If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I’m a big fan of shelf cooking! Pantry staples help make it so much easier. But wait… what’s shelf cooking?! It’s essentially cooking meals based on what you have on hand, rather than buying ingredients specifically for certain recipes. By cooking with what you have, you save money and often times come up with some yummy creations! Don’t let it intimidate you either. I’m the furthest thing from a chef (and I actually really dislike cooking…) but shelf cooking makes life so easy!
Why buy the same staples?
There are a few reasons I do this. First, Kemper and I (and our dog, Scarlett) spend 250 dollars per month on groceries. These staples are another way we save money! Cheap groceries like rice, beans, pasta, etc. save us money while ensuring we have yummy meals.
Another reason is organization and space. We have a small pantry, and before this home we didn’t have a pantry at all. We simply do not have the space to buy all types of goods and store them.
Lastly, I buy the same pantry staples because I know what I’m doing with them. Do I really want to learn how to cook something new every week? Nope. The staples we buy I know how to cook and use in various recipes. When I feel confident in my abilities, I’m more likely to cook.
My pantry staples
Grains: Jasmine rice, rotini pasta (sometimes protein style), spaghetti noodles, grits, tortillas, tortilla chips, crackers, pretzels
These grains are the base of SO many meals. From rice I can make – rice and beans, stir fry style rice with veggies, rice in soup, chicken and rice casserole, beef over rice, rice bowls (veggie + protein + sauce). The same is true with pasta. Tortillas and tortilla chips aren’t just for Mexican food, either. I make turkey wraps, tortilla pizzas, crumble the chips into a salad, etc. Crackers are so versatile. Use them as breadcrumbs, make peanut butter crackers for a snack, serve with meats and cheeses, crumble them over a soup.
Sauces and spreads: Peanut butter
Okay, so there’s only one I keep in the pantry. The rest will have to wait for the refrigerator staples post 😉 Peanut butter is a MUST-HAVE for our family. If all fails, peanut butter sandwich to the rescue! It’s also a great sidekick to apples or bananas, and can be super yummy in a smoothie.
Canned goods: Black beans, refried beans, green beans, tomato sauce, cream of chicken soup
I have no shame in my canned goods game. Yes, I know it’s cheaper/healthier to buy black beans in bulk but I don’t have the room or time to store that many beans. Black beans, refried beans, and green beans are cheap and EASY sides. I can add them to almost anything for extra fiber and protein. Tomato sauce and cream of chicken are super versatile as well. I don’t just use them for soups, I use them as the base to several pasta/rice sauces. A tomato sauce base can be made Italian for pizzas and pastas, or Mexican for rice and sauces. You can also add heavy whipping cream and cheese, and serve it with grilled cheese.
Baking: All-purpose flour, sugar, crisco, chocolate chips, muffin mix, pancake mix
Listen y’all, I don’t *love* to bake. But every now and then I’ll make biscuits, banana muffins, or a pound cake. Flour is also good for thickening a sauce, and sugar is necessary for sweet tea. Chocolate chips are an obvious need 😉 I throw them in brownies, eat them as a treat, top my ice cream with them, or add them to a spoonful of peanut butter. Oh, and the muffin mix? Martha White sells a muffin mix that is 1 dollar and you just add milk. Talk about EASY!
Is that all?
A few other items I keep in my pantry include: potatoes and oninons, chips (usually baked lays because we’re boring), gold fish, powdered drink mixes, and protein bars. And… that’s all.
The majority of the things we buy go in the freezer or refrigerator. If you’re interested in seeing those, let me know below! Tell me, do you buy the same pantry staples? If so, what items am I missing?
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