I was wondering what everyone's top 5--8 foods are to keep around the house --preparation for when you get home starving, need to bring a snack for the car, etc.

Here's some of what I keep:
Puffins cereal
Laughing Cow low fat wedges (1 pt. each on WW)
Wasa crackers
Friendship 1% whipped cottage cheese
skim milk
prepped vegetables (bagged salads, pepper strips, baby carrots, etc.
apples and bananas
cans of low sodium V-8 juice

Elana, I have most of what you have, minus the crackers and V8, and my veggies are not prepped In addition, I always have:

oatmeal
walnuts (and sometimes other nuts)
brown rice
ww bread
ww (or multi-grain) pasta
canned tomatoes
boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts
eggs

Plus I grow and freeze my own raspberries, strawberries, and lots of veggies.

Unfortunately, I have a skinny skinny DH who's usually trying to gain, so my larder also has full fat yogurt, premium ice cream, peanut butter, etc.

Here's my list of essential food to always have around.
Eggs
Low Carb whole wheat bread
Low Carb whole wheat tortillas
Oatmeal
Lettuce
Tomato
Cucumber
Onions
Pickles
Peanut Butter
Boneless Chicken breasts
Cheese
String Cheese
Fruit
Skim milk

Here are my essentials:
- fresh fruit, whatever is in season at farmers market
- cucumbers, radishes, and tomatoes (if in season)
- lettuce
- onions
- red or green bell peppers (or italian peppers, if available at farmers market)
- nonfat yogurt
- nuts or nut/dried fruit mix
- whole wheat or fat free English muffins
- fat free cream cheese
- low calorie bread
- peanut butter and jelly
- canned tuna/salmon
- canned tomatoes
- cereal and oatmeal
- granola bars
- low calorie energy bars
- microwave popcorn
- pickles or pickled veggies
- soy crisps or other low calorie crackers (ah, I long for Trader Joe's banana crisps)
- sugar free candy
- low calorie pudding

Things I keep in stock for emergency dinners
- chicken sausage
- Trader Joe's salmon patties
- pork tenderloin
- canned corn and beans
- whole wheat pasta and low calorie pasta sauce
- turkey meatballs

- Barbara

For snacking:
Cheerios
Kashi TLC granola-type bars
Bananas
Other fruit
Yogurt

For lunches:
Baby carrots
Cut-up cauliflower
V8 Juice
Cans of ready-made soups
Peanut butter
Whole wheat bread

For dinners:
Chicken breast, green and red bell peppers, and onion which we make up with spice packets into fajitas, szechuan stir fry, or once in a while an Indian inspired dish. Rice and tortillas to go with as needed.
Frozen stuffed pasta
Jarred pasta sauce
Bags of salad (usually spinach mixture)
Broccoli
Garlic, olive oil, spices, cheeses, salsa (I use cheese and oil sparingly)

We have other stuff too, but that is the most common. I will also make a big batch of something beany (lentil soup, brown rice w/ chili beans and salsa) portion it up and store it in the freezer.

Anne

Here's my list:

fat free cottage cheese (I do like that Friendship one, but only one store here carries it!)
lots and lots of eggs (the yolks go down the drain)
various protein powders
oatmeal
brown rice
sweet potatoes
low carb whole grain tortillas
Fiber One cereal
chicken boobies
canned tuna
tilapia
salmon
pork tenderloin
romaine
spinach
red peppers
green peppers
carrots
onions
cabbage
apples
peaches, strawberries, blueberries and cherries either frozen or fresh in season
non-fat yogurt
fat free cheddar cheese
grated romano cheese
garlic
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salsa
natural peanut butter when I can be trusted

Mel

Gads, I forgot the freezer FULL of salmon that I have. We should be eating it every day at this rate.

I've heard about this product but have never seen it. Is it like they put the CC through a mixer - totally smooth? Where do you get it?

Just off the top of my head...I'm sure I'm forgetting things.

For quick meals, I usually always have the ingredients for the following on hand at any time:

Omelettes
Veggie tacos (veggie burger, tortillas, cheese, spinach leaves, salsa)
Veggie burger
Stir fry
Toast with peanut butter
Pasta/sauce
Hummus
Soup/sandwich
Indian fare meals over brown rice

For snacks, I usually rely on:

Fruit
Nuts
String cheese
Microwave popcorn

Frig/freezer

Whole wheat tortillas
Spinach
Fruit (whatever is in season)
Favorite salad dressing
low fat cheese
Stir fry sauce
Low fat mayo
Pickles
Jam
Salsa
Jarred garlic
Wasabi
Mustard
String cheese
Lemon juice
Eggs
Veggie burgers
Veggie crumbles
Frozen brown rice (a LIFE saver)
Frozen whole grain hamburger buns (have to freeze them, can't eat a package fast enough)
Frozen veggies (usually a package of stir fry veggies, just in case)
Trader Joe's Shrimp Stir Fry (healthy and ready to go, if I need something quick and easy)
Frozen fruit (berries, mango, pineapple chunks)
Frozen salmon patties


Pantry

Whole grain pasta
Whole grain bread
Olive oil
Canned tomatoes
Canned tuna/salmon
Canned beans (black, kidney, garbanzo)
Sun dried tomatoes
Jarred artichoke hearts
Onions
Soy sauce
Spices (tons)
Smart Pop Kettle Corn snack packs
Various nuts (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts)
Dried blueberries
Natural peanut butter
Whole grain crackers
Honey
Pacific Brand roasted red pepper/tomato soup
Oatmeal
Indian Fare ready to go Indian meals (get these at Trader Joe's they are FABULOUS)

Ginny- the only store where I've found Friendship cottage cheese is Wegman's. I thought it tasted terrible at first, but now I love it. But I hate shopping at Wegman's because it is a zoo here.

Mel

Wow, I am so glad I started this thread because I've gotten great new ideas from it. I hate getting into those food ruts--another day, another big salad with hard-boiled egg, another day, another veggie burrito, yawn. Now I can kiss those ruts good-bye!

I get my Friendship cheese at Whole Foods and occ. a mainstream market carries it. The whipped kind is very thick so it won't fall of a bagel or get soupy if you put fresh fruit in it. That's why I like it so much.

Thanks again to everyone for this help.