Today’s post is by Kyrstie from A Fresh Legacy. A relatively new blog with fantastic content and Kyrstie recentl won the La Zuppa “What’s Your Flavour?” competition. It had the amazing prize of a trip to the Amalfi Coast in Italy, a four day cooking course in Sant’Agata sui due Golfi at the La Cucina del Gusto cooking school with stop overs in Rome and a host of other activities in between. You can see her winning recipe here – Chicken, Kumara & Corn Soup with Rocket Pesto.
***********
These are the 12 pantry essentials that I always have on hand to ensure I can produce a meal in a hurry, or without a trip to the shops.
They are all simple ingredients. They combine well to make numerous meals so that if there really is nothing else to add, you have many options. If you keep these ingredients on hand you will always be able to pull together a meal to satisfy the family.
It can be a challenge at the end of a busy day to see what ends up on the table with only a limited number of ingredients on hand!
My 12 Pantry Essentials:
- I buy flour, herbs, tinned tomatoes and pasta in bulk.
- I replace these items as they are used to maintain a constant buffer.
- If one of my essential items is on sale I buy as many, or as much as I can store in my little pantry.
I have grouped the ingredients as:
Essential Base Ingredients:
- Dry Pasta
- Easy Tuna Bake
- Pasta Amatriciana
- Rosemary and Lemon Pasta
- In addition to pasta dishes, add dry pasta to soup, bakes, or in a salad
- Tinned tomatoes
- Curried tomatoes, sauce for a pie or pasta, pizza topping
- Potatoes
- Potato salad, or potato bake, as base for a pie, frittata, pizza topping
- Puff Pastry
- Pesto and Garden Vegetable Squares
- Base of a pie, tart or omelette, wrap vegetable ingredients, or as a simple base to top with your favourite ingredients
- Flour
- Pizza, bread, tortillas, crepes, pancakes, thickening agent for sauces
- Eggs
- Omelette, frittata, healthy mini quiche
Due to the long storage life of base ingredients they can be purchased and stored in large quantities, with the exception of the eggs.
Essential Flavour Ingredients:
- Dried herbs and spices
- Fresh Garlic
- Bacon (or chorizo if you prefer)
- Suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner
- Lemons
- Frozen ice cubes when out of season
- Preserved
- Tinned Tuna
I also always have lemon and garlic available as I use them in most dishes I prepare. I like to use garlic for its health benefits and lemons for the freshness they bring to the dish. I love that lemons can be used in their entirety – zest and juice. When they are in season I try to stock pile them, juicing a quantity to freeze in ice cube trays. I cube is equal to about 1 tablespoon of juice. I also preserve a few jars to use throughout the year. I then use it through the months that imported lemons are available in the stores.
Essential Toppings:
- Cheese – feta, parmesan and tasty
- Add as topping for pasta
- Add to salads
- Use for sauces and in pies and bakes
- A handy snack item to have for unexpected visitors
This is my list of basics that I keep on hand. Nicole has developed some comprehensive extended lists to help keep your pastry and fridge well stocked at all times.
Sign up to the Planning With Kids Newsletter to receive Guide ✼ Plan ✼ Check ✓ as a free download. As part of the Guide ✼ Plan ✼ Check ✓ download, there are individual checklists for the pantry, fridge and freezer as well as other guides and checklists that are useful for the home.
Do you keep a stockpile of essentials in your pantry? Do you have any others I should add?