by Charlotte Louise Maguire

When your pantry is stocked with healthy staples, it is easy to make smart choices. The following list of non-perishable foods will provide a variety of convenient choices without breaking the bank or sabotaging your diet. These options will keep you feeling full and satisfied while providing optimum nutrition. Mix and match these 10 items to create a wide variety of healthy snacks and meals.

Beans: Slow cooked dry beans or quickly heated canned beans are a high-fiber, low-fat option. Beans come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes to keep things interesting. They represent one of the leanest proteins. For a quick, filling meal, sauteacute; and add to pasta, rice or stir fried vegetables.

Olive Oil: Full of the good kind of fats, olive oil is a vital pantry staple. Use a small drizzle of olive oil to stir fry vegetables, coat steaming pasta, or smear onto whole wheat bread for a quick and filling snack.

Almonds: Enjoy almonds on their own, mix with dried fruit, or toss on a salad for an extra bit of crunch. These nuts are full of good high-density lipoproteins and antioxidants like vitamin E. Their protein content helps you to feel full and ward off hunger. In addition, two tablespoons of almonds has 35 to 50 mg of calcium, and just 100 calories.