How to Stock Your Kitchen to Create Tasty & Nutritious Toasts in 5 Minutes - With 3 Go-To Toast Formulas!
I’m a huuuuuge fan of toasts because they’re a delicious and nutritious breakfast or snack that I can assemble in just 5 minutes - as long as I have some pantry/freezer staples stocked! While I eat avocado, hummus, and nut butter toasts on repeat, varying up the toppings keeps them novel so I never grow tired of them. And since toast toppings are so versatile, I find myself constantly experimenting with different flavors and ingredients! While I rely on a few staple pantry/fridge ingredients year round,I try to mix in fresh seasonal ingredients whenever possible.
To guarantee a tasty snack or breakfast is always within reach, keeping a few staple ingredients stocked in your pantry/freezer is key. So let’s break down the essential toast components to stock in your kitchen!
(Note: I linked sources for nutritional info throughout this post!)
Stock the Essentials
1. Base: Sliced Ezekiel Bread
Stock your freezer with bread so you’re always ready to make toast! Although any pre-sliced bread will work, I love Ezekiel bread because it’s packed with nutrients, vitamins, protein, and fiber - and it tastes great! A slice of Ezekiel bread is actually a complete protein on its own, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids, because it’s made with sprouted grains and legumes! 🤯(If you can find it, Ezekiel’s flax bread is my fave because of the added flax seeds. 🥰)
Stocking your freezer with sliced Ezekiel ensures toast is always an option, but nothing beats fresh loaf of sourdough from your local bakery (or homemade)!
2. Spreads
Nut Butters
Nut (or seed!) butters are the essential spread to stock your pantry with. They’re shelf stable, so even if you find yourself without any fresh spreads or ingredients (like hummus, avocado, fresh fruit, greens, etc.), you’ll always be able to fall back on a nut butter toast with some frozen/thawed fruit, hemp/chia seeds, and cacao nibs. Although specific nutritional info depends on the seeds or nuts that each butter is made from, nut and seed butters all contain (varying levels of) protein and healthy fats, which are essential for keeping you full longer!
So stock your faves! Keep it classic with some single ingredient peanut or almond butter, or go wild with any of the endless options - cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, mixed nut or nut & seed butters, etc. I always keep homemade spiced almond butter and CB’s Nuts Creamunchy peanut butter (my fave!) in my pantry.
Pro tip: if you opt for store bought butters, be sure to always check the ingredients on the nutrition label to avoid any added sugars or oils!
Avocados
Avocados are loaded with potassium, fiber, and healthy fats and you already know they’re delicious. 😋 So pick up an avocado or two on your next grocery run and be sure to check its ripeness every day so you can use it on toast whenever it hits peak ripeness!
Hummus
The next time you make (or buy) some hummus, stock some extra in the fridge for toasts! Unlike avocados, hummus stays fresh longer than those 5 minutes when an avocado is perfectly ripe, making it a fresh spread option that keeps for a few days in the fridge. Plus, hummus contains fiber, protein (chickpeas!), healthy fats (tahini!), and lots of vitamins and minerals!
3. Toppings
Frozen Fruit (or Fresh When Available!)
I rely heavily on frozen fruit for sweet toasts when fresh berries, stone fruit, or apples are out of season. (Sorry, but out of season grocery store berries taste like plastic. 😭) I keep frozen blueberries and raspberries around because they thaw well, which hasn’t been my experience with all frozen fruits. They’re also a great way to boost antioxidant and fiber intake. Blueberries are an antioxidant powerhouse, while raspberries pack 8g of fiber per cup! Both berries are delicious on toasts, especially when paired with fresh bananas!
Fresh Bananas
Bananas are my year round go-to fruit for topping toasts! They contain fiber, potassium, and various other important nutrients and vitamins, and they’re the perfect pairing for the nut butters in your pantry! I still haven’t managed to get tired of the nut butter+banana toast combo since it's so easy to vary with berries, cacao nibs, walnuts, granola, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, spices, etc.!
Chia & Hemp Seeds
I sprinkle chia and/or hemp seeds on top of every single toast - without exception - because it’s an easy way to boost nutrient intake! Hemp and chia seeds are both rich in vitamins, minerals, healthy fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), and protein. Chia seeds are particularly high in fiber, and hemp seeds are particularly high in protein. (And did you know that hemp seeds are one of the few complete sources of vegan proteins?). With all the added nutrition they pack, don’t be afraid to sprinkle them on your toasts liberally!
Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
Pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds!) are high in protein, zinc, antioxidants, and iron. They’re so delicious that they can stand as a primary topping on their own!
Pro tip: toast pepitas before adding them to your toasts to maximize flavor!
Cacao Nibs
Cacao nibs are one of my favorite toppings because they’re chocolate-y without any added sweetness! 😍They’re also crunchy and quite bitter, which counterbalances the sweetness of fruit nicely. They’re also rich in minerals and antioxidants, and they add fiber, protein, and healthy fats to anything you sprinkle them on!
Fresh Sprouts or Greens
Boost your toast nutrition even more with some fresh sprouts and greens! Broccoli sprouts in particular are my faves because they contain sulforaphane, which is believed to prevent inflammation that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's (read more about it here). But any sprouts will add their own flavors and nutrients!
If you can’t find sprouts, arugula is widely available and very tasty! It’s peppery, and like other greens, it packs protein, fiber, and various vitamins.
Spices & Seasonings
You may already have lots of spices in your kitchen that you can play around with! If not, stocking some black pepper, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg will go a long way in spicing up your toasts.
Flakey Maldon Sea Salt
A sprinkling of flakey sea salt can really boost flavor, especially when paired with avocado. 🤤
Beyond the Essentials
Now that you’ve got your essential base, spreads, and toppings stocked, you can come up with endless toast combos by varying up the toppings! You don’t need any of these to make a killer toast, but if you’re looking for novelty, try experimenting with spices, dried fruit, fresh herbs, other greens, etc.! Here are some of my go-to toppings:
Pantry items:
Nuts - especially walnuts and almonds
Seeds - sesame and sunflower seeds
Raw shredded coconut - sprinkle it on toasts raw or toast it beforehand!
Chocolate chips - I love the dark chocolate morsels from Enjoy Life
Granola
Dried fruit - raisins, cherries, Goji berries
Medjool dates - here’s a storage guide depending on whether your dates are fresh, dried, or semi-dried!
Additional nut or seed butters for drizzling on top, like tahini or chocolate hazelnut spread (i.e. vegan Nutella!)
Fruit jams or compotes
Sweeteners - date syrup or maple syrup
Sherry vinegar - I love this on hummus toast!
Crispy chickpeas
Fresh ingredients:
Seasonal fruit - berries, apples, stone fruit, etc.
Herbs - mint, basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, etc.
Fresh veggies - tomatoes, radishes, etc.
Others:
Plant-based cheese spreads like ricotta
Tofu - scrambled tofu is amazing on toast!
Pickled veggies - sauerkraut, pickled red onions, pickled fennel, kimchi (if store-bought, be sure to check that it’s vegan as some brands use bone broth), etc.
Building Toasts with 3 Go-To Formulas
Now that you’ve got your freezer stocked with Ezekiel bread, your pantry loaded with nut butters/cacao nibs/seeds, and some fresh ingredients in the fridge, let’s build some toasts!
I generally think of toasts like this:
Bread
Base spread - nut butters, avocado, hummus, etc.
Topping(s) - fruit, greens, sprouts, toasted seeds, etc.
Flavoring toppings - condiments, spices, coconut, sea salt, cacao nibs, etc.
Nutrition boost - a final sprinkling of hemp and/or chia seeds 💪
Here are three easy formulas based on this breakdown, which all contain healthy fats, protein, and carbs!
1. Nut Butter Toast
Nut butter toast = Ezekiel bread + nut butter + banana + berries + cacao nibs + hemp & chia seeds
The toast combo of nut butter + sliced banana + berries is easily my most repeated! I love switching off between the combos of 1) almond butter with raspberries and 2) peanut butter with blueberries, keeping everything else the same! Plus the cacao nibs add crunch and some chocolatey bitterness that pairs magically with berries and bananas. 🥰
Pro tip: if you run out of berries, sprinkle some cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg in their place for a different flavoring element!
2. Hummus Toast
Hummus toast = Ezekiel bread + hummus + tomato + microgreens/greens + spices/condiments + hemp seeds
Spread some hummus, sprinkle on cumin, add a tomato slice and some sort of greens (I used arugula), top with hemp seeds and a final sprinkling of Sherry vinegar (if you have it)! Or switch out the arugula for some microgreens and the tomato slice for some grape/cherry tomatoes. Don’t have any fresh ingredients around? Just top your hummus with some seeds or spices (Za’atar would be great!) and any extra condiments (like vinegar or EVOO)!
3. Avocado Toast
Avocado toast = Ezekiel bread + smashed avocado + toasted pepitas + sprouts + spice(s) + flakey sea salt + hemp seeds
Tough to beat the classic avo toast, isn’t it? I love topping mine with toasted pepitas and broccoli sprouts, Maldon sea salt flakes, smoked paprika, and a sprinkling of hemp seeds. But vary up your avo toast up with whatever toppings you’re into! Pickled red onions and strawberries are some of my faves (on their own - not together! 😂).
These formulas are great starting points, but experiment with ingredients and run wild with your toasts! Maybe add a drizzle of hazelnut chocolate spread on that nut butter toast, or try swapping the berries with walnuts, dates, or granola! Or top your hummus toast with crispy chickpeas, or maybe pair fresh strawberries with basil on that avocado toast!
The limit does not exist! I’d love to see your toast re-creations and combos, so tag me in your posts on Instagram (@teostinykitchen) or drop a comment below! And if you’re looking for more toast inspo, I share more toast ideas on Instagram regularly.