Sometimes it’s tricky coming up with a new idea for meals each and every day. Most of us take on that responsibility and have different ways to approach it.
You may meal plan, batch cook and freeze, use a service like SupperWorks, eat out more than you prefer, or cook something new and wing the menu each day (I tend to fall into the later).
Because I often decide on a meal the morning we eat it (although admittedly, the meals are based on what I find when grocery shopping), it means that some days, when the grocery shopping was done days before, I am winging it completely with a smaller fridge and pantry selection than usual.
But I’ve come to discover a few items that I keep around in order to always be able to make something in a pinch. Let’s pretend you always keep some rice, pasta and a few other basics around. These are a few ingredients that can elevate any of those items in a pinch! Here they are:
Green Olives and Roasted Red Peppers (jarred):
Not only can you buy these both in jars and keep in the pantry, but then they get put in the fridge and last a long time even when opened. It’s rare to use them all up at once, so they last for multiple meals.
Why do I like having them around so much? Because thrown together on a piece of flat bread or pita with olive oil and cheese and they make a quick pizza. Added to eggs they are perfect in an omelet, and tossed with chicken they go in the slow cooker beautifully. Plus, you can use them for pasta and so many other items! Supper options become nearly endless.
Coconut Milk
Use coconut milk to make rice, to add to pasta, to make a quick curry or sauce for rice noodles and so on. You can also whip up a quick soup. Definitely handy.
Garlic
Fresh garlic may seem like such a basic, and for some boring, item, but it’s a flavour base that can help many meals. Garlic and butter with shrimp (keep some in the freezer!) is so classic and simple we sometimes forget it’s worth. Toss in pasta or make a quick salad dressing that is all kinds of garlicky. Many flavour bases can start just by adding garlic.
Canned Salmon
Salmon in a can is such a great item for the pantry (and yes, there are BPA free cans to be found!). Aside from something as simple as a salmon sandwich, you can make salmon and peas on toast or salmon cakes quickly with one can of salmon. Definitely worth keeping some around!
Do you have items that you keep in the pantry because you know you can make something quick out of them? Share below!
