A Pantry Staples Checklist

After a full day of work and kids activities, the dreaded question at 6 p.m. is “what’s for dinner?”  Don’t run to the closest restaurant, save time and money by cooking at home instead.  A well stocked pantry and a little technology can take the stress out of cooking.  

Refer to our list of pantry, fridge and freezer staples to help you next time you are in a weeknight time crunch.

Pantry Staples:

• Healthy oils – olive oil and vegetable oil
• Vinegars – red wine and balsamic
• Spices – basil, thyme, oregano, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, cinnamon and nutmeg
• Canned tuna in water
• Canned beans – black beans, great northern beans/cannellini, kidney beans
• Low sodium chicken broth
• Canned tomatoes
• Jarred marinara sauce
• Brown rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• All-purpose flour
• Sugar
• Fresh potatoes – both white and sweet
• Garlic and onions
• Nuts/Seeds
• Peanut Butter
• Bread crumbs
• Jarred salsa

Fridge Staples:

• Skim milk
• Eggs
• Butter
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Lemons
• Parmesan cheese
• Dijon mustard
• Carrots
• Shredded cheese
• Tortillas
• Fresh Greens – spinach, mixed greens, arugula
• Fresh salsa

Freezer Staples:

• Frozen veggies – peas, spinach, broccoli, edamame
• Frozen fruit – strawberries, blueberries, bananas
• Whole wheat English muffins
• Meats – ground turkey, chicken
• Seafood – shrimp, fish

Any easy way to think up a quick dinner is to choose a protein – beans, chicken or ground turkey, choose a whole grain or starch – brown rice, whole wheat pasta or potatoes and then add some veggies.  With a simple sauce or spice combination you are in business. 

There are a lot of great websites and apps that take the ingredients you have on hand and create recipes for you. 

One of my favorites is myrecipes.com. 

They have a great search bar called “What’s in your Pantry?” 

Simply type in your ingredients and presto – recipes galore. 

For example, when I type in cannellini beans, whole wheat pasta and spinach, I find a recipe that will appeal to even the pickiest members of my family.

For more great meal ideas, sign up for a Healthy Kitchen class sponsored by FirstHealth Community Health Services.

Melissa Watford is a health educator for FirstHealth Community Health Services. For more information on programs offered through Community Health Services, call (888) 534-5333 or click here.