What's in Your Pantry That is Stealing Your Health?
The fourth video in the Beginner Series that I am in the process of filming for the Weston A. Price Foundation involves going through the pantry of my friend Alma, to help her clear out any unhealthy foods and replace them with more nutrient dense, traditional choices.
A healthy pantry equals a health family! I so wish someone had done this for me when I was first starting out changing my family’s diet to Traditional Eating!
Alma and I had a great fun filming this video. I hope you have fun watching it and learn a few things about how to improve your own pantry in the process!
For a full transcript of this video in any language, please click here.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
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{ 63 comments… read them below or add one }
I love The Healthy Home Economist, however these videos are painfully awkward to watch!!
Oh well. I had fun doing them and I never claimed to be an Oscar winning actress!
Kerri, take a look at this video .. it is REALLY cringe worthy. My kids laugh when they watch it. It is one of the first videoblogs I ever did and I am SO awkward in front of the camera. The amazing thing is that I won the Natural News Recipe Contest with it, so I guess ultimately it is more about the information than the messenger!
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2010/03/real-people-making-real-food-in-real/
Sarah, I disagree! I think your mayonnaise video is very natural and not cringe worthy! I feel like I’m sitting in your kitchen listening in. However, what I think Kerri is referring to that may make the new WAP videos “awkward” to watch is the “talking head” effect while you’re reading the scrip. YOU did great. But a suggestion for the video editor might be to insert more break away shots, like when you’re speaking about Sally’s book, have an image of the book on the screen, and when you talk about tallow and lard, have images of those on the screen or shots of you cooking with them. And when you discuss cereal extrusion, have a close up of cereal flakes and the machinery used, etc. Just about all topics discussed could have helpful visuals. (these are ideas to pass onto Sally or the video editor). I know how hard it is to do video, and I think you did AWESOME job
Many people will benefit from your work!
I agree with Annika completely. Your normal cooking videos are very natural and comfortable to watch. The WAPF videos sound good, but sound like the usual voice-over-images videos. Just, missing the images.
I generally just let the video play in a hidden window while I do something else, whereas your cooking videos, I almost always actually watch.
“Painful??” C’mon! Sarah is not a professional actress and I have enjoyed all of her videos. I have told my WAPF chapter members to watch them for good tips and how to’s. I do want to send her a canning funnel so she can get those veggies and fruits into the mason jars with ease.
Keep them coming Sarah, and to heck with the critics! 
Hahahahaha. Yes, that saurkraut video was hilarious with the saurkraut juice all over me, eh?
I agree. I liked the older videos that were not so scripted. It was much more like a real person talking. Great info though.
Many of the upcoming videos are very action oriented in the kitchen. The Beginner Series covers a wide variety of topics and methods of teaching WAP nutritional principles.
I am so excited!
I don’t see what you are talking about Kerri! Yes it was a scripted video, but that makes it much more professional and I think it was a great video for beginners.
Great job Sarah! Love the video! As a follow up to this video, please suggest to Sally that it would be great to have a detailed tour of YOUR kitchen where you show viewers what all these healthy foods and traditional fats look like (Ghee, lard, tallow, homemade sauces, healthy homemade pantry snacks). I found my clients are lost when I just tell them what to eliminate and give them a list of ideal replacements. However, they seem to “get it” better when I give them a tour of my kitchen and pull out the stuff in my cabinets and fridge and show it to them. Not to mention, most folks would love the chance to peak inside and see all the foods in a healthy fridge and pantry
That is exactly it!!!
I agree, we always get told what not to eat, but I need to know what we should be eating. I have kids that are always hungry but it’s hard to find good snacks and a variety of them. I recently went through our pantry/snack cupboards and threw the junk food out, but now they’re bare. I need help in the snack area big time. We’ve been eating nuts and dried fruit, is that a good choice, or did I fall victim to what society has told us is a good snack? But nuts and dried fruit is getting old.
Cheese, fruit, homemade cold cereals (both a wheat based and grain free recipe on this blog) make great snacks. I also make homemade cookies (egg white cookies are my kids favorite .. will be making those today coincidentally). Milkshakes with homemade ice cream. Homemade popsickles with cream/fresh fruit juice, homemade raw butter fudge (all these recipes on this blog). I’m sure there are many many other choices.
Oh, homemade jello is popular at our house too. So easy to make, I think I’ve done a video on this in the past also (click video classes above).
I’ve heard dairy products aren’t good for humans to consume, so I’ve kind of been avoiding cheese and, well, I don’t like milk. Is this something I should learn to like? And we don’t buy fresh whole milk but is the milk at the store really that bad as an alternative? What is the best milk to buy commercially, if any? Is the red whole milk better than 2%?
Hi Leah, fresh raw milk from grassfed cows is the best choice but if you simply cannot procure this in your area the next best choice would be whole milk that is low temp pasteurized and nonhomogenized (the cream still comes to the top). Your local healthfood store generally will order this for you if they don’t carry it already. Natural by Nature is a good brand that is distributed to most areas of the country to my knowledge.
Please share your egg white cookie recipe! Would love to use up my bowl of egg whites from using the yolks in smoothies. : )
Here’s the recipe Beth:
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2010/04/video-thursday-real-protein-cookies/
Don’t forget the magnificent, humble hard-boiled egg as a snack. Steam instead of boil your pastured eggs and the shells come off easier.
Great job on the videos, Sarah! Bravo to you and WAPF. I think they’re wonderfully instructive, and paced well so they can be understood all over the world. (Did I see that they will be translated into other languages on the WAPF YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWestonAPrice ?)
Beth, how long do you steam your eggs?
Thanks
I enjoyed the video. I like Annika’s idea of touring your kitchen. I would like to know what snacks you have on hand, too. I eat mostly pretzels. I have a problem with nuts, so can only eat them sparingly. I buy veggies to snack on, but they usually end up in the trash. My Lyme treatment is going well, but I don’t have much energy yet, so am not up to doing a lot.
It says it’s the 4th video, I will look for the others. Thank you so much for all you are teaching me.
Hi Jan, I didn’t do a video of my pantry as I thought it would discourage people. My pantry is full of mostly staples. I was concerned that most people would take a look at my pantry and become incredibly discouraged. But, I’ve been eating traditionally for so many years that a pantry full of staples is normal for me and I’ve been doing this so long that I tend to whip up snacks as we need or want them. I don’t keep tons of snacks on hand all the time. We’ve found that when you eat nutrient dense whole foods, you don’t tend to snack much as you stay full so long. That type of video would be for more experienced viewers – folks with at least a year or two of traditional food prep under their belt.
I love your videos. I like your style because it gives me a moment to process what you are saying. I was introduced to you by a friend who makes kombucha–which I am now in my 3rd month making it. We switched to real butter yesterday, ordered 1/2 a calf from a local grass feeding no hormone farmer and tossed all low-fat foods. This week I will be making and jarring/freezing homemade stocks, too. I have a lot to learn, but I’m so motivated and know it will be worth it. By the way, your skin is amazingly beautiful…I think it is evidence of your healthy diet. Thanks for what you do.
I’m in the process of moving and using it as a great opportunity to clear out all of the junk that is in our pantry. I would love help on planning out what I should have though
Sarah,
I didn’t think ww pasta was that bad. Is it worst than rice? Other than being a grain, can you explain? I love your videos and you relate better to beginners like me when you are not professional, I thought you did great. Keep them coming Sarah!
Hi Teresa, whole wheat pasta is a much unnhealthier choice than rice. It is full of anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and is really just a bowl of sugar which is why folks like a bowl of pasta so much! LOL. Rice is not nearly as full of anti-nutrients as wheat. Also, rice does not contain gluten which is a very hard to digest protein for most people.
Occasionally, pasta is fine but be sure to serve with a high fat sauce like a homemade cream or cheesy sauce to lower the glycemic index of that pasta!
I think you do a wonderful job on these videos. You are a real woman, informed and sharing what you’ve learned and what you do. What could be better? Sharing who you really are is more valuable than watching an actress with a professional film crew create what amounts to a commercial.
Frankly, I love your site because of your videos!
Thank you Candy! I know not everyone enjoys my videos, but I am trying to get this info out in as many forms as possible because some folks learn much better when the info is presented visually even if it is just a person talking to them with not too many editing bells and whistles for effect.
Are you kidding me? I absolutely love your videos!!! I always enjoy them, and they are very helpful. I usually turn to them when I need guidance on how to prepare certain foods. Thanks so much for all your help! You don’t know how much your blog and videos mean to me
No to mention you do not charge anyone to watch and learn like some of the other sites. Thank you for that! I mention it to our WAPF chapter members at just about every meeting, “Go to Sarah’s Healthy Home Economist and watch and learn…..and it’s all free!”
“Do You Need A Pantry Intervention?” Yes, but only because I live with my parents (I’m a teen in college). I typically just cook for myself, and only nourishing foods according to Weston A. Price.
Regarding the Cod Liver Oil, The Weston A. Price Foundation has Premier Quantum Norwegian Cod Liver Oil in the “best” category along with the Green Pastures brand. It is only heated to 98 degrees fahrenheit, which can be considered raw though not fermented like Green Pastures. However, it is currently being discontinued. People who have depended on this brand should definitely switch to Green Pastures since it is also minimally processed.
I LOVE your videos! I LOVE your blog! and I would LOVE to see your pantry….I understand what you are saying and know that when I look at my pantry compared to what it was a year ago..wow! big difference!
Thank you!!!
Ok, will have to take the “personal pantry reveal” under consideration then!
I would love to see your pantry! It would be great to see what the end goal or transition would be.. from knowing what a standard American kitchen looks like to what yours looks like..
Hi Sarah,
It would be awesome if we could see what you pantry looks like
“Awkward”?…not at all! I loved it!! Keep up the great work!!
Sarah, we need a shopping list!
Hi Sarah, I love your videos and info. I check your blog on a daily basis and refer to it frequently for recipes. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us! It really helps to have a place to go when in doubt. Whenever I come across a new blog I refer to yours for accuracy. We recently started taking FCLO, and I’m amazed at how it has cleared up my eczema. I’ve tried everything and nothing worked. This seems to be my “magic bullet” and I’m sticking with it. Just made my 4th batch of beet kvass. My daughter and I love it, and it’s growing on my husband.
Thanks again for sharing!
Your videos are SO helpful, Sarah! I love them and watch them often. Please don’t quit making them or be self-conscious about it when you do. Your information is invaluable to someone like me who never even HEARD of traditional cooking until this year.
I like the idea of a pantry tour. Also, I know you did a weekly meal log once before when you and your husband were doing GAPS. I would love it if you could do a non-GAPS food log for a week!
Thanks again for all you do!
Great video and presentation!!!
What about if you are vegan? What can you use instead of butter? I used coconut oil. What are your thoughts about Earth Balance?
I wonder what Sarah will say!! Coconut oil is a good choice and some use a combo of CO and sunflower oil to make ‘un-butter’. You might try googling for a specific recipe.
I would not use Earth Balance: it contains soy and it a processed food.
I think overall veganism is not an idea encouraged by WAPF. There are no traditional cultures that have subsisted on veganism, for one because it leads to infertility. Have you considered vegetarianism instead? You can certainly eat traditional foods on a vegetarian diet and be much healthier….
Hi Anna, I respect your choice to be a vegan, but all I can say to someone who won’t eat butter is “Oh my!” It is such a nutrient dense food, I can’t imagine avoiding it unless there is an allergy or something. Coconut oil is wonderful, but as it is plant based it does not contain the level of nutrition of butter from cows grazing on fresh green grass. Not by a long shot.
Sarah, what do you suggest to substitute for cod liver oil since this is from a fish?
Hi Anna, there really isn’t any substitute for cod liver oil that isn’t also another animal food (fish eggs and liver for example would be good substitutes). Eating animal foods is critical to vibrant health. Only animal foods contain the fat soluble vitamins A and D. Beta carotene in plant foods is not true vitamin A and does not convert well in the body into true vitamin A either. In folks with any sort of gut issues, the conversion likely does not take place at all. If you think about it logically, there is simply no way to be healthy in the long run avoiding all animal foods.
LOVE your videos, Sarah! They are great tools for me, and I love sharing them with others who are interested in nutrition and a whole foods diet. Keep `em coming!
It is mostly because of your video on sacred foods that I cooked and ate grass-fed beef liver last night. It wasn’t so bad. I am definetly trying to branch out more.
At least you all can see the video. I can’t open any of them up!
Another great video Sarah! I also loved your post on cereals and will be making up a batch of the peanut butter one for my son. He likes his cereal and I would really love to get rid of the boxes!! Since he’s on summer vacation with his grandma, I can do it while he’s gone. Hope he likes it!
I love your videos. They’ve helped me learn a lot. And I do need a pantry intervention. Or maybe I just need to clean out my pantry. I have a lot of the type of foods I used to buy, but no longer use. And they’re taking up space in my pantry and are an occasional temptation.
Hi JMR, I am a sucker for junk in my pantry, so my advice would be to throw those items of temptations out. You’ll have a lot more room and more peace of mind!
Sarah,
Love all your videos – the weekly blog ones and these for WAPF. All contain so much great info for both newbies and not-so-newbies. These WAPF ones are well written (do you do the writing?) and the production value is good. Yes, a bit more B-roll and graphics would enhance them, but that adds to the production cost too. The bottom line is that they contain great info and will help many folks to learn about healthy eating choices. WAPF was super smart to choose you to do these videos as you do an awesome job!
Thanks for all you do!
Beth
Hi Sarah,
Is the Kerrygold butter heated slowly, and at what temperature is it heated to? Also, is it as potent as raw, grassfed butter?
Hi Erica, no – Kerrygold is not nearly as potent as raw grassfed butter. I don’t know how Kerrygold is processed.
I’m convinced it one of the better choices if you cannot find raw grass fed butter. I contacted John Wood from US Wellness Beef who has it for sale and grilled him about it. He said he’s convinced it is grass fed after two weeks of grilling the Kerrygold people. Go to Kerrygold’s website and read about Irish butter and dairy. Maybe they will tell us how it’s processed. I trust that John really did his homework here if he’s selling it on US Wellness Beef. Sarah, in your opinion is raw grass fed better than grass fed made from pasteurized cream which of course is better than from non grass fed cows that are organic, and of course any butter is better than margarine if you happen to live in an area that has no grass fed options at all?
Yes, raw grassfed butter is better than pasteurized grassfed butter.
Yup, I figured so, but is then pasteurized grass fed butter a much better choice than organic butter that is not totally grass fed, or commercial butter? I would think so. Do you lose the benefits of the nutrients in the grass fed if it’s pasteurized (not ultra pasteurized)? I know raw is superior but sometimes it’s hard to find.
Yes, pasteurized grassfed even if not organic is a better choice than plain organic and not grassfed. I would choose Kerry Gold over Organic Valley butter for this reason any day of the week.
Me too! Straus’ is also a very good choice if you cannot find raw; closed herd, grass fed, non homogenized and not ultra pasteurized, just pasteurized.
I probably need to go through my pantry again! I’ve been cooking real foods for 8 months now, but I know there are some “leftover” foods that are that old in there! Yikes! The funny thing is even before real food, I thought I was eating “homemade” but I used to use veg oil. I know there are some store bought raisins that have oils, sugars and chemicals added. All that needs to get out of my pantry!
Hi Sarah,
Would home made sprouted wheat pasta be bad also?