Below are a few items that will be your meal-making heroes on the bleakest of days. Then scroll down for some recipes that prove it and only require ONE dish to prepare... Some of them use only pantry ingredients!
- Canned and dry beans (black beans, kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas, etc.). Dry for when you have the time. Canned for those "I just can't" kind of days.
- Canned tomatoes. We're talking diced, crushed, sauce, and paste.
- Onions. Store in a cool, dark spot, and they'll keep for a couple months.
- Sweet potatoes and white potatoes. Same storage situation as with the onions.
- Garlic. For flavor.
- Pasta. Stock up when whole wheat pasta goes on sale!
- Grains (brown rice, quinoa, barley, whatever floats your boat).
- Broth. Chicken and vegetable broth are the most versatile.
- Dried fruit. You'd be surprised how much depth raisins, dates, or dried cranberries can add to a recipe. Plus they're a great snack for kiddos.
- Salsa. It's a great go-to for added flavor.
- Frozen peppers/onions. A quick replacement for the fresh versions.
- Frozen peas. Mix into soup, chili, pasta, casseroles... An easy way to add veggies.
- Frozen spinach. Another quick and easy way to add veggies to a meal.
- Shredded cheese and/or grated parmesan cheese. For sprinkling.
- Eggs. Want to kick your meal up a notch? Put an egg on it.
- Nonfat plain Greek Yogurt. A healthy go-to topping that tastes like sour cream!
Pantry Shopping List
Download a 2 week shopping list for pantry staples from ChooseMyPlate.gov.
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