Meal planning is a beautiful thing.
Putting together a menu for the upcoming work week is a task both Dara and I make a priority on weekends.
Life’s not always as organized as a meal plan though, and mine rarely pan out exactly as I had imagined. Last minute social plans, late days at work and general fatigue can easily throw a wrench in my plan for a Thursday night 60-minute mushroom barley risotto.
And yes, there are weekends that come and go without a meal plan altogether. But this does not mean a total collapse of my healthy eating plan!
Enter, a well stocked pantry.
Along with bits and bobs of any leftover vegetables, cheese or proteins in the fridge or freezer, a quick healthy meal can always be 15 or 20 minutes away (which kills the time it would take to order-in btw).
Dara and I collaborated on these top 15 staples we consider our ‘pantry basics’:
Pantry Basics
Ingredients
- 1. Oil (Extra virgin for dressings and sautéing, canola or coconut for higher heat cooking)
- 2. Vinegar (at least one but an assortment of wine, balsamic, apple cider keeps it interesting)
- 3. Pasta (whole grain if possible, one 'short' such as orzo or penne and one 'long' such as spaghetti)
- 4. Rice (whole grain as a first choice, and a quick cooking option such as basmati)
- 5. Quinoa (an excellent quick and unrefined starch option)
- 6. Canned Beans (chick peas, black beans & lentils are our top 3)
- 7. Canned Whole Tomatoes (no added salt if you can find them)
- 8. Tuna (for everyday use, choose 'light' tuna to ensure a lower mercury level)
- 9. Chicken/ Beef/ Vegetable Stock (low sodium or no-added salt if possible)
- 10. Coconut Milk
- 11. Nuts & Seeds & Nut Butters (our faves are almond, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds & sesame seeds, peanut butter, almond butter and tahini (which may need to be refrigerated))
- 12. Honey
- 13. Dried Fruit (cranberries, apricots, cherries, raisins)
- 14. Spices and Herbs (essentials are sea/kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, chili powder, curry powder, thyme, oregano)
- 15. Baking Supplies (whole wheat/ white flour, oats, baking power and soda, instant yeast, white/brown sugar)
- 16. Kraft Dinner and/or Mr. Noodles (ok, this is #16 but come on, we're human.)
Some pantry related tips:
- Bulk food stores are a gold mine. If need be, I could get every single item on our list from my local Bulk Barn (even honey from a fun slushie-type dispenser!) If you’re trying quinoa, pumpkin seeds or dried apricots for the first time, you have the option to get a trial size portion. If you’re feeding morning glory muffins to an army, here’s where you can get a good deal without all the packaging.
- Keep a running inventory list of your favourite pantry basics (you can print ours!). Each time you run out of something on the list, add it to your grocery list for next week – right away, before you forget.
- Stay organized! Keep like items, such as rice/pasta/quinoa and oil/vinegar/spices grouped together. For a great example, check out fellow Cookin’ Canuck blogger Dara’s incredible pantry makeover (even her ‘before’ shots are pretty awesome).
- Think outside the box. There are many shelf stable items out there that may become one of your pantry basics. Some of my current favourites are: barley, corn meal, brown rice noodles, wheat berries, rice papers, panko bread crumbs, unsweetended shredded coconut, and a wide variety of spices including specialty salts and jamaican jerk seasoning.
Joanne says
A well-stocked pantry is KEY to spur-of-the-moment healthy meals! Such a great list!
Coby says
Dara!!! You forgot to mention CEREAL! Or have you not looked in your pantry lately??
howt1653 says
We tried to focus on pantry items we have on hand that help with dinner prep. I DEFINITELY always have cereal on hand! And a good variety at that…raisin bran, kashi go lean, oatmeal squares, brand buds…keeps breakfast interesting!
Coby #2 says
Halva!!!