As busy moms, we all have those nights where we drag ourselves through the door after a long day, only to be met by ravenous kids demanding dinner. In those moments, the last thing we want to hear is “there's nothing to eat!” I've certainly been there many times. The key to surviving those dreaded scenarios is having a well-stocked pantry filled with quick and easy meal staples.
Building up your pantry might sound intimidating, but it doesn't have to be an expensive or time-consuming endeavor. Start small by picking up a few versatile ingredients each week until you have a nice little arsenal of emergency meal-makers. Before you know it, you'll have everything you need to whip up fast, family-friendly dinners on even the busiest weeknights.
The Basics
When it comes to stocking your pantry, there are certain basics that should always be on hand. Staples like rice, pasta, olive oil, garlic, onions, broth, canned tomatoes, beans, tuna, and frozen vegetables will provide the foundation for countless quick and satisfying meals.
Make sure to have a variety of grains like white rice, brown rice, couscous, quinoa, and whole-wheat pasta. Canned beans like chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, and cannellini beans are protein powerhouses that are very budget-friendly. Just rinse and add them to salads, soups, pasta dishes, tacos – you name it!
Beyond the basics, keep your fridge stocked with eggs, butter, cheeses, lemons, fresh herbs, yogurt, and milk. Having these ingredients on hand takes your pantry meals from boring to gourmet in minutes. You'd be amazed what a sprinkle of Parmesan, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or a squeeze of lemon can do to liven up a humble pantry meal!
Smart Storage
Installing some organizational systems in your pantry will keep all those ingredients neat, visible, and easy to access. Clear storage containers are great for keeping pastas, rice, beans, nuts, trail mixes, and snacks from getting lost in the back of the pantry. Labelling everything makes it even more user-friendly for kids who can help grab ingredients. Mounted spice racks also provide easy access to spices and dried herbs that add so much flavor.
With a well-organized, properly stocked pantry, you'll have a variety of ready-to-go ingredients waiting for those desperate dinner moments. Here are just a few deliciously simple meals you can make with pantry staples:
- Veggie fried rice with eggs, frozen mixed veggies, brown rice
- Southwest quinoa bowls with canned black beans, corn, bell peppers, onion, chili powder and cheddar cheese
- Pasta primavera with whole-wheat pasta, frozen mixed veggies, Parmesan, olive oil, Italian seasoning
- Easy chicken and rice casserole with chicken, broth, rice, creamy soup, frozen veggies
- Hearty minestrone soup with canned beans, tomatoes, onion, carrots, pasta, Parmesan
-Vegetarian chili mac with whole-wheat elbow pasta, canned tomatoes, beans, onion, chili powder
You'll be amazed by the variety of fast family meals hiding in your pantry. No more rifling through takeout menus or breaking the bank on delivery. With a bit of planning, our pantries can truly save us on those rough days. Now you can wave goodbye to the dinnertime meltdowns and enjoy fast, nutritious meals whipped up in a jiffy!
I like this post. i believe I have a pretty well stocked pantry. We are moving in april, so our plan is to eat what we have. I hope we have enough to last us because we are hoping not to have to buy anything. well besides like eggs and stuff.