One thing this COVID-19 pandemic taught me was to be prepared for anything. The shopping habit of people changed quite a lot in the last few years… who needs that much toilet paper! Setting humor aside, one thing I learned was to do more with less, especially for meal creation. To succeed, I focused on my pantry.
Before, I never put so much emphasis on my pantry. When it came time to make my weekly meal plan and prep, I would look at what was available and run to the grocery store to gather what was missing. That all changed with the pandemic. Reduce business hours, waiting lines and curfew restrictions (I’m on Montreal South Shore), made it a logistic nightmare! So, I decided that, going forward, my pantry shall always have the 5 following items:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Oats
- Canned goods
- Legumes
1. Pasta
Pasta can be used in multiple ways. You have left over veggies but no leafy greens? Take pasta, your veggies, and add on a dressing –BANG, pasta salad!
You can also use it to make a quick classic meal… lasagna, meaty spaghetti, or macaroni, etc.
Smaller pasta can be a great add-on to any homemade soup
Whatever and however it is being used, pasta remain a great staple to have in your pantry
2. Rice
We discovered how flexible rice can be during the pandemic. Just like pasta, they can easily be used for salad base or as a great add on to any homemade soup. They also can make for a great side dish to any meal.
Some of the best versatilities of rice is that it can be used as a thickening agent or as a binding agent which makes it a great staple to have on hand at all time.
3. Oats
Muffins, cookies, breads… or a nice old fashion oatmeal breakfast! Do I need to say more?
4. Canned goods
Useful, versatile and with a huge range of variety, canned goods are something you should always have on hand. Meats, fruits, vegetables, soups, beans, legumes… and I could go on and on with the immense variety you can add to your pantry. To be used for your own creations or if you need a quick easy meal when your day is just not going as planned, canned goods are amazing!
5. Legumes
Great source of protein, legumes come in canned or dry goods. They can be used in soups, as a base for salad, just use your imagination… take my Lentil Burger for example! They can also be easily transformed in microgreens with a little effort, time, and water. We have been experimenting on that and will have an upcoming blog section! In a nutshell, legumes are easy to store and have a long shelf life which make it a great staple in your pantry.
There you have it, the top 5 must in my pantry. These items can all be bought in bulk; therefore, you minimize the shopping trips. Trust me, if you have these 5 items in your panty, your mind will be at ease and you’ll always have something on hand to prepare delicious meals… whatever life throws at you!
