How to Set Up the Perfect Apartment Pantry

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.

Basic Pantry Items:

• Pasta – pick up a few types, such as spaghetti, elbows or rotini
• Rice – both brown and white come in handy
• Couscous – extremely easy to turn into a side dish or salad
• Quinoa – packed with protein and very healthy

Canned Items:

• Beans – try canned chickpeas, kidney and black beans
• Canned tomatoes – diced and whole peeled
• Nuts – great for a snack or sprinkling on salads
• Canned tuna and/or salmon – easy protein that can be used in many different ways
• Canned soup – handy for casseroles, sauces or even just a bowl of soup

Spices & Flavorings:

• Salt and Pepper – needed for pretty much everything you cook
• Olive oil – excellent all around oil for dressings, drizzles and frying
• Vinegar – great for dressings or pepping up the flavor of your dishes
• Herbs and spices – try growing a herb garden of your own as well as having some basics such as basil, oregano, thyme and cayanne pepper around

Extra Stuff:

• Garlic
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Frozen veggies
• Bagged salad
• Lemons and limes
• Tortillas or wraps
• Eggs

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?