The 10 foods I always have in my kitchen as a nutritionist

There are no secrets in ‘good’ nutrition. But there are shortcuts, and most of them live in your kitchen.

After years working in food and nutrition, I've stopped overthinking what I keep stocked. The foods below aren't trendy. Some of them aren’t glamorous. But they all earn their place, and between them they cover most of what a well-nourished diet actually needs.

Here's what I always have in my kitchen, and why.

1. Frozen bread

This one surprises people. But frozen bread is one of the most practical things you can keep in your kitchen. Any bread works well, but I tend to choose wholemeal as an easy way to include more fibre in my diet.

The obvious benefit is reducing waste. Bread goes stale fast, and most of it ends up in the bin. Freezing it solves that. Freezing and cooling carbohydrate-rich foods can also change their starch structure, increasing the amount of what’s known as resistant starch. Resistant starch is studied for how it is digested differently from other carbohydrates, and some research suggests it may slow down the body’s glucose response compared to the same bread eaten fresh.

Straight from the freezer to the toaster. Ready in minutes.

2. Dried herbs and spices

Nutritious food does not have to be bland food. This is a non-negotiable in my kitchen.

Dried herbs and spices add flavour without adding significant salt, sugar, or calories. But the more interesting reason to keep a well-stocked spice rack is what it could do for your gut. Research into the gut microbiome suggests that diversity of plant-based foods in the diet is one of the strongest drivers of a healthy gut bacterial community, and herbs and spices count. The wider the variety you use across the week, the better.

They also last for ages. There is very little downside here.

3. Tinned pulses

Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans. A tin of pulses is one of the most nutritionally efficient things you can add to a meal.

They're high in protein, high in fibre, and packed with micronutrients, all while being low in saturated fat and affordable. They require no preparation beyond opening the tin and rinsing. Add them to curries, soups, stews, salads, or eat them cold. They can improve almost every dish they go into.

If you're trying to eat more protein and fibre, without relying heavily on meat, tinned pulses are one of the most straightforward ways to do it.

Related: How protein keeps you full

4. Grain pouches

Wholegrains are worth eating regularly. They are rich in fibre and B vitamins. The problem is that most of them take 25 to 45 minutes to cook from scratch.

Grain pouches solve that. Pre-cooked and ready to heat in two minutes, they make it easy to have brown rice, quinoa, freekeh, or mixed grains as a side to any meal without planning ahead. I always have a few varieties on hand.

Related: The importance of a high-fibre diet

5. Greek yogurt (or a plant-based alternative)

Greek yogurt is one of the most versatile high-protein foods you can keep in the fridge.

A 100g serving typically provides around 8 to 10g of protein, which makes it genuinely useful for hitting daily protein targets across the day. It works as a breakfast base with fruit and granola, as a cooling element in spiced dishes, or as the base for dips. My favourite low-effort use: mix Greek yogurt with self-raising flour for a two-ingredient flatbread that requires no yeast and no waiting.

If you're dairy-free, coconut or soy-based alternatives with added protein work well in most of the same ways.

6. Flaxseed

Small seeds, but worth keeping. Flaxseed is a rich plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids (specifically ALA, alpha-linolenic acid), an essential fatty acid that must be obtained from the diet. Flaxseeds are also high in fibre, so adding a small handful to your breakfast, smoothies or salads is an easy way to boost your daily intake.

Ground flaxseed is easier for the body to absorb than whole seeds, so it's worth buying it pre-milled or blending it yourself. A tablespoon sprinkled over porridge, yogurt, or a smoothie is all it takes.

7. Oats

An affordable, easy and endlessly customisable breakfast. Oats deserve their reputation.

Oats contain a type of soluble fibre called Beta-Glucan, which is found in higher concentrations in oats than many other foods, and forms a gel-like consistency during digestion.

As for toppings: whatever you have. Banana, berries, nuts, seeds, a spoonful of nut butter. The base is stable, the combinations are endless.

8. Nut butters

Packed with unsaturated ‘good’ fats, fibre, protein, and a range of micronutrients including vitamin E and magnesium. Nut butters also have the practical advantage of being usable in both sweet and savoury dishes, and they keep well.

One thing worth noting when buying: look for options that are 100% nuts, with no added palm oil, sugar, or salt.

Crunchy or smooth is a personal choice (crunchy is the correct answer, but this is not a debate I will win).

9. Frozen vegetables

Long shelf life and easy to prepare, frozen vegetables are a convenient option to keep on hand.

Frozen vegetables provide a simple way to help boost your fibre intake, which research shows is something many people fall short of in their daily diet. My favourite ways to use frozen vegetables include stirring them into sauces, or throwing them straight into a stir fry. It’s an easy, low effort way to bulk up a meal and add variety.

10. Huel

The most convenient complete meal option I know of, and the reason it earns a place on this list is exactly that: completeness.

On a busy lunchtime, when cooking isn't happening and a meal deal feels like the most realistic option, Huel is the practical alternative. It's nutritionally complete, meaning it contains the protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, and 26 vitamins and minerals your body needs as part of a balanced diet. One meal, no prep, nothing missing.

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Putting it together

None of these foods require a specific way of eating. They're just reliable, genuinely useful things to have in stock. Between frozen bread and tinned pulses, dried spices and a bag of oats, you can put together a nourishing meal most days without planning too far ahead.

That, in practice, is what good and balanced nutrition usually looks like.