Feed your family in a pinch
Handy list of must have foodie goodies to help you sort out a meal in a flash.
Storytime: I am one of five children, and my mom worked fulltime (albeit from home). She also had that “raised in the fifties” idea of what it meant to be a great housewife and mother, so we never ever ate take-aways. Dinner was homecooked, often homegrown, and always wholesome. (I was 16 before I had my first McDonalds burger.)
Add to this the fact that we as children had the inconvenient habit of inviting people over for dinner without giving my mom’s meal prep a second thought.
Somehow, she always delivered.
Yes, my mom had the privilege of a veggie garden, chickens and even a dairy cow for a while, but she also understood the art of stocking a pantry and working with what she had.
As far back as I can remember, we had a tall, deep grocery cupboard, filled with all kinds of canned and dried goods.
My mom’s cupboard staples included:
- Tinned tomatoes.
- Cans of tuna.
- Tins of baked beans, sweetcorn and even asparagus.
- Flour, cornstarch and custard powder.
- Evaporated and condensed milk.
- Two types of dried pasta.
- Big bags of Tastic rice (Remember, this was the age of meat, rice and potatoes at every meal.)
In the freezer she always had:
- A whole chicken (No, not one of her own lay hens.)
- A couple of packets of venison mince that my dad had hunted.
- Minute steaks. (This could become Prego beef strips or steak and onion pie)
- A wheel of boerewors.
- A large tub of Neapolitan ice-cream (When all else fails, give them dessert!)
- A loaf each of pre-sliced white and brown bread. (This made great toast.)
Like any good housewife, she also had kilograms of white sugar, gelatine, powdered soup packets…but that was the 80’s, remember?
With this, she could cook up a dinner for the seven of us, and any extra guests, in a flash and we learnt about hospitality, always setting that extra space at the table and feeding people with love…(thanks mom!)
These days our pantry staples might look different, because we eat differently.
Here is an updated, budget friendly version of the pantry staples:
These staples have stayed stable: Tinned tomatoes, cans of tuna, dried pasta, and a can or two of condensed milk.
In my own pantry I just added: Granola, quick cook oats, quinoa or couscous and brown basmati rice. I also have raw nuts, whole wheat crackers and dried mushrooms.
My updated freezer food store looks like this:
- Chicken pieces/deboned chicken breasts.
- Lean beef mince (my husband doesn’t hunt).
- Petite pois peas.
- A ciabatta or sourdough loaf.
- Fishfingers (for my kids’ picky friends).
- Sweet potato fries.
- Always, always, Ice cream!
I also try to keep at least some fresh veg in the fridge. Carrots. Sweetcorn, green beans and broccoli can last a couple of weeks if you keep them sealed and wash them well before preparing.
For tips on storing fresh produce for longer, click here.
In addition, I always have: Fresh garlic, olive oil, aged balsamic and small bottles of basil or sundried tomato pesto.
With these updated basics, I promise you, you’ll be able to skip the drive through, and make yourself something cheap, easy and healthy even when you haven’t ordered Checkers60 in a week.
With this said, my ASPIRATIONAL pantry stables look a bit different:
- Rib eye steaks (If you buy great quality, they can freeze for up to two months)
- Smoked bacon
- Trout ribbons
- Heat and eat croissants
- Mini Magnum ice creams
- Frozen berry mix for smoothies
In the fridge I’ll have
- Great local MCC bubbly
- Fresh oranges for squeezing
- A piece of mature pecorino
- Black olives in oil
- A Pinotage Rosé
- Strawberries and mango’s, all year round.
My cupboard will be stocked with
- Droë wors, biltong and chilli bites
- The best chocolate
- Scottish Shortbread, oreos and Nugatelli cookies
- Pringles
Whatever your cooking style, preferences and dietary requirements are, the point of having pantry (and freezer) staples ready is to skip the fast food and the delivery fees for Uber Eats. Work with what you have and learn to keep the basic around, all month long.
For more pantry stock inspirations, look below:
Also read our article on frozen versus fresh food.
