I love using them in recipes to give a bit of added flavor and color. And I even show you how to can diced tomatoes yourself if you want to try that. PASTA SAUCE I know making your own pasta sauce is pretty easy, but since I can buy it so inexpensively, I prefer to just do that.
Pasta sauce is great for a quick meal of meatball subs, pizza, spaghetti or, lasagna to mention just a few. KETCHUP, MUSTARD, MAYO Okay, so maybe I should have listed these 3 things separately. I use many more condiments than these, but these are the three that I think every kitchen should for sure stock.
BREAD I typically make my own bread , but it is something that I always keep on hand. We often use it to make sandwiches for lunch, toast it to eat with eggs and occasionally use it in recipes like my Cheeseburger Casserole too! TORTILLAS I use these all the time to make enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas and wraps.
In fact, these Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps are one of my favorite quick meals! And these easy recipes with tortillas are also great as well. ONIONS GARLIC I use both of these items regularly to inexpensively add extra flavor to lots of different recipes. Of course, you can always freeze them too , if you prefer.
CARROTS These are not only a great addition to many soups, but they also make a healthy snack or side dish. POTATOES Super versatile! You can use them in soups, casseroles, breakfast dishes or side dishes.
A few of our favorite potato recipes are Creamy Sausage and Potatoes , Cream Cheese Potato Soup with Ham , and Country Potato Soup.
BUTTER This is probably the one thing that might seem iffy to put on a frugal pantry list. Plus, I love using it to make these easy Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits! SOUR CREAM I like to keep this on hand to use in soups, to make homemade dips and to use in several casserole recipes as well. But , since I cook almost entirely from scratch, I do end up using it quite a bit even so.
Just a little bit can make a lettuce salad, tuna salad sandwiches or refried bean quesadillas so much yummier! And we love these White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches! FROZEN VEGGIES Often much cheaper than fresh veggies, the other handy thing about frozen ones is that they last much longer!
I use them a lot as a side dish and also in recipes like my Easy Chicken Pot Pie , Cheesy Ham, Potato and Green Bean Bake and Easy Vegetable Beef Soup.
CHICKEN Probably the cheapest kind of meat there is and super versatile too! A few chicken recipes that we enjoy: Herb Roasted Chicken and Potatoes , One Pan Chicken and Rice , Creamy Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken. In casseroles or soups, I often can get by with using less than the amount called for.
A few ground beef recipes that we really like: Crockpot Tamale Pie and Super Easy Sloppy Joes. It helps me be frugal because I can buy in bulk when food is on sale becoming less and less, it seems, these days , portion it and freeze for later.
Yes, I love stocking up and freezing items that are on sale too! Such a great way to save. I so agree with you. We have worn out many vacuum food sealers over the years. Our son upgraded so he can vacuum seal whole chickens raised on his property.
We opted for a slightly smaller model and use it daily. when canning diced tomatoes can I pressure can them in stead of water bath? If so how long to pressure can? Yes, you can definitely pressure can them! As for how long, it will depend on your pressure canner and altitude.
I would look in the instruction manual that came with the pressure canner and go by what it says there. I would follow that. Tomatoes also freeze well! Either whole or diced or roasted. Consider that especially when your garden is at its peak.
I would add celery to that list as I use it in making stews. Onions, carrots and celery is your mirre poir for all basic stews. Yes, celery is a great pantry staple, for sure! Never heard of strained tomatoes but canned tomato products of any kind are handy to have, I think.
This is one of my favorite ways to save on cheese too. Great list! A tip on keeping garlic longer — I buy the 3 packs of bulbs from Aldi and immediately put them in a small ziplock kept in the freezer.
It keeps a long time that way!!! Ready to mince, etc. I also keep Panko bread crumbs in the freezer as I use them in a variety of recipes.
Lime juice gets used in marinades, etc. and lemon juice is frequently used as well, not only desserts, but certain salad dressings too. Final note, this is not going to work for everyone, but try to hunt out whether or not there is a good local butcher shop in your area. Or at least within reasonable driving distance.
I make a few trips a year and stock the freezer with various meats. Got a great deal on those and they worked just fine for recipes that called for bacon bits or a bit of chopped bacon — just froze them and pulled out what I needed. I never knew you could freeze garlic!
That is totally going to change my life. This essential pantry items list not only tells you what should be in a well stocked pantry, but gives you plenty of ideas on how to use those pantry staples for healthy eating, too.
Keep your pantry stocked with these basics, so you'll never be far from a simple, healthy meal. Make paleo cooking simple and tasty with this special paleo guide to pantry essentials. This vegetarian pantry essentials guide shows all the basics you need to keep vegetarian cooking quick, simple, and delicious.
This special gluten-free guide includes the basics needed to make gluten-free cooking easy and just as satisfying. Grains can add texture, bulk, and comfort to any dish. Cauliflower rice is a great low-carb, low-cal alternative to normal rice, and very easy to make. See how easy it is to build a tasty, satisfying and healthy vegetarian whole grain bowl!
When you have nothing else planned, pasta is the most reliable back meal. A spiralizer is a great tool to help you make vegetable noodles, which make a great paleo, gluten-free, or low-carb alternative to traditional pasta.
If you become a member, you can shop from their great collection of products, which includes lots of gluten-free and paleo pantry essentials , all year long.
Get Your Free Almond Butter. Dried or canned, legumes are a healthy, versatile and inexpensive vegetarian protein to have around. Get your daily requirement of protein with a variety of vegetarian protein sources, which usually contain more fiber and cost less than animal protein sources.
I acknowledge by requesting this info, I'll be added to Cook Smarts' newsletter list. I can unsubscribe at any time. Flours and breading ensure that baked goods and crunchy breaded goodies can always be readily made. Canned fish are inexpensive, already cooked, and usually full of healthy fats.
Canned tomatoes, coconut milk, broths, stocks, and bouillons transform into bases for many meals. They can be the foundation for sauces, braises, and soups. Oils are often our most used pantry essential, with many recipes starting with heating oil, which is the start of many cooking techniques.
Keep one high smoke-point oil as your all-purpose oil, so you can use it for both cooking and raw applications. Become a better cook by understanding all about oils and how to cook with this ingredient that is used in everyday cooking.
Vinegars are the foundation of vinaigrettes, which are easy sauces to pour on anything not just salads! Vinaigrettes are a wonderful way to dress up not just salads, but proteins and vegetables too, and they're very easy to make.
Learn how to make a quick and easy herb sauce to add flavor to any meal. Try Coconut Aminos for Free. Get Your Free Avocado Mayo. Ethnic bases and sauces can easily be turned into quick, flavorful dinners just by adding your choice of proteins and veggies.
It can also help draw out liquids in veggies for less-soggy cooking. Sweeteners are not just for baked goods. A little sweetness helps balance out savory meals and tart vinaigrettes. Our Flavor Star infographic below teaches more about balancing flavors.
Spice up your meals and add flavor to your meals with this handy spice chart. Dried and fresh herbs can add earthy aroma and another layer of flavor to any dish. Learn how to flavor your cooking with our Guide to Fresh Herbs infographic below. Learn how to store herbs so that they'll stay fresher longer and last you for many recipes.
So many meals start with a medley of aromatics, which can add depth and aroma. Learn how to use aromatics to add flavor and depth with our Guide to Aromatics below. Cheeses can be added to an assortment of dishes for vegetarian protein as well as ooey, gooey goodness.
If you have eggs on hand, you can have a meal in under 5 minutes! Although butter should be used sparingly, they also add a richness to dishes that can make them feel special.
Get Your Free Ghee. Keeping a stock of frozen proteins means you always have something to cook after the simple act of defrosting. Everything you need to know about how to properly store food in your freezer. Watch how we defrost frozen shrimp when we need it for tonight's dinner.
Plus it can save prepping time and allows you to easily include veggies in every meal. Most starches freeze easily, which means they never have to go bad and you can always have them at-the-ready. Keep your freezer stocked with Top 10 Freezer-Friendly Meals so you'll never stress about dinner.
This helps us continue our mission of delivering lots of smart cooking info to you, all for free. Your Pantry Essentials Guide This essential pantry items list not only tells you what should be in a well stocked pantry, but gives you plenty of ideas on how to use those pantry staples for healthy eating, too.
Infographic Pantry Essentials Guide. Infographic Paleo Pantry Essentials Guide. Infographic Vegetarian Pantry Essentials Guide. Infographic Gluten-Free Pantry Essentials Guide. Grains Grains can add texture, bulk, and comfort to any dish.
WHAT TO STOCK: Whole grains — farro, barley, brown rice, steel cut oats learn more about whole grains with our infographic Guide to Whole Grains Quicker-cooking grains — white rice, quinoa, rolled oats, couscous DIET SPECIFIC: Gluten-free — While many grains are gluten-free, some like barley, couscous, and farro are not.
Paleo — Since grains are not part of the paleo diet, stock cauliflower, which can be pulsed and turned into cauliflower rice see our how-to video below.
Cauliflower rice is not just for paleo folks! It also freezes well, so make a larger batch to freeze for a future meal.
Video How to Make Cauliflower Rice Cauliflower rice is a great low-carb, low-cal alternative to normal rice, and very easy to make. Video How to Build a Vegetarian Whole Grain Bowl See how easy it is to build a tasty, satisfying and healthy vegetarian whole grain bowl!
Pastas When you have nothing else planned, pasta is the most reliable back meal. WHAT TO STOCK: Stock all your favorite Italian pastas but try other ethnic varieties, like Asian rice noodles, buckwheat soba noodles, Israeli couscous, and orzo. DIET SPECIFIC: Gluten-free — Stores now stock so many gluten-free pastas made of rice, quinoa, and even beans.
Experiment until you find your favorite type and brand. When buying Asian rice noodles and buckwheat soba noodles, which are usually gluten-free, check the packaging to make sure they are for sure.
Paleo — Since pastas are not part of the paleo diet, purchase a spiralizer and turn your favorite veggies like sweet potatoes and zucchini into veggie noodles see our how-to video below. Video How to Make Vegetable Noodles with a Spiralizer A spiralizer is a great tool to help you make vegetable noodles, which make a great paleo, gluten-free, or low-carb alternative to traditional pasta.
WHAT TO STOCK: Keep your favorites on hand, such as almonds, cashews, peanuts technically a legume , pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts. Stock your favorite nut butters as well. Branch out from the typical peanut butter and try something that works for everyone, such as almond butter, which is gluten-free and paleo.
Legumes Dried or canned, legumes are a healthy, versatile and inexpensive vegetarian protein to have around. WHAT TO STOCK: Stock all your favorites — black, black-eyed peas, cannellini, garbanzo, kidney, lentils, split peas, pinto DIET SPECIFIC: Paleo — Avoid this whole section, since legumes are not paleo-friendly!
To cook dried beans, put them in a slow cooker with 3x the water, and a few bay leaves for 3 hours on high. Learn more with our Guide to Vegetarian Protein Sources :.
Infographic Guide to Vegetarian Protein Sources Get your daily requirement of protein with a variety of vegetarian protein sources, which usually contain more fiber and cost less than animal protein sources.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Seeds Seeds can add healthy fat, protein, fiber and texture to a variety of meals. what to stock: Crunchy seeds like sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds aka pepitas for adding to salads, soups, or even tacos.
Finer seeds like hemp, flax, or chia for smoothies, baked goods, granola, or oatmeal. what to stock: Flours — all-purpose flour and any other varieties you enjoy baking with, like buckwheat and whole-wheat Breading — panko and breadcrumbs can be used to bread a variety of veggies and proteins Thickeners — cornstarch, arrowroot powder diet specific: Gluten-free — Stores now stock so many gluten-free flours made primarily of beans, nuts, and vegetable starches.
For breading, look for gluten-free panko or breadcrumbs or make your own from gluten-free bread. Paleo — Since wheat-based flours are not paleo, look for almond and coconut flours.
They are not exact substitutes for wheat-based flours, so do follow paleo-specific recipes.
DRIED HERBS | SPICES CHICKEN STOCK | BOUILLON VINEGAR
Vudolkree 
