What the Huel Nutrition Team Have in Their Kitchen to Reset This September

September has a way of making a reset feel due. The air starts to cool, the nights start to draw in, and the kitchen follows.

I personally find myself starting to reach for more comfort foods. The meal-prepped salads start to feel slightly less appealing and back come the soup spoons and the slow-cooked staples. No need for a kitchen overhaul - most of the staples stay all year round, just with a small tweak.

So, here are the key staples I keep in my kitchen as September begins.

1. Butter Beans

One of my favourite staples, not only when I am resetting, but all year round. I find butter beans extremely versatile and easy to throw into stews, soups, and curries to bulk them up. Not only are they a flexible staple, they are packed with protein and fibre and lots of micronutrients.

Canned butter beans have a long shelf life, require little to no preparation, and are very nutritionally efficient. I see no downside.

2. Oats

When the mornings start getting a little colder, nothing gets me out of bed like the thought of a warm bowl of oatmeal. This may sound similar to a character from Goldilocks and The Three Bears, but hear me out, oats deserve their reputation. Oats contain Beta-Glucan (a soluble fibre) that during digestion forms a gel-like consistency, helping to keep things running smoothly.

Oats are one of the most easily customisable breakfast options out there. Add in plant-based yoghurt/milk, berries, banana, flaxseeds or whatever you have on hand to make a delicious bowl to kick your day off.

3. Frozen Vegetables

Frozen vegetables are one of my favourite freezer staples. They provide an easy way to bulk up sauces, throw into stir-fries and go easily into a one-pan soup.

A portion of frozen vegetables ticks your veggie quota, contains fibre, and lasts for months in the freezer.

4. Frozen Edamame

Staying in the freezer category, frozen edamame are a recent edition to my staple list. Edamame is a soybean (a plant-based complete protein) which means they contain all 9 essential amino acids. Steam for a simple snack, or mix into rice dishes for a protein boost.

Complete protein and five minutes in the steamer. My freezer isn’t the same without it.

5. Sweet Potatoes

As the nights draw in, I start craving warmer dishes. One of my favourite meal bases is a sweet potato as it’s endlessly adaptable. Bake it whole in the oven, dice into a mixed vegetable sheet pan meal, or blend it into a soup.

Versatile, autumnal, and packed with fibre and micronutrients.

6. Mushrooms

Often overlooked, mushrooms are a great staple to have on the shopping list.

Fresh mushrooms are great to bulk up meals and add a textural element to everyday dishes. Dried mushrooms are a great alternative to their counterparts. Dried brings a longer shelf life and concentrated flavour, a little goes a long way. Dried mushrooms are great for adding flavour to soups, broths and risotto dishes.

7. Cabbage

Another overlooked fridge staple is the simple cabbage. Cabbage comes in different shapes and sizes - red, white and fermented. All of which are often regulars in my shopping list.

White is great for creating a base for a non-soggy salad, steaming into a soup or broth, and incorporating into stir fry. Red is perfect for creating crunchy slaws and topping salads.

Sauerkraut is finely chopped cabbage that has been fermented, and is a great way to incorporate fermented foods into your diet. A tub of fermented cabbage has a long shelf life and is great straight out of the jar, as a side to any dish.

8. Whole grains

Whole grains are a higher fibre alternative to traditional grains. Thanks to this, they are definitely a regular staple in my kitchen.

Grains tend to take a little bit more time to cook, and if time is not on your side, why not try whole grain pouches. Same nutrition, and are ready to eat in two minutes.

9. Nuts

Nothing says snacking like a small handful of DIY trail mix. Easily portioned and packed for an on-the-go snack, sprinkled on salads or as a topping on a bowl of oatmeal.

Nuts are packed with unsaturated ‘good’ fats, fibre, protein and a range of micronutrients.

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.

At a busy mealtime, when cooking isn't happening and grabbing fast food 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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Words by Kate Barrett, BSc Food Science and Nutrition, Huel Nutrition Team