Pantry Swaps That Actually Made My Life Easier
(No overpriced powders, just real upgrades that stuck)
Let me just start by saying, I don’t have one of those beautifully curated, color-coded, Pinterest pantries. I wish I did. But my pantry is more like a closet full of ingredients that no one else in my family knows what to do with. Wink wink.
Okay, that’s not totally fair—my family actually loves helping in the kitchen. They just don’t always see the vision I have when I stock up on random grains, dried herbs, and jars of things they can't pronounce.
The shift didn’t happen overnight. But last week, I had one of those “Whoa. I actually did the thing I’ve been trying to do for years” moments. I had just come back from a beach trip to Galveston with a friend, and she gifted me a box of premade gumbo mix—something she couldn't find back home in Washington. I opened my pantry to find a spot for it... and froze.
There just wasn’t a spot for it. Not because I didn’t have room—but because I don’t buy that kind of stuff anymore.
Somewhere along the way, without making a big announcement or getting rid of every packaged thing all at once, I just… stopped buying processed food. I didn’t even realize it.
Now, before you roll your eyes—I’m not here pretending I’m perfect. I still have a corner of the shelf dedicated to Top Ramen (my husband’s and daughter’s guilty snack), and I’m okay with that. They eat all the healthy food I make without too much complaining, so I let them have their crunchy-salty moment. It’s called balance.
Anyway, here are the real pantry swaps I’ve made—slowly, imperfectly, and in a way that actually made my life easier. No powders, no $14 condiments, no shame.
🍚 Flavored Boxed Rice → Plain Rice + Broth + Herbs
This one feels like a “duh” moment now, but it was a game-changer. Just swap out the water in your rice pot with broth—either all or half—and season it before you cook. I usually throw in chopped garlic, onion, or a bay leaf.
Another favorite? A mix of ginger chunks (so you can fish them out later) and a little pineapple. It’s like sunshine in rice form.
🍶 Soy Sauce → Coconut Aminos
I made this switch on a whim, and everyone in the house was instantly on board. Coconut aminos have a rich, slightly sweet flavor and way less salt. Honestly, I don’t miss soy sauce one bit.
🥗 Store-Bought Dressing → Homemade, Every Time
This one sounds extra, but hear me out—it takes less than a minute. My current favorite:
1 part coconut aminos
1 part rice vinegar
A pinch of garlic powder + ginger powder (or fresh if I’m feeling motivated)
A drizzle of sesame oil
It tastes better than 90% of the dressings in the store and doesn’t come with preservatives or mystery thickeners.
🍬 White Sugar → Coconut Sugar
Tastes like caramel. Enough said.
🍫 Chocolate Chips → Cacao Nibs
Okay, this one is kind of a stretch—because they’re not exactly the same thing. But if I want that chocolatey crunch in oatmeal or yogurt without the sugar bomb, these do the trick.
🥫 Canned Beans with Salt → No-Salt-Added Beans or Dry Beans
Low-sodium canned beans are a great step up, but dry beans in a crockpot are even better and cheaper.
Here’s my lazy bean “recipe”:
1–2 cups dry beans
A whole onion (cut in half, peel on)
Garlic cloves, salt, and a bay leaf
Water to cover, cook on low all day
That’s it. I freeze the extras and feel like a domestic wizard.
🥤 Sports Drinks → Coconut Water + Lemon + Salt
I mix this in a mason jar and keep it in the fridge. It’s just plain coconut water with a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Tastes like a gentle Gatorade, without the glowing blue mystery color.
🧴 Canola/Vegetable Oil → Avocado or Olive Oil
I use avocado oil for high-heat cooking and olive oil for everything else. Tastes better, feels better, no weird aftertaste.
🧈 Margarine → Grass-Fed Butter or Ghee
We’re not scared of real fat in this house. It just tastes better—and cooks like a dream.
🌬️ Nonstick Spray → Avocado Oil Spray or Refillable Oil Mister
I use a glass oil mister for olive oil and keep an avocado spray on hand for quick pan greasing. Easy upgrade, zero aerosols.
🧃 Soda → Homemade Iced Tea
Is it always sugar-free? Not exactly. But I control what goes in it, and even when it's sweetened, it's still 100x better than soda. Sometimes I brew a batch of herbal tea, add honey or lemon, and keep it chilled for the week.
🍞 White Bread → Sourdough
Not just because I like the taste (though I do). But because I made it myself. And yes, I’m that person now. No apologies.
None of these swaps happened in one grocery trip. They snuck in, one by one, until one day I opened my pantry and realized I’d built a space that felt aligned with the life I actually want. Calm. Nourishing. Not full of stuff that makes me feel worse.
So no, I don’t have a perfect pantry. But I do have a shelf of sourdough starter, a jar of homemade dressing, and a family who (usually) eats what I make. That’s good enough for me.
Want a printable version of these swaps or a peek inside my current pantry lineup? Let me know—happy to share what’s working (and what didn’t make the cut).
