The Healthiest Fridge Items to Stock Up on to Make Healthy Eating Easier

Healthy eating would be a lot easier if someone (else) would declutter and organize the refrigerator and tell you exactly how to stock the shelves with nutritious, satisfying, and delicious choices. Because the more readily available and accessible you make healthy options, the more likely you are to reach for them. And first, you have to start with the basics: the fundamental foods and drinks to keep in the fridge (and the freezer!) at all times to quell hunger, keep you fueled and energized, and get nourishing meals and snacks on the table as painlessly as possible.

Here are the top healthy fridge and freezer items to stock up on at the grocery store and keep on hand.

The Best Dairy Products

Milk (Dairy or Otherwise)

It's a must in any fridge, whether you’re a cow’s milk or alt-milk household. Buy milk in opaque containers to protect it from light, which can reduce the vitamin content. Another tip: Don’t store your milk on the refrigerator door! That’s the warmest place in the fridge, upping the chances of spoiling it more quickly (same goes for non-dairy milks).

Yogurt, Skyr, or Labneh

Fermented dairy products like regular and Greek yogurt, skyr (and Icelandic strained yogurt), and labneh (a Middle Eastern strained yogurt cheese) are high in protein, calcium, and probiotics, plus they're versatile and super-satisfying. Yogurt-based dips like tzatziki are fantastic for an easy, healthy snack option.

A note on full-fat vs. reduced fat yogurt: “While the saturated fat found in dairy products has historically been linked to heart disease, emerging research is coming to find that there isn’t as direct of a correlation as we once thought,” says Christina Manian, RDN, registered dietitian and food writer. “With fermented products like yogurt, opting for full-fat options is even more optimal because the fat content will not only keep you feeling satisfied for longer, but the fermentation process involved in making this probiotic-rich food actually converts some of the saturated fat into heart-healthy unsaturated fats.”

Cottage Cheese or Farmer’s Cheese

These soft, creamy, probiotic-rich cheeses provide gut-healthy bacteria, calcium, protein, phosphorus, and B vitamins which lend to better energy levels, strong bones, and healthy growth, development, repair, and metabolism, Manian says. Use for sweet and savory dishes, from lasagna to a creamy veggie dip.

Butter 

Is butter a superfood? Not necessarily. But what’s a happy kitchen without butter? Plus, cooking with a little butter now and again helps make the healthiest foods—like whole grains, lean proteins, and vegetables—even tastier and more enticing to eat (thanks, butter!). When you do use and enjoy butter, use the real stuff where it counts, albeit sparingly. Keep it in a covered dish, and freeze any extra sticks you're not using.

Cheeses

Sharp, hard, aged cheeses are good picks because they deliver on flavor and satisfaction in smaller amounts—a little less goes a long way. Aged Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano are good varieties in the cheese drawer for sandwiches and dish-topping. There are tons of healthier cheeses to choose from, whether you’re looking to lower your sodium intake, pump the breaks on saturated fats, up your calcium and protein, or accommodate a lactose intolerance. Swiss cheese, for example, is one of the lowest sodium cheeses, Manian says, which can be a big bonus for those needing to watch their salt intake.

Everyday Essentials

Eggs

Keep eggs in their carton on a lower shelf to guard against the loss of carbon dioxide and moisture. The shells may look impermeable, but they are covered with tiny holes that can absorb odors and flavors.

Chicken and/or Vegetable Broth

Buy whatever type of broth you prefer in resealable cartons and look for low-sodium or organic options. Use it for cooking rice, mashed potatoes, or sautéed vegetables with rich flavor without extra butter or oil. (Add broth to a warm skillet with the vegetables; cover and cook until tender.) You can also upgrade boxed chicken broth with some fresh additions.

Hydrating Drinks

Your family's favorite healthy sips—free of things like added sugars and additives—should be top-priority fridge items: Filtered water, of course, but also 100-percent fruit juices or cold-pressed juices, unsweetened iced tea or coffee, and sparkling water (flavored or plain) are all fantastic, hydrating, and thirst-quenching options. 

Fresh Produce

Whether you buy it pre-cut or whole, fruits and vegetables are a must in the fridge. “Cut fruit and veggies are quick grabs everyday,” Manian says, “rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds.”

Put produce in its rightful place: Depending on the produce, it means either out of the fridge entirely (as with tomatoes and tropical fruits) or in one of the bottom fridge bins, where the humidity is controlled. When vegetables lose moisture, for example, they get limp, go bad more quickly, and may lose vitamins (spinach can lose as much as 50 percent of its vitamin C if left out overnight!).

“Veggies like greens and herbs last longer when stored in a resealable, reusable bag with some paper towels,” Manian recommends. “Also, berries are a produce item I’ll go through when I get home from the store to weed out any moldy or wet berries that will ruin the whole bunch. I keep the good ones in a paper towel-lined airtight tupperware.”

Bagged or Boxed Lettuce (Ideally Pre-Washed)

While bagged veggies and greens aren’t necessarily the most sustainable or fresh option, Manian notes, they are still a convenient way to buy and keep produce on-hand. Perfect when you want to get a crisp, healthy salad on the table fast. Consider bags of baby spinach and other salad greens are great, and for the lengthiest shelf life, buy pre-washed greens in single-variety bags (the fragile leaves in salad mixes spoil first and can ruin the whole package). Combine them with more economical lettuce, such as iceberg, as needed.

Leftovers

Spoon leftovers―even from take-out―into a microwave-safe glass or plastic container. Some take-out trays and yogurt tubs are made from plastic that can leach chemicals into food at high temperatures. Avoid reheating in plastic containers that aren't designated microwave-safe. 

Condiments, Dips, Sauces, Spreads

Tomato Sauce 

With a jar of good-quality tomato sauce (including homemade) close by at all times, a delicious, satisfying meal is never far behind. Look for brands with little or no added sugar, as pre-jarred and canned tomato sauces can be sneaky sources of added sugar if you’re not aware of it.

Hummus

Keep tubs of hummus on hand, plus bags of baby carrots or other cut veggies ready to dip. This high-fiber and -protein snack will keep the hangriest folks satisfied until mealtime. Or try a quick homemade hummus recipe for an even healthier, more customized, and cheaper option without any unwanted additives.

Nut and/or Seed Butters

Storing spreads like peanut butter in the fridge may be a bit controversial, but if your peanut butter or other nut butters call for refrigeration after opening (or you simply like how long it lasts when you do), the fridge is where this healthy staple should be. A tablespoon or two of nut butter on granola, oats, whole wheat toast, celery sticks, crackers—is a great quick snack or healthy no-cook breakfast. Almond butter and tahini, a rich, toasty sesame butter/paste are also wonderful. “They’re not only great for snacks, but for sauces, dressings, and marinades,” Manian says.

Guacamole

Manian suggests adding guacamole to your regular fridge stash, “as a quick snack rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats for dipping either tortilla chips or cut veggies.” Plus, it’s great for topping salads, tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and so much more.

Hot Sauces

If you like heat, this is probably the most effective way to add personality to everything from eggs to soup. A little goes a long way, and with a few dashes, any plate is instantly transformed. Stock up on a hot sauce (or a few) that use minimal ingredients you can pronounce, and none of the artificial stuff. Tabasco sauce, Cholula, and Frank's RedHot are good starter bottles. A jar of chili crisp or chili crunch is nice to have, too.

Miso Paste

“Miso paste is a nice addition as well,” Manian suggests. “It’s a great natural source of probiotics with which you can make marinades, salad dressings, and soup that deliver delicious umami flavor.” Bonus: It lasts for up to a year when covered, so you’ll be set for a while.

Mustard

Not only a classic sandwich condiment, but also key for homemade salad dressings, marinades, sauces, and more. 

Mayonnaise

Go for low-fat mayonnaise rather than the low-cholesterol kind. Regular mayo doesn't have a lot of cholesterol, to begin with, but it does have a fair amount of unhealthy fats. Alternatively, try making homemade mayonnaise! Manian says you can also “look for avocado-oil-based mayo for an added health boost, as this popular oil is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

Healthy Freezer Items

Homemade Prepared Foods

If you’ve ever panicked over what you’re possibly going to make for dinner, then realized you have a quart of homemade chili or a spinach lasagna in the freezer, you know the value of keeping some frozen meals, leftovers, or extras ready to defrost. Packaged frozen meals come in sensible portions, but with sky-high sodium content that can add up. (The bulk of the sodium in the U.S. diet comes from prepared foods, not from the salt we use in cooking or sprinkle on at the table.)

Whole Grains

Did you know you can freeze some grain products, cooked or uncooked, as long as they’re 100-percent whole grains? Brown rice, whole-wheat flour, quinoa, and oatmeal are some of the best examples of grains to keep cold and stock in the freezer. Unlike refined grains (the white ones), whole grains contain the outer bran plus the inner seed, or germ. The germ contains some fat. And, like cooking oils, that fat can oxidize at room temperature.

Nuts and Seeds

Another freezer storage surprise for many: nuts, seeds, and nut flours! These beauties are all loaded with antioxidants and contain natural, monounsaturated fats that are excellent for you. But as with oils and their fats, nuts should be kept cold and out of the light to remain fresh, since fat can go rancid more quickly if stored at room temp. Freeze an assortment of your favorite nuts (think: peanuts, pistachios, almonds, and walnuts) to help them last much longer (amazing, since nuts can get pricey and it hurts to toss an expired bunch).

Frozen Fruits

Bananas, all berries, mango, pineapple—whether you buy them frozen or freeze them from fresh to extend their life, frozen fruit is ideal for smoothies. You can also use them for baking or pop them into a glass of water instead of ice cubes for an instantly infused drink.

When bananas get too speckled to pack in lunch bags, throw them into the freezer whole and unpeeled. The skins will blacken, but the fruit will stay sweet and ripe inside. Thaw them for perfect banana bread; whip them up frozen into banana ice “cream”; or whirl them with berries, yogurt, and a splash of orange juice for a smoothie.

Frozen Vegetables

Having bags of vegetables like frozen spinach or kale, broccoli, peas and carrots, root veggies, or corn, is an incredibly easy way to add nutrients and fiber to any meal. Frozen veggies provide the full nutritional punch of fresh ones, even when the fresh stuff isn’t in season (they’re picked and frozen at their freshest, preserving all their healthy benefits). Plus, frozen spinach is another sneaky superfood smoothie ingredient, too.

Fresh or Cooked Meat and Fish

You can keep fresh, raw meat like chicken in the freezer for nine to 12 months, which is great to know if you're worried chicken breasts or ground beef will go bad before you get to them. Once cooked, chicken will keep more like four to six months (still awesome—just label it with a note on when you cooked it and froze it so you know how long it's been). Frozen shrimp and raw fish fillets last in the fridge for up to six months—an easy, healthy gift to yourself on busy days when you can't get to the fish store.

Sweet Snacks

Speaking of frozen fruit, frozen grapes taste like cold gumdrops—a genius solution to late-night candy cravings. Also stash goodies like dark chocolate bars or chips, chocolate-covered nuts, chocolate-covered raisins or craisins, and chocolate- or yogurt-covered pretzels in the freezer for a bittersweet treat.

Edamame (aka Soybeans)

Shelled or in the pods, frozen edamame are a perfect high-fiber, high-protein snack to steam quickly with a pinch of sea salt, as well as an easy addition to salads, pastas, soups, grain bowls, succotash, and tons more dishes.