Back to Basics: What to Keep in the Pantry
Remember how our mums always seemed to have a great meal ready for the family every night? Even when times were lean, she came through with fabulous meals and snacks to satisfy even the hungriest of kids. And mum managed to do this without the convenience of pre-cooked, pre-packaged, frozen ready-to-heat-and eat food either!
If you take a look at how mum managed to create gourmet meals (remember mum's baked potatoes? Or her steak'n'kidney pie?) you'll see that she didn't use exotic ingredients or gourmet recipe books. She had a good supply of pantry basics on hand, foodstuffs that could multi-task without a hitch.
By keeping a few of the essential food staples on hand, you too can be awed for your cooking genius.
I discovered, quite by accident, that throughout the meals we cook, there are some common items that keep popping up. These are your basic staples that no kitchen should be without. They varied little from season to season. In summer I used more beetroot and tinned pineapple, in winter more rolled oats, custard powder and cocoa. But basically I bought the same groceries year round. As long as you have a few of these things on hand, you can turn it into an interesting meal even when the cupboards look like there is nothing to eat.
You know how kids are. They stand in front of the pantry or fridge and if there isn't a packet of biscuits or a plate with their name on it saying "eat me" then there is nothing to eat in their mind. Teaching kids how to create breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks from basic food items will keep them full, happy, healthy and from spending all their money on processed foods once they are on their own. Using basic cooking skills encourages a healthier lifestyle. Satisfying meals can be whipped up from pantry staples without resorting to the expensive alternatives found in today's grocery stores.
These days a pantry isn't just a cupboard in the kitchen. It can be a huge walk-in cupboard or even open shelves, but it also incorporates the fridge and freezer too, as these appliances are a standard in most Australian homes. Let's start with the staples we always saw on the kitchen shelves as a kid but didn't understand why mum always had them. Staples are basic ingredients that are combined to make other things.
Useful Pantry Items
· Flours (self-raising, plain, wholemeal, cornflour,gluten, rice)
· Sugar
· Rice (white or brown depending on taste)
· Soup (creams and various flavors)
· Pasta
· Bicarb soda
· Baking powder
· Nuts and legumes
· Chocolate buttons, squares or blocks
· Canned vegetables (peas, corn, beans, beetroot, tomatoes)
· Tinned fruit (peaches, pears, apricots, two fruits)
· Fresh vegetables like onions and potatoes
· Jams and honey
Most of us probably have some of these in our cupboards right now. For a quick meal on a cold day, many of these items can be used to create homemade vegetable stew. A pan of rice mixed with a cream soup and a can of mixed vegetables turns into a casserole side dish for dinner. Pasta with mixed veggies is also a great combination. The possibilities are endless.
Here are a few more staples no kitchen pantry should be without:
Useful Condiments and Spice Items
· Sauces - Tomato, Worcestershire, BBQ sauce
· Mustard (powder and spread)
· Salt (plain and seasoned varieties)
· Pepper
· Vanilla extract (and others that you like)
· Soy sauce
· Chili powder
· Powdered seasoning packets
· Relish, chutney and pickles
· Mayonnaise (regular and light)
· Cinnamon, allspice, mixed spice, nutmeg
· Herbs - mixed herbs, oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, garlic, chives, parsley
Useful Fridge and Freezer items
· Tasty cheese
· Cheddar Cheese
· Sour Cream
· Natural yoghurt
· eggs
· Pastry sheets
· Frozen vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli)
· Meats - various cuts of beef, lamb, chicken, pork
You can create a multitude of meals from these ingredients.
Take the flour for example. Mix flour, milk and sugar to make pancakes or muffins. Add some yeast to make bread. Replace the sugar with butter to make a versatile pastry. You can mix a little plain flour with pan juices, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a little cold water to make a delicious gravy. Who said you needed Gravox to make gravy?
Periodically check your basic staples for expiration dates. Yes, even flour has an expiration date. Replace them as needed so they are always fresh and available in case you need them in a pinch.
These foods may be pantry basics, but they can be used to create wonderful dishes. All in all, these pantry items don't cost much. Combine them and you've created meals that would cost five times as much when bought ready-made from the store.
If you take a look at how mum managed to create gourmet meals (remember mum's baked potatoes? Or her steak'n'kidney pie?) you'll see that she didn't use exotic ingredients or gourmet recipe books. She had a good supply of pantry basics on hand, foodstuffs that could multi-task without a hitch.
By keeping a few of the essential food staples on hand, you too can be awed for your cooking genius.
I discovered, quite by accident, that throughout the meals we cook, there are some common items that keep popping up. These are your basic staples that no kitchen should be without. They varied little from season to season. In summer I used more beetroot and tinned pineapple, in winter more rolled oats, custard powder and cocoa. But basically I bought the same groceries year round. As long as you have a few of these things on hand, you can turn it into an interesting meal even when the cupboards look like there is nothing to eat.
You know how kids are. They stand in front of the pantry or fridge and if there isn't a packet of biscuits or a plate with their name on it saying "eat me" then there is nothing to eat in their mind. Teaching kids how to create breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks from basic food items will keep them full, happy, healthy and from spending all their money on processed foods once they are on their own. Using basic cooking skills encourages a healthier lifestyle. Satisfying meals can be whipped up from pantry staples without resorting to the expensive alternatives found in today's grocery stores.
These days a pantry isn't just a cupboard in the kitchen. It can be a huge walk-in cupboard or even open shelves, but it also incorporates the fridge and freezer too, as these appliances are a standard in most Australian homes. Let's start with the staples we always saw on the kitchen shelves as a kid but didn't understand why mum always had them. Staples are basic ingredients that are combined to make other things.
Useful Pantry Items
· Flours (self-raising, plain, wholemeal, cornflour,gluten, rice)
· Sugar
· Rice (white or brown depending on taste)
· Soup (creams and various flavors)
· Pasta
· Bicarb soda
· Baking powder
· Nuts and legumes
· Chocolate buttons, squares or blocks
· Canned vegetables (peas, corn, beans, beetroot, tomatoes)
· Tinned fruit (peaches, pears, apricots, two fruits)
· Fresh vegetables like onions and potatoes
· Jams and honey
Most of us probably have some of these in our cupboards right now. For a quick meal on a cold day, many of these items can be used to create homemade vegetable stew. A pan of rice mixed with a cream soup and a can of mixed vegetables turns into a casserole side dish for dinner. Pasta with mixed veggies is also a great combination. The possibilities are endless.
Here are a few more staples no kitchen pantry should be without:
Useful Condiments and Spice Items
· Sauces - Tomato, Worcestershire, BBQ sauce
· Mustard (powder and spread)
· Salt (plain and seasoned varieties)
· Pepper
· Vanilla extract (and others that you like)
· Soy sauce
· Chili powder
· Powdered seasoning packets
· Relish, chutney and pickles
· Mayonnaise (regular and light)
· Cinnamon, allspice, mixed spice, nutmeg
· Herbs - mixed herbs, oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, garlic, chives, parsley
Useful Fridge and Freezer items
· Tasty cheese
· Cheddar Cheese
· Sour Cream
· Natural yoghurt
· eggs
· Pastry sheets
· Frozen vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli)
· Meats - various cuts of beef, lamb, chicken, pork
You can create a multitude of meals from these ingredients.
Take the flour for example. Mix flour, milk and sugar to make pancakes or muffins. Add some yeast to make bread. Replace the sugar with butter to make a versatile pastry. You can mix a little plain flour with pan juices, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a little cold water to make a delicious gravy. Who said you needed Gravox to make gravy?
Periodically check your basic staples for expiration dates. Yes, even flour has an expiration date. Replace them as needed so they are always fresh and available in case you need them in a pinch.
These foods may be pantry basics, but they can be used to create wonderful dishes. All in all, these pantry items don't cost much. Combine them and you've created meals that would cost five times as much when bought ready-made from the store.