGS
Eggs are just a staple in the fridge. Sometimes we can go through them quickly, and other times they can be there for months. Because we have a family member with chickens, we can get a bunch of fresh eggs. But when the chickens aren’t laying as much, I buy them.
Eggs are always good for egg dishes like quiche, frittata, or a breakfast sandwich when I am not in a smoothie mood.
They are also needed when I feel like making pasta (egg noodles) or spontaneously bake something (like when I want to clear out the bananas in the freezer or make brownies or chocolate chip cookies).
And finally, I will make a batch of 8-10 hard-cooked eggs for a quick snack. Those aren’t always in the fridge, but the eggs are always there.
VEGGIES
Of course, there are always veggies in the fridge. Usually, there are baby carrots – snack foods. The rest vary each week.
Because I get a box of produce from my local farm every other week, it is primarily seasonal vegetables. These vegetables can include leafy greens from romaine, spinach, arugula, or a spring mix.
It is common to have fresh broccoli. Sometimes cauliflower, but not as much as broccoli.
Usually cucumbers. Often celery. Occasionally asparagus. Sometimes mushrooms. Are mushrooms vegetables?
Sometimes the vegetables are based on what I plan to make, but other times the vegetable arrives, and I plan to make something around what is available.
Why isn’t fruit in there? There is. But fruits like cut-up watermelon or pineapple and grapes and berries are in there seasonally, so I can’t say they are always in the fridge. And the fruit is “always” around or in a bowl on the counter.
That is a snapshot of five items always in this dietitian’s fridge. What foods are always in your fridge?
Others in this series:
