It’s happened to everybody. You come home from work with a rumble in your stomach only to find that the fridge is bare and the cupboards aren’t offering much either. Sure, you could let your fingers do the walking and call up that pizza place you have on speed dial, or just resort to having a bowl of cereal for dinner again. There’s a better way. By having a few staple items in your pantry with a long shelf life, you’ll always have a meal on hand even when your fridge isn’t cooperating. Check out our basic pantry staples list and quick dishes below, and you’ll rarely go hungry again.
With just a little bit of pre-planning, you can easily raid your pantry for quick meals. Here are just a few examples of what you can call "Pantry Math":
1 can of tuna + 1 can cream of mushroom + pasta + veggies of your choice = Tuna noodle casserole
1 onion + 2 cloves of garlic + olive oil + 1 can of diced tomatoes + basil and other spices + pasta = Spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce
1 can of chickpeas or salmon + salad + lemon juice and olive oil + herbs + wrap = Easy sandwich wraps
1 can of chickpeas + 1 can diced tomatoes + 1 onion + 2 cloves of garlic + rice + spices and herbs = Quick chickpea curry with rice
Try visiting Pinterest or do a quick search of the internet to discover quick pantry meals, and you can have yourself eating healthy, homecooked meals any day of the week without even breaking a sweat. What are some of your favorite go-to meals when it looks like the cupboard is bare? What else could you make with some of our pantry suggestions?