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At the end of a long day, the last thing you want to do is play bumper carts down the aisles of the grocery store. But you still want to make a quick, easy dinner that's both satisfying and good for you.

The solution is as simple as stocking the cupboards with the right ingredients so you can always transform chicken, fish, tofu, or beef into a healthy dinner.

To find out what some of those foods are, we asked four renowned chefs -- Jody Adams, Mary Nearn, Michel Nischan, and Nora Pouillon -- plus famed nutritionist Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., to tell us what they keep on hand.

As we suspected, they have intrinsically wholesome staples in ready supply, including superfoods like walnuts, blueberries, and frozen spinach. But they also stock the seasonings they need -- citrus, mustards, organic oils -- to pack in flavor without adding too much fat and calories.

Some of their suggestions, like pomegranate molasses, might seem a bit exotic. Others, like garlic and beans, will have you taking a fresh look at the usuals. Either way, our experts' list of ingredients will ensure that you never have to sacrifice on nutrition or convenience.

First Published: April/May 2007