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If you ever need healthy living inspo, just scroll through Stefanie Jung’s Instagram. Her feed is as vibrant and sunshine-y as her personality, with colourful bowls of food and yoga poses. The German-born, Sydney-based holistic health coach calls herself a “self love cheerleader,” and it stems from her experience with disordered eating. And now? She’s found balance. She eats healthily not because she feels she has to in order to “sustain a certain size,” but because it makes her feel good. Stef says that fuelling her body with wholefoods helps her to be the best version of herself. We couldn’t agree more! Here’s what we learnt when we looked into her pantry…
1. Buy nuts and seeds in bulk
Stef sprinkles nuts and seeds into a lot of her meals, so she prefers to buy them in bulk. Not only is this more budget-friendly, but it also has an extra feel-good factor: it cuts down on her plastic usage. She scores all the eco-chic points from us!
2. Choose your peanut butter wisely
Most commercial peanut butters lining the supermarket shelves are loaded with a long list of ingredients, like artificial preservatives. That’s why Stef loves Pic’s Peanut Butter. The brand is all-natural, and the nutrition label has exactly one ingredient: peanuts! In her (and our) mind, that’s the way it should be.
3. Stock up on mini sachets
When you peek into Stef’s pantry, you’ll see mini sachets of nuts and seeds, granola, and so on. She likes to pack her own healthy snacks for travelling, and these sachets make it easy for her to grab-and-go before she leaves.
4. Flavour your food with spices and seasonings
Stef’s spice rack is the stuff of foodie dreams. Along with the usual dried herbs and spices, she buys Mingle’s pre-packaged seasonings (and she says there’s no reason not to do that!). They tick all of her nutritional boxes: they’re natural, preservative-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and low in sodium. There are a range of flavours on offer, and two of her favourites are Sienna, a garlic and herb combo with a little kick, and Sofia, a spicy Mexican mix of garlic, onion, chilli pepper, cumin, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, oregano and parsley.
5. Kick-start your metabolism with cayenne
If Stef had a number one spice, we’re guessing it would be cayenne. Made from ground chilli peppers, cayenne is amazing for digestion and revving up the metabolism. She buys the Simply Organic version. Every morning, she sips on a glass of hot water with a squeeze of lemon, fresh ginger, and a pinch of cayenne to give her the boost she needs to tackle her day.
6. Eat to suit your mood
When we reached the grains part of her pantry, Stef brought up an interesting point: it’s important to eat what your body is craving. For example, in winter, she was obsessed with whipping up a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. It’s warming and nourishing, and hit the spot on those chilly days. Speaking of oats, she also buys them in bulk for the same reasons: it’s cheaper and reduces plastic use.
7. Experiment with non-dairy milks
Stef steers clear of dairy, and opts for nutritious, plant-based milks. Beyond almond milk (which she likes to pour in her morning oats), she has Pure Harvest’s Almond Quench – and pea milk. The newest non-dairy milk on the block, pea milk is vegan and free from nuts, lactose, soy and gluten. It’s also high in protein, calcium and B12, which – according to our research – many vegetarians are lacking because it’s usually found in animal products. Oh, and don’t worry: it doesn’t taste like peas! If you’re keen to try it, the brand Stef buys is Like Milk.
8. Use apple cider vinegar to calm inflammation
This has been a pretty common theme in our pantry series. Health professionals love apple cider vinegar! Stef says it’s a brilliant anti-inflammatory and immunity booster. As a bonus, it helps with digestion, too. Usually, she adds a little ACV to her morning lemon water, but you can also enjoy it with plain water.
