Shopping for groceries can be a bit overwhelming. You’ve got crowds to avoid and a budget to keep in mind. Also, not to mention, those unhealthy aisles that are trying to entice you to grab some off their shelves.

The trip to the grocery is one of the most important parts of your weight loss journey. What you put in your cart can make or break your healthy-eating goals!

Having nutritious ingredients on hand makes it easier for you to whip up healthy meals even on nights you’re tempted to order in.

Here are 13 healthy kitchen staples for fast and cheap meals.

Tomatoes

They can become pasta sauce, a sandwich, a salad. Very versatile depending on how much effort you want to put into the meal.

Tuna

Eat straight from the pouch or mix in a salad or pasta.

Frozen fruit

No preparation needed. But you can make smoothies too! They thaw out relatively fast so you could put some in your yogurt or oatmeal.

Oatmeal

Don’t buy instant: it’s incredibly not worth the cost. If you can afford the expense buy the cheapest per ounce container you can find of just plain rolled oats, or steel cut if you prefer. 

Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes! Doesn’t get cheaper or more nutrient dense.

Cabbage

Cabbage is always a great choice—purple is especially full of antioxidants. Cook with potatoes and you’ve got a delicious, healthy, cheap and super filling meal.

Ginger

It’s a cheap way to add a lot of flavor, especially if you’re going to be doing rice dishes; a 50 cent piece of ginger will last several meals, in my experience.

Avocados

Put them on toast, use them in smoothies. Make guacamole. Eat it plain.

Chicken breasts

Put some chicken breasts, taco seasoning, and some salsa into a slow cooker for a few hours, makes juicy taco meat for the week. Buy some shredded cheese, avocado and other toppings. Good in tortillas, nachos, Quesadillas mixed in Spanish rice, all kinds of stuff.

Frozen veggies

Throw your favorite frozen veggies in a pan, cube some extra firm tofu and throw it into the pan, add stir fry sauce to your liking and heat until everything is warm. If you want to get super fancy, throw in some matchstick carrots and shredded cabbage.

Eggs

Make an omelet. Make a frittata. Throw in veggies. Throw in frozen ham steak. Mix an egg in instant ramen. Hard boil them and make egg salad.

Gluten Free Pasta & Bread

Just because you’re no longer eating wheat doesn’t mean that pasta and bread are off the menu.

These staples will surely save you from bad food choices and will keep you fuller longer and get the nutrition that you need.

What are your favorite foods that you always stock up in the fridge?