Staple crops aren’t just your cheap empty calories. Legumes, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, soybeans, onions, and some very healthy grains are all staple crops. Even the humble potato is fine, though many preparations of it are unhealthy. Take this soup:

• Lentils
• Carrots
• Onions
• Celery
• Potatoes
• Beans
• Vegetable broth made from the odds and ends
• Herbs & spices