To make those instant dinners less of an emergency, keep these lists of staples on the refrigerator door. Note when you are running low on supplies and make a point of replenishing them on your next grocery store run. Of course, make sure you always have a steady supply of flavorings and condiments such as olive oil, mustard and herbs.
Quick Basics
- Canned beans ( kidney and garbanzo beans are a great additions to salads or chili.)
- Pita Bread (It’s fun to make your own with the kids. I’ll share a recipe later)
- Whole Wheat Tortillas or Regular Tortillas
- Couscous ( simmer with vegetable bouillon or tomato juice instead of water, top with chickpeas and quickly sauteed vegetables)
- Olive Oil
- Canned Tomatoes
- Salsa (Of course you can make your own)
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Vegetarian bouillon
- Chicken or Beef stock (I like to have a little of both on hand in the freezer.)
- Marinated artichoke hearts ( I learned how to make my own by reading an article from Bobby Flay. I’ll share the recipe later.)
- Roasted red peppers (Fresh roasted is always good and a yummy addition to flavoring a pumpkin or tomato soup.)
Convenience Foods
- Canned chili (Homemade chili is good too. Make a big batch and freeze.)
- Canned Soup (Same as the chili. Soups freeze well.)
- Canned refried beans, pintos, and black beans ( I think it’s a lot cheaper to buy beans in the bag, soak overnight, then toss in the crock pot and freeze in portions.)
- Nonfried ramen noodles (They are inexpensive and are not just for soup. You can create a wonderful, flavorful meal for your family by adding spices, chopped vegetables and even some type of meat.)
- Boxed macaroni and cheese (Shhh, did I say boxed? If you’re in a pinch and don’t have more than 15 minutes to prepare dinner, it’s okay to pull out the box of macaroni and cheese. Serve with a vegetable or a salad.)
- Frozen peas or other vegetables (Frozen vegetables have the same amount of nutrients as fresh and they last longer and cook quickly.)
- Bagged salad mixes (Dispurse into individual containers for the whole week. The salad will stay fresher longer. I do this a lot with Romaine lettuce.)
- Bottled salad dressing (If you can make your own salad dressing, even better.)

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