What are some items you ALWAYS have in stock in your kitchen? How do you prep your kitchen to make cooking at home easier? I hope this video gave some ideas or at least got you thinking about how to stock your kitchen for easy cooking! :)
My husband is strictly Gluten Free, and I most of the time just use garlic, onion, and salt as seasonings... although there is amazing and delicious spices out there, we have gotten used to eating like this. I feel that this minimal way of seasoning our meals has allowed us to enjoy the natural flavors of each ingredient on top of saving us money in this category.😉
Beef, local grass fed, we get a half for the freezer about every other year. We have canned and frozen chicken too Assorted pasta, rice, beans, tomatoes, and canned, fresh and Instant potatoes, as well as canned corn, green beans and beets. We have a frozen pizza, sausages with onions and peppers, and macaroni and cheese for easy meals. The Instant pot works great for the sausages and for rice dishes and pasta. We usually have salad fixings, sandwich makings and assorted baking supplies.
Canned chipotle in adobo sauce, it can be found in the hispanic food section, it can be added to tuna fish salad, chile, beans for burritos or tacos as well as lots of other dishes.
just so you know I haven’t watched one of your videos that I didn’t like. Great content on all fronts! Educational, relatable, useful tips, not over the top, just great! Keep doing a wonderful job! Thanks again!
I always have chicken breasts, hamburger, pasta, rice, tomato sauce, paste and diced tomatoes plus a variety of spices as well as frozen veggies, salsa, tortillas, beans both canned and dried. It’s always a good base to create pretty much any meal
@@SeeMindyMom don’t feel bad. I forgot to add cream of something soup either chicken or mushroom, gnocchi and Better than Bouillon. Some chicken breasts, a can of cream of chicken soup, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of chicken “broth”, some gnocchi and some frozen mixed veggies make an easy chicken and dumplings in the crockpot. Always delicious and a family favorite on days I don’t want to cook
We keep lots of things stocked in our freezer that go in multiple cuisines- celery, carrots, onions, peppers, herbs. I typically never go through a whole thing of celery or herbs when I buy it for a meal, so chopping it up and freezing it avoids food waste and saves $$. I'll buy a few extra carrots, peppers and onions when I need them for a recipe and use our veggie chopper and save half in the freezer. Huge time saver!
I love videos like this. We always keep potatoes, onions, carrots, some sort of meat, pasta, rice, beans and lots of different spices and sauces on hand to make quick dinners. It definitely helps us not eat out as often because we can make quick dinners at home.
I usually don't comment but wanted to support you .I live in Blaine county in Oklahoma. It's so nice to see someone making things close to home to give me ideas !!!!
Hello Mindy, I usually will make sides more than the main. Less meat but coleslaw, potato or cucumber salad , not the heavy mayo version but thats me. Always looking forward to your next vid! Thankyou Mindy! Bryan from Sask Canada.
I love your videos! I don't work, don't have kids, and don't have to worry too much about a budget, but I still love your ideas for simple, delicious meals!! Thank you!
As a vegan who likes to bake for her kiddos a lot, my building blocks are: - Nutritional Yeast - Pasta - Jarred mariana - Cooking oils, lots of spices, sale, pepper - Fridge staples: Soy sauce, vegan mayo, Margarine, ketchup, and mustard - Raw, unsalted cashews OR oat milk (both can be hard to find these days but sub out well!) - Frozen bananas, blueberries for smoothies - All the canned beans - Tofu - Peanut butter + jelly - Standard baking supplies: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, yeast, sugars, corn starch, vanilla extract. - Hummus! Always have hummus! - Canned lentil soup I'm always restocking the above items and then peppering in different fruits and veg, proteins, and treats! Our budget is obviously going to be pretty high with some of these items, but your tips have really helped us cut back on things and helped me plan better.
I'm in Texas and I felt your comment about it being only 91°. the other day it was 91° when I got off of work, and the breeze was blowing, and I thought to myself, "It's not terrible! I think I might go for a walk!" My pantry Basics are very similar to yours, but two things we always have on hand that you did not mention are coconut milk and pumpkin. We make a lot of dishes with Asian flavors, and coconut milk often comes in handy. To save money on this, we typically shop on the Hispanic food aisle. The Goya brand tends to be cheaper than the brands found in the Asian food section, and my Aldi also carries Goya brand coconut milk. As for the pumpkin, I know it might be a little non-traditional for people who really associate the flavor with fall, but pumpkin is very nutritious, and I use canned pumpkin a lot throughout the year. It's tasty in oatmeal, both overnight oats and cooked oats, and it's delicious in curries and chili. Canned pumpkin often goes on sale after Thanksgiving holidays, and I can stock up on a lot of cans for not that much.
Thanks for sharing! Another video full of great content. These are all "staples" that I have kept as well for many years in my pantry. The only things I'd add are a couple of boxed mixes (mac n cheese, hamburger helper, pasta and rice a roni, type mixes) with a canned meat ( chicken, tuna, ham) that are easy enough for teens and hubby to prepare on own if needed! ❤
That's a good point. I usually have something like that as well. I actually bought a box of HH the other day because my almost-teenager can make it herself for her and her siblings.
I also have a stock of Bear Creek soups in my pantry. I have the creamy potato soup and the chicken noodle. I have canned ham to add to the potato soup and canned chicken and egg noodles to add to the chicken noodle soup to bill them both up. We also have the chili as well which we add canned beans to bulk it up. The great part about it is they only require water so even if you don’t have anything to bulk them up with if you have a gas or charcoal grill and water you still have a hot meal. They have came in handy plenty of times when we had power outages from storms. We were able to feed our family and our neighbors on those soups. It may not have been fancy but when it’s 10 degrees and there is no heat a hot bowl of soup is better than an empty belly.
Yes!! Our favorites are the wild rice and creamy potato ones. We add frozen or canned corn or green beans and bacon bits to the potato one and it is great. They can be made in a crockpot too. I take them for work potlucks and every time they are a hit.
I always watch at lunchtime as well! I really appreciate your videos. I struggle to put the food I have together into meals so your ideas are super helpful!
I’m addicted to your videos! I am really trying to cook everything at home for my family for budget reasons and this has been so helpful and entertaining along the way! Thank you!!!
Hi Mindy, For years now I have been cooking enough for 2 meals. We do not mind left overs at all. Then on Wednesday we will have breakfast that one night or soft tacos then back to cooking for 2 nights at one time. It really works good for our family.That way I only cook 3 nights and on Wednesday something fairly easy. We usually eat fairly early for our night meals then I clean the kitchen up and have freedom the rest of the night. We love this schedule and try to stay on as much as possible. Love your videos you have wonderful ideals. God Bless You and Family!🌹🌷🌹
My staples are chicken, ground beef, ground pork, rice, canned green beans, really all beans, corn, tomatoes and flaked potatoes and pasta. Love your videos! So many great ideas and information!
For those in southern California, and who didn't know, Albertson's has canned black bean and pinto beans on sale for $1 a can, buy 1 get 1 free on cereals, buy 2 cereals save $ and it is more if you combine the coupon on the app, and their Jenni-O ground turkey 93% is on sale too.
Great tips! Lately I try to keep one pack each of chicken breast, salmon, shrimp, ground Turkey, and steak in the freezer just in case I’m craving it and it’s not a reasonable price or is sold out at the time. I miss the days when we could just shop week to week. 😖
Hi Mindy, I would like to see another video on: cooking once and and making multiple meals i.e. the Whole chicken video where you made three meals out of that one chicken. Or something similar. Especially in the summer i love cooking once and trying to stretch the leftovers or changing the original a little bit to make the original meal stretch out as much as possible. or cooking one large item like a chicken and making three meals out of that one chicken.
Such a great video for clueless people, for example someone who just moved out of their parents and has no idea. Fantastic resource for starting your own pantry or at least getting inspired on their budget cooking and overall balanced diet. :D
Chipotle peppers in adobo! They are so delicious and add amazing flavor and heat to Mexican-inspired dishes. I don’t eat meat, so when I’m making vegetarian “meats” out of vegetables I usually always add them. A great recipe to try with the peppers is the Minimalist Baker 1-pot barbacoa.
We love anything Mexican in my house so we always have tortilla chips, wraps, beans, tomatoes, olives, sour cream salsa…you name it! Loved this video as always!
I usually have a block of tofu, a jar of kimchi, freezer giyoza (dumplings). I also like to stock pile naan in the freezer to have on the side of chickpea curries, the sauces which i also like to have on hand. We also keep breadcrumbs, corn starch, corn meal. I am probably missing some but like you frozen veggies are a must.
Even prior to the Pandemic, I have almost always had what I consider a pantry full of shelf stable items. Basically I feel like if I have eggs, bread, milk, pasta, tomato products I am goo to go. When I shop I often feel like Noah, I buy things in pairs, one for now and one as a backup. Great video-thanks Mindy. FYI- my husband is still driving our 2009 Toyota Prius that we purchased with 5,000 miles on it, it now has 115,000 miles so it’s still like new😊
I always keep chopped onions in my freezer as well as fresh herbs. Especially for summer I store couscous in my pantry. It's great for a summer salat. Also one of my all year favorite is already cooked beetroot. Cut into slices with salt, pepper, parmegan and balsamico and some olive oil is a yummy vegetarian carpaccio. Btw - love your channel! Even though I live in Germany and the prices are different as well as some products I already feel so inspired. I appreciate the effort you put in the videos :)
I always have the things to make bread, both gluten free and regular (my family won't eat bread from the store). I always have several different types of meat in the freezers and on the shelves. I always have both gluten free and regular pasta. I always have both gluten free and regular crackers. I always have several different types of fats. I always have dehydrated fruits and veggies. I have been canning since I was a kid and my basement has a fifty foot long, 3 feet deep set of shelves that is fully stocked with everything from canned soup bases to veggies to fruits to jams and jellies to jars of dehydrated (wild) mushrooms (wild leeks too). I always have at least 5 different types of rice (Brown, white, black, glutinous and wild). I ALWAYS have the ingredients in the house to make corned beef from the average brisket. I always have a few things for quick dinners - such as sausage, peppers and onions for hot subs. We always have several different types of cheese. My pantry is huge though since we have 20 kids. LOL It's summer so I have 7 grandkids (between the ages of 6 and 10) here every day while their parents work and my BEST TOOL at this time of year is a little 3 quart slow cooker that I NEVER thought I'd use for anything other than keeping cheese sauce hot or heating little smokies for Superbowl. I throw a few ingredients in that thing when I get up in the morning and the kids can dish themselves up lunch when they get hungry. They just polished off sweet and sour chicken with rice and veggies (the little sweethearts even saved me some because I have Celiac). We do NOT keep a lot of "snacks" in the house but the kids are all willing to help me make a snack for them - right now they are eating their way through the GF banana muffins I made last week as a snack and threw in the freezer (because I'm the only one in the house with a problem with gluten) - they don't notice the difference between "regular" and gluten free so they're good no matter which kind of snack I make.
Thanks for including half and half. I use it for coffee daily and am glad it is a staple, it comes in so handy for dishes I didnt plan but decide to throw together last minute with what is available. That was a run on sentence whoops lol. Your list is very complete. I always have all kinds of cheese blocks on hand for shredding as needed, diced peppers and onions in the freezer, tortillas and salmon pouches. in addition to most of your list. I always have emergency chocolate of some kind too tucked away.
❤ I guessed cheese tortellini would be the item you were adding to your list 🤣 I had never even tried those prior to watching your channel and now I use them a bit my family loves everything we have had so far with it 🙂
I have used the ravioli also and it's pretty similar but yet different. I can't really explain it, but I have used ravioli a couple times when I couldn't find the tortellini
Just wanted to say thank you for what you do. You make it seem so approachable for someone who didn’t learn how to plan meals or grocery shop. You’re amazing.
I always have beans, rice, bullion cubes, diced tomatoes, tortilla chips and canned corn in my pantry. - Tortilla soup at the ready. I usually have tortillas, cheese, sour cream and salsa as well - quesadillas. I typically have soy sauce, ground beef and veggies of some kind so I can always make a stir fry. I also always have pasta, pasta sauce, and ground beef, frozen meatballs or sausage to go in it. I think I usually have most of what you have - and onions and garlic because most meals are better with those.🙂
I’ve always got gr beef and chicken I have a case of tomato products because on a daily basis it’s one of my go to thing I love the videos you are amazing love thank you for all your heard work
Thanks so much for the ideas! I also loved the cook once, eat many ways video. That and the idea of using meat as a seasoning is great and has changed the way we cook and shop. Now we buy what is on sale and use what's in storage to build meals, it forces us to be more imaginative and creative, so much fun.! We live in a different country so a lot of ingredients you use are new to us, but thankfully aldi has them all! Love your videos 👍
I love that you take the season/weather into account in your cooking. It would be amazing if you made playlists for warm weather and cold weather cooking. I am new to your channel and completely resonate with your style- seriously, we were raised the same way 😄- so I'm binging your videos for ideas because we're in Florida 🔥 but RUclips's way of dating past videos makes it really difficult to find all your great summer cooking tips. Thank you for sharing all this with us!
I always have instant potatoes makes a quick meal with rotisserie chicken or a quick shepherds pie. Also canned chicken from either Sam Club Costco or BJ’s and canned tuna, couple of cans of evaporated milk plus many of the items you have.
Love your videos they are soo helpful! I was getting bored and eating out more cause I ran out of ideas for meals but came across your videos and they are helping. And love that you also keep the cost down .
Tomato paste & puree are always in my kitchen. My grandma never bought jared sauce but had a pretty simple recipe that has much less salt & sugar than store bought which is necessary in my family. I'll usually make extra & freeze for even easier meals
@krisqueen5939 put 2 cans paste in a pot, then fill can with water & add to pot, stir till smooth. Add 2 cans puree then that can of water as well (if you like it a little thicker you can add less than increase later. Season as you like with garlic & onion powder, oregano, parsley, basil, black pepper, & salt (I use very little/no salt & it's amazing. You could just use an Italian seasoning if you want to or only have that. To get away without sugar I move it to my crockpot on low for minimum 6 hours. My grandma always kept it simmering on the stove but you need to be home & stir occasionally. If I don't have the time to simmer long I only put about 1 table spoon of sugar, about 1/4 of a jar of sauce. You could also use only 1 can of each or 3 cans each depending on the size pot you have (my 8.5 qt fits a 3 can each batch with some room). I freeze it in souper cubes in 1 or 2 cup portions so it's easily available when I need it.
One thing I always have in the freezer is a smoked ham hock. They're very cheap, and they add a great amount of flavor (and some fat) to a pot of soup beans in winter and fall weather. I got one in there now, and since it's shrink wrapped, it'll be fine till mmm, IDK, till the power goes out lol, or until I decide to use it. Other than that, tortillas are a must all year round. And powdered milk since I can never seem to finish a quart before it sours.
Something I always keep on hand are 8oz cans of tomato sauce and the small cans of tomato paste (they might be 4oz?). I combine one of each with Italian seasoning and garlic powder for a tasty pizza sauce.
Thanks Mindy….I’m happy to say that since I have been watching your channel for several years and I have a well rounded spice cabinet and pantry staples. ❤️
I keep a stock pile of canned or packaged tuna and salmon. I like tuna and salmon patties and they are really easy to put together and store extras in the freezer. Packaged Ramen! I can still get 5 for a dollar at my local Dollar General.
Ground sausage, pasta, crushed tomatoes, frozen vegetables, and cheese are my must haves extras of. I can add a little here or there and make tons of meals from these ingredients.
I keep all the things you mentioned! I also always have flour and corn tortillas, canned coconut milk, naan, Kirkland pesto from Costco, and pizza sauce from our local pizzeria. (It's sold in grocery stores here bc the chain is so big).
I buy a lot of ground beef when it's on sale, brown it all in the big crockpot, drain it, and freeze it in one pound units. A quart freezer bag holds a pound nicely and if you freeze them flat they thaw quickly. Saves money and time. Beware the cheap, hi fat content beef. By the time you drain the fat off there's not much meat there and you end up paying more per pound of usable meat than if you had bought the better grade in the first place
I am not sure if you have done this before but I would love to learn more about freezing, preserving and extending foods shelf life if you have any ideas!!
We live out in the country 20-25 minutes from the nearest grocery store. I had four children. They are all grown now, but I always kept a ton of stuff on hand. I couldn’t run to the store to grab an ingredient I didn’t know I was out of. My garage looked like a mini grocery store…it kind of still does. It’s hard to break the habit!
I always have chicken breasts and Asian sauces like sesame oil, soy sauce, squeeze ginger and garlic and a stir fry sauce. We often empty the veggie drawer in the fridge and do a stir fry. Sometimes we add ramen, rice, or spaghetti noodles. Tonight we had bok choy, carrots, snow peas, celery and a summer squash to use up. We have this a lot in the summer!
Good question for sure and I do think a lot changes with the season but we like to keep chicken and ground beef ( although ground beef is getting too expensive). I started keeping grilled and sliced chicken and cooked sausage in the freezer to throw into quick meals and make them super tasty quickly. I keep rice, pasta, Mac and cheese , tomatoes, salsa in the pantry. Mostly I keep flour, sugar and other baking essentials and mix my own baked good dry mixes in jars but I normally keep scones, muffins, corn bread, peasant bread. I am going to have to think about my list more.
Funny thing: when you were filming inside of your pantry, I noticed that you had the daiya "cheeze" sauce! I love that product. I'm curious to know your take (or your family's take) on how it tastes. I've been vegan for 3+ years, so I haven't had cheese in a while (and can't attest to how it compares), so it's always interesting to hear non-vegans' perspectives on dairy substitutes! I'll say, though, that sauce tastes so good in my opinion and reminds me so much of what I remember of nacho cheese! I also love their alfredo sauce. Love watching your videos and binge them all the time while I'm cooking!
I always have canned meat, pasta/ramen, rice, cereal, soup (usually chicken noodle & cream of chicken) and canned corn. Pretty strange but easy fixings. Thank you for inspiring!
My pantry is stocked with all the items you mentioned. Bell peppers are on my grocery list every week! It doesn't matter if they are in season or not, I will buy them anyways. Love your videos! 🙂
when we were first married we went for a celebration dinner to the Crownest and had New England clam chowder and it was so good we later found out they put in thyme and fresh grated nutmeg so that has to be in my spice cupboard and to make my clam chowder or my version of Old Spaghetti Factory clam sauce I keep cans of Minced clams in my pantry
I just wanted to say I love your videos! I’m a new watcher and have started buying sharp cheese instead. I’m also eating lunch right now during nap time so haha you’re right on the money on that one! 😆
Great video! I keep many of the same items but will add canned chicken from Sam's or Costco, some frozen fruit to make a quick fruit salad side dish, Dave's Killer Bread that I get at the Dollar Tree (we freeze it), almonds and walnuts for snacking on or topping my oatmeal, tortilla chips for nachos or taco night, and canned soup for a quick lunch for my guys.
I was on my lunch break at work the other day and I happened to be working on some medical paperwork. My boss came over to me and said "no food videos today?" I guess I have been binging your channel during lunch... 🤣
Gluten free flours by King Arthur (pancake mix muffin mix and measure for measure - their AP flour, and baking mix), chickpea pasta, canned chickpeas, canned black beans, canned kidney beans, canned cranberry sauce, canned green beans, frozen cauliflower rice, basmati rice, vegetable stock, homemade frozen GF pancakes and waffles, and lacatid milk, eggs, vegan butter, honey, spices/herbs, fresh produce, and then fresh organic ground turkey and chicken that I place in food saver bags. Due to food allergies and specific dietary needs, I have to have specific items on hand. And I have to stick with name brands due to those allergies and Celiac Disease.
We try to get a lot of corn. We blanche it then cut it off the cob. We ZIP Lock them and store it in our freezer. This is how we have that fresh corn on the cob through out the winter. It tastes just like fresh corn on the cob.
In the spring/summer, one of our favorite light & easy meals is a copycat recipe of PF Changs chicken lettuce cups. If you've never had those, it's hard to describe but oh they're so tasty, low-calorie yet the flavor profile seems pretty decadent - and best of all they're inexpensive and fast to make. I but a pack of the butter lettuc at Aldi (around $2.50), and use either ground beef or turkey. I serve them with rice and a stir-fry frozen veggie mix to keep the 'easy' going.
Mindy! Oh my gosh. I want to use some tortellini to make a soup with Italian sausage so I tried to pick some up yesterday at a Kroger store. They didn't have a store brand in the freezer, refrigerator, or dry pasta sections! Every package was $6.99-8.99 for 12-20 oz. Oh. My. Gosh. I nearly fell over. It really knocked my mood down so much! I definitely cannot afford that. So I'm gonna be taking a trip to Walmart or Aldi just for tortellini. I hope it's cheaper there!
I always have eggs, too. I have also been stocking up on powdered eggs for baking, etc.. Between the cost of eggs, and pretty soon,the scarcity. Ill have that for recipes that call for eggs.
A small block of lard to use for cooking dried beans has broken the cycle of waiting to afford seasoning meats. A teaspoon or two in canned beans help the taste for me too.
What are some items you ALWAYS have in stock in your kitchen? How do you prep your kitchen to make cooking at home easier? I hope this video gave some ideas or at least got you thinking about how to stock your kitchen for easy cooking! :)
Smoked turkey sausage, chicken broth, rice, pasta sauce.
My husband is strictly Gluten Free, and I most of the time just use garlic, onion, and salt as seasonings... although there is amazing and delicious spices out there, we have gotten used to eating like this. I feel that this minimal way of seasoning our meals has allowed us to enjoy the natural flavors of each ingredient on top of saving us money in this category.😉
Beef, local grass fed, we get a half for the freezer about every other year. We have canned and frozen chicken too
Assorted pasta, rice, beans, tomatoes, and canned, fresh and Instant potatoes, as well as canned corn, green beans and beets.
We have a frozen pizza, sausages with onions and peppers, and macaroni and cheese for easy meals. The Instant pot works great for the sausages and for rice dishes and pasta.
We usually have salad fixings, sandwich makings and assorted baking supplies.
Canned chipotle in adobo sauce, it can be found in the hispanic food section, it can be added to tuna fish salad, chile, beans for burritos or tacos as well as lots of other dishes.
just so you know I haven’t watched one of your videos that I didn’t like. Great content on all fronts! Educational, relatable, useful tips, not over the top, just great! Keep doing a wonderful job! Thanks again!
Christine, I really appreciate the kind words. Thank you!
I always have chicken breasts, hamburger, pasta, rice, tomato sauce, paste and diced tomatoes plus a variety of spices as well as frozen veggies, salsa, tortillas, beans both canned and dried. It’s always a good base to create pretty much any meal
Tortillas are something I meant to mention and forgot. We almost always have those, probably more consistently than bread.
@@SeeMindyMom don’t feel bad. I forgot to add cream of something soup either chicken or mushroom, gnocchi and Better than Bouillon. Some chicken breasts, a can of cream of chicken soup, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of chicken “broth”, some gnocchi and some frozen mixed veggies make an easy chicken and dumplings in the crockpot. Always delicious and a family favorite on days I don’t want to cook
We keep lots of things stocked in our freezer that go in multiple cuisines- celery, carrots, onions, peppers, herbs. I typically never go through a whole thing of celery or herbs when I buy it for a meal, so chopping it up and freezing it avoids food waste and saves $$. I'll buy a few extra carrots, peppers and onions when I need them for a recipe and use our veggie chopper and save half in the freezer. Huge time saver!
Great idea!
I never thought to freeze my celery before! I'm going to start doing that now so I stop wasting the last bit now! Thanks!
We lost power this year for over 10 days…and lost all the food in our freezers and fridge. It was so frustrating
I always freeze celery and onions too. Just chop and bag
I love videos like this. We always keep potatoes, onions, carrots, some sort of meat, pasta, rice, beans and lots of different spices and sauces on hand to make quick dinners. It definitely helps us not eat out as often because we can make quick dinners at home.
I usually don't comment but wanted to support you .I live in Blaine county in Oklahoma. It's so nice to see someone making things close to home to give me ideas !!!!
Thank you so much, Kristina! My brother's wife is from Watonga, which I believe is in Blaine county, right?
Hello Mindy, I usually will make sides more than the main. Less meat but coleslaw, potato or cucumber salad , not the heavy
mayo version but thats me. Always looking forward to your next vid! Thankyou Mindy! Bryan from Sask Canada.
Yes not far from the town where I live. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
I love your videos! I don't work, don't have kids, and don't have to worry too much about a budget, but I still love your ideas for simple, delicious meals!! Thank you!
As a vegan who likes to bake for her kiddos a lot, my building blocks are:
- Nutritional Yeast
- Pasta
- Jarred mariana
- Cooking oils, lots of spices, sale, pepper
- Fridge staples: Soy sauce, vegan mayo, Margarine, ketchup, and mustard
- Raw, unsalted cashews OR oat milk (both can be hard to find these days but sub out well!)
- Frozen bananas, blueberries for smoothies
- All the canned beans
- Tofu
- Peanut butter + jelly
- Standard baking supplies: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, yeast, sugars, corn starch, vanilla extract.
- Hummus! Always have hummus!
- Canned lentil soup
I'm always restocking the above items and then peppering in different fruits and veg, proteins, and treats! Our budget is obviously going to be pretty high with some of these items, but your tips have really helped us cut back on things and helped me plan better.
I'm in Texas and I felt your comment about it being only 91°. the other day it was 91° when I got off of work, and the breeze was blowing, and I thought to myself, "It's not terrible! I think I might go for a walk!"
My pantry Basics are very similar to yours, but two things we always have on hand that you did not mention are coconut milk and pumpkin. We make a lot of dishes with Asian flavors, and coconut milk often comes in handy. To save money on this, we typically shop on the Hispanic food aisle. The Goya brand tends to be cheaper than the brands found in the Asian food section, and my Aldi also carries Goya brand coconut milk. As for the pumpkin, I know it might be a little non-traditional for people who really associate the flavor with fall, but pumpkin is very nutritious, and I use canned pumpkin a lot throughout the year. It's tasty in oatmeal, both overnight oats and cooked oats, and it's delicious in curries and chili. Canned pumpkin often goes on sale after Thanksgiving holidays, and I can stock up on a lot of cans for not that much.
Thanks for sharing! Another video full of great content. These are all "staples" that I have kept as well for many years in my pantry. The only things I'd add are a couple of boxed mixes (mac n cheese, hamburger helper, pasta and rice a roni, type mixes) with a canned meat ( chicken, tuna, ham) that are easy enough for teens and hubby to prepare on own if needed! ❤
That's a good point. I usually have something like that as well. I actually bought a box of HH the other day because my almost-teenager can make it herself for her and her siblings.
the little "ill get to it someday" tune earned my like today. Great content@!!
I also have a stock of Bear Creek soups in my pantry. I have the creamy potato soup and the chicken noodle. I have canned ham to add to the potato soup and canned chicken and egg noodles to add to the chicken noodle soup to bill them both up. We also have the chili as well which we add canned beans to bulk it up. The great part about it is they only require water so even if you don’t have anything to bulk them up with if you have a gas or charcoal grill and water you still have a hot meal. They have came in handy plenty of times when we had power outages from storms. We were able to feed our family and our neighbors on those soups. It may not have been fancy but when it’s 10 degrees and there is no heat a hot bowl of soup is better than an empty belly.
Same here, very convenient
Yes!! Our favorites are the wild rice and creamy potato ones.
We add frozen or canned corn or green beans and bacon bits to the potato one and it is great.
They can be made in a crockpot too.
I take them for work potlucks and every time they are a hit.
I always watch at lunchtime as well! I really appreciate your videos. I struggle to put the food I have together into meals so your ideas are super helpful!
So I glad I can give some helpful ideas, Amy!
I’m addicted to your videos! I am really trying to cook everything at home for my family for budget reasons and this has been so helpful and entertaining along the way! Thank you!!!
Hi Mindy, For years now I have been cooking enough for 2 meals. We do not mind left overs at all. Then on Wednesday we will have breakfast that one night or soft tacos then back to cooking for 2 nights at one time. It really works good for our family.That way I only cook 3 nights and on Wednesday something fairly easy. We usually eat fairly early for our night meals then I clean the kitchen up and have freedom the rest of the night. We love this schedule and try to stay on as much as possible. Love your videos you have wonderful ideals. God Bless You and Family!🌹🌷🌹
My staples are chicken, ground beef, ground pork, rice, canned green beans, really all beans, corn, tomatoes and flaked potatoes and pasta. Love your videos! So many great ideas and information!
The fully cooked smoked turkey sausage is great in pasta salad! I tried it for the first time & I'm hooked on it now!
So good!
For those in southern California, and who didn't know, Albertson's has canned black bean and pinto beans on sale for $1 a can, buy 1 get 1 free on cereals, buy 2 cereals save $ and it is more if you combine the coupon on the app, and their Jenni-O ground turkey 93% is on sale too.
Uuu how much was the jennie o turkey?!?!
Great tips! Lately I try to keep one pack each of chicken breast, salmon, shrimp, ground Turkey, and steak in the freezer just in case I’m craving it and it’s not a reasonable price or is sold out at the time. I miss the days when we could just shop week to week. 😖
Hi Mindy, I would like to see another video on: cooking once and and making multiple meals i.e. the Whole chicken video where you made three meals out of that one chicken. Or something similar. Especially in the summer i love cooking once and trying to stretch the leftovers or changing the original a little bit to make the original meal stretch out as much as possible. or cooking one large item like a chicken and making three meals out of that one chicken.
Such a great video for clueless people, for example someone who just moved out of their parents and has no idea. Fantastic resource for starting your own pantry or at least getting inspired on their budget cooking and overall balanced diet. :D
Glad it was helpful!
Chipotle peppers in adobo! They are so delicious and add amazing flavor and heat to Mexican-inspired dishes. I don’t eat meat, so when I’m making vegetarian “meats” out of vegetables I usually always add them. A great recipe to try with the peppers is the Minimalist Baker 1-pot barbacoa.
I love the bag idea in the bins, that would be great for my husband I feel.
We love anything Mexican in my house so we always have tortilla chips, wraps, beans, tomatoes, olives, sour cream salsa…you name it! Loved this video as always!
I usually have a block of tofu, a jar of kimchi, freezer giyoza (dumplings). I also like to stock pile naan in the freezer to have on the side of chickpea curries, the sauces which i also like to have on hand. We also keep breadcrumbs, corn starch, corn meal. I am probably missing some but like you frozen veggies are a must.
Mindy and family have a great week have fun thanks from Oklahoma
Same to you!
Even prior to the Pandemic, I have almost always had what I consider a pantry full of shelf stable items. Basically I feel like if I have eggs, bread, milk, pasta, tomato products I am goo to go. When I shop I often feel like Noah, I buy things in pairs, one for now and one as a backup. Great video-thanks Mindy. FYI- my husband is still driving our 2009 Toyota Prius that we purchased with 5,000 miles on it, it now has 115,000 miles so it’s still like new😊
I always keep chopped onions in my freezer as well as fresh herbs. Especially for summer I store couscous in my pantry. It's great for a summer salat. Also one of my all year favorite is already cooked beetroot. Cut into slices with salt, pepper, parmegan and balsamico and some olive oil is a yummy vegetarian carpaccio.
Btw - love your channel! Even though I live in Germany and the prices are different as well as some products I already feel so inspired. I appreciate the effort you put in the videos :)
New subscriber, your content is fantastic! Your emergency meals in this vid prompted me to look up your others. Thank you for sharing!
Welcome aboard! Glad you found me! :)
This weekend I used Greek yogurt in my mashed potatoes instead of sour cream. I actually liked the taste and texture with the yogurt better.
I always have the things to make bread, both gluten free and regular (my family won't eat bread from the store). I always have several different types of meat in the freezers and on the shelves. I always have both gluten free and regular pasta. I always have both gluten free and regular crackers. I always have several different types of fats. I always have dehydrated fruits and veggies. I have been canning since I was a kid and my basement has a fifty foot long, 3 feet deep set of shelves that is fully stocked with everything from canned soup bases to veggies to fruits to jams and jellies to jars of dehydrated (wild) mushrooms (wild leeks too). I always have at least 5 different types of rice (Brown, white, black, glutinous and wild). I ALWAYS have the ingredients in the house to make corned beef from the average brisket. I always have a few things for quick dinners - such as sausage, peppers and onions for hot subs. We always have several different types of cheese.
My pantry is huge though since we have 20 kids. LOL
It's summer so I have 7 grandkids (between the ages of 6 and 10) here every day while their parents work and my BEST TOOL at this time of year is a little 3 quart slow cooker that I NEVER thought I'd use for anything other than keeping cheese sauce hot or heating little smokies for Superbowl. I throw a few ingredients in that thing when I get up in the morning and the kids can dish themselves up lunch when they get hungry. They just polished off sweet and sour chicken with rice and veggies (the little sweethearts even saved me some because I have Celiac). We do NOT keep a lot of "snacks" in the house but the kids are all willing to help me make a snack for them - right now they are eating their way through the GF banana muffins I made last week as a snack and threw in the freezer (because I'm the only one in the house with a problem with gluten) - they don't notice the difference between "regular" and gluten free so they're good no matter which kind of snack I make.
Thanks for including half and half. I use it for coffee daily and am glad it is a staple, it comes in so handy for dishes I didnt plan but decide to throw together last minute with what is available. That was a run on sentence whoops lol.
Your list is very complete. I always have all kinds of cheese blocks on hand for shredding as needed, diced peppers and onions in the freezer, tortillas and salmon pouches. in addition to most of your list.
I always have emergency chocolate of some kind too tucked away.
I like the emergency chocolate idea! :)
❤ I guessed cheese tortellini would be the item you were adding to your list 🤣
I had never even tried those prior to watching your channel and now I use them a bit my family loves everything we have had so far with it 🙂
I have used the ravioli also and it's pretty similar but yet different. I can't really explain it, but I have used ravioli a couple times when I couldn't find the tortellini
Just wanted to say thank you for what you do. You make it seem so approachable for someone who didn’t learn how to plan meals or grocery shop. You’re amazing.
You are so welcome! Thanks for the kind words, Brooke!
I always have beans, rice, bullion cubes, diced tomatoes, tortilla chips and canned corn in my pantry. - Tortilla soup at the ready. I usually have tortillas, cheese, sour cream and salsa as well - quesadillas. I typically have soy sauce, ground beef and veggies of some kind so I can always make a stir fry. I also always have pasta, pasta sauce, and ground beef, frozen meatballs or sausage to go in it. I think I usually have most of what you have - and onions and garlic because most meals are better with those.🙂
This is absolutely the motivation I needed today. Thank you!
I’ve always got gr beef and chicken I have a case of tomato products because on a daily basis it’s one of my go to thing I love the videos you are amazing love thank you for all your heard work
Thanks so much for the ideas! I also loved the cook once, eat many ways video. That and the idea of using meat as a seasoning is great and has changed the way we cook and shop. Now we buy what is on sale and use what's in storage to build meals, it forces us to be more imaginative and creative, so much fun.! We live in a different country so a lot of ingredients you use are new to us, but thankfully aldi has them all! Love your videos 👍
I just love you and all your help!!! 🥰 Thank you so much
I love that you take the season/weather into account in your cooking. It would be amazing if you made playlists for warm weather and cold weather cooking. I am new to your channel and completely resonate with your style- seriously, we were raised the same way 😄- so I'm binging your videos for ideas because we're in Florida 🔥 but RUclips's way of dating past videos makes it really difficult to find all your great summer cooking tips.
Thank you for sharing all this with us!
Great idea! I'll see what I can do!
I’m watching on my lunch break!
Good morning, Mindy! Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. I hope you have a great day and praying for a complete recovery for your husband!
Thanks for showing use.i just Got up right freezer. So I can save money.
My essentials are a lot like yours! Beans, rice, sausage, minced meats, heavy cream, a shelf in my deep freeze for breads and veggies 😄
youre doing such great work! super inspiring! thank you
I always have instant potatoes makes a quick meal with rotisserie chicken or a quick shepherds pie. Also canned chicken from either Sam Club Costco or BJ’s and canned tuna, couple of cans of evaporated milk plus many of the items you have.
Love your videos they are soo helpful! I was getting bored and eating out more cause I ran out of ideas for meals but came across your videos and they are helping. And love that you also keep the cost down .
Tomato paste & puree are always in my kitchen. My grandma never bought jared sauce but had a pretty simple recipe that has much less salt & sugar than store bought which is necessary in my family. I'll usually make extra & freeze for even easier meals
I have tomato paste and would love if you could share your recipe?
@krisqueen5939 put 2 cans paste in a pot, then fill can with water & add to pot, stir till smooth. Add 2 cans puree then that can of water as well (if you like it a little thicker you can add less than increase later. Season as you like with garlic & onion powder, oregano, parsley, basil, black pepper, & salt (I use very little/no salt & it's amazing. You could just use an Italian seasoning if you want to or only have that. To get away without sugar I move it to my crockpot on low for minimum 6 hours. My grandma always kept it simmering on the stove but you need to be home & stir occasionally. If I don't have the time to simmer long I only put about 1 table spoon of sugar, about 1/4 of a jar of sauce. You could also use only 1 can of each or 3 cans each depending on the size pot you have (my 8.5 qt fits a 3 can each batch with some room). I freeze it in souper cubes in 1 or 2 cup portions so it's easily available when I need it.
One thing I always have in the freezer is a smoked ham hock. They're very cheap, and they add a great amount of flavor (and some fat) to a pot of soup beans in winter and fall weather. I got one in there now, and since it's shrink wrapped, it'll be fine till mmm, IDK, till the power goes out lol, or until I decide to use it. Other than that, tortillas are a must all year round. And powdered milk since I can never seem to finish a quart before it sours.
Shelf-stable milk, tofu (it keeps a long time in the fridge and is super versatile!) and tons of rice.
The frozen cheese tortellini has become a staple in my freezer since watching you videos 🍝
Wine. It is the perfect staple. You can cook with it, drink it or give it as a gift. 😃
Haha! I like the way you think! :)
Something I always keep on hand are 8oz cans of tomato sauce and the small cans of tomato paste (they might be 4oz?). I combine one of each with Italian seasoning and garlic powder for a tasty pizza sauce.
Thanks Mindy….I’m happy to say that since I have been watching your channel for several years and I have a well rounded spice cabinet and pantry staples. ❤️
I keep a stock pile of canned or packaged tuna and salmon. I like tuna and salmon patties and they are really easy to put together and store extras in the freezer. Packaged Ramen! I can still get 5 for a dollar at my local Dollar General.
Oh the doo da day!!! Made my day mama ❤ From Boise
haha, thanks! I'm still a music teacher at heart, everything is a song in my head!
@@SeeMindyMom I sing everything as well! Its a mom thing maybe too
You are having a cool day we are suppose to be 106 degrees 2 less than yesterday. LOL
We're at 111 tomorrow.
I thought it was hot here at 102 😅 supposed to get up to 107 later this week
Ground sausage, pasta, crushed tomatoes, frozen vegetables, and cheese are my must haves extras of. I can add a little here or there and make tons of meals from these ingredients.
I need to pick up tortellini, just started picking up frozen ravioli. Everyone loves it. Thanks for the new ideas for me.
I keep all the things you mentioned! I also always have flour and corn tortillas, canned coconut milk, naan, Kirkland pesto from Costco, and pizza sauce from our local pizzeria. (It's sold in grocery stores here bc the chain is so big).
Thanks Mindy for always sharing great ideas and so many delicious meal ideas!
I buy a lot of ground beef when it's on sale, brown it all in the big crockpot, drain it, and freeze it in one pound units. A quart freezer bag holds a pound nicely and if you freeze them flat they thaw quickly. Saves money and time. Beware the cheap, hi fat content beef. By the time you drain the fat off there's not much meat there and you end up paying more per pound of usable meat than if you had bought the better grade in the first place
I am not sure if you have done this before but I would love to learn more about freezing, preserving and extending foods shelf life if you have any ideas!!
We live out in the country 20-25 minutes from the nearest grocery store. I had four children. They are all grown now, but I always kept a ton of stuff on hand. I couldn’t run to the store to grab an ingredient I didn’t know I was out of. My garage looked like a mini grocery store…it kind of still does. It’s hard to break the habit!
I just stumbled across you page in the past couple of days and i just wanted you to know that you make me feel hopeful to be a new mom ❤️
I'm so glad! Congrats, Hillary!
I always have chicken breasts and Asian sauces like sesame oil, soy sauce, squeeze ginger and garlic and a stir fry sauce. We often empty the veggie drawer in the fridge and do a stir fry. Sometimes we add ramen, rice, or spaghetti noodles. Tonight we had bok choy, carrots, snow peas, celery and a summer squash to use up. We have this a lot in the summer!
Good question for sure and I do think a lot changes with the season but we like to keep chicken and ground beef ( although ground beef is getting too expensive). I started keeping grilled and sliced chicken and cooked sausage in the freezer to throw into quick meals and make them super tasty quickly. I keep rice, pasta, Mac and cheese , tomatoes, salsa in the pantry. Mostly I keep flour, sugar and other baking essentials and mix my own baked good dry mixes in jars but I normally keep scones, muffins, corn bread, peasant bread. I am going to have to think about my list more.
That's a good idea on the pre-cooked meet for quick recipes!
Funny thing: when you were filming inside of your pantry, I noticed that you had the daiya "cheeze" sauce! I love that product. I'm curious to know your take (or your family's take) on how it tastes. I've been vegan for 3+ years, so I haven't had cheese in a while (and can't attest to how it compares), so it's always interesting to hear non-vegans' perspectives on dairy substitutes! I'll say, though, that sauce tastes so good in my opinion and reminds me so much of what I remember of nacho cheese! I also love their alfredo sauce. Love watching your videos and binge them all the time while I'm cooking!
I do like it! I use it sometimes on burrito bowls with beans and rice and veggies. :)
We have propane stove, BBQ, so I should put a few meals together like you did as we are in Hurricane area!
I always have canned meat, pasta/ramen, rice, cereal, soup (usually chicken noodle & cream of chicken) and canned corn. Pretty strange but easy fixings. Thank you for inspiring!
Not strange at all
My pantry is stocked with all the items you mentioned.
Bell peppers are on my grocery list every week! It doesn't matter if they are in season or not, I will buy them anyways.
Love your videos! 🙂
Lately I have been using frozen meatballs for different recipes.
I love all these ..I use of the items you show plenty..Ty 💜💜✌🏽
when we were first married we went for a celebration dinner to the Crownest and had New England clam chowder and it was so good we later found out they put in thyme and fresh grated nutmeg so that has to be in my spice cupboard and to make my clam chowder or my version of Old Spaghetti Factory clam sauce I keep cans of Minced clams in my pantry
I keep stock/broth along with all the things mentioned.
I just wanted to say I love your videos! I’m a new watcher and have started buying sharp cheese instead. I’m also eating lunch right now during nap time so haha you’re right on the money on that one! 😆
Great video! I keep many of the same items but will add canned chicken from Sam's or Costco, some frozen fruit to make a quick fruit salad side dish, Dave's Killer Bread that I get at the Dollar Tree (we freeze it), almonds and walnuts for snacking on or topping my oatmeal, tortilla chips for nachos or taco night, and canned soup for a quick lunch for my guys.
Love this video! New way to think about what I keen on hand 🤓
Yep...eating lunch!
Thanks for sharing 🙏
Great video!
Thanks for your videos thanks ❤️ 😊
I was on my lunch break at work the other day and I happened to be working on some medical paperwork. My boss came over to me and said "no food videos today?" I guess I have been binging your channel during lunch... 🤣
haha! I love that! Thanks for letting me keep you company on your lunch break! :)
Thank you for all you share. Dearly love your videos.♥️
Glad you like them! Thanks for watching! :)
Gluten free flours by King Arthur (pancake mix muffin mix and measure for measure - their AP flour, and baking mix), chickpea pasta, canned chickpeas, canned black beans, canned kidney beans, canned cranberry sauce, canned green beans, frozen cauliflower rice, basmati rice, vegetable stock, homemade frozen GF pancakes and waffles, and lacatid milk, eggs, vegan butter, honey, spices/herbs, fresh produce, and then fresh organic ground turkey and chicken that I place in food saver bags. Due to food allergies and specific dietary needs, I have to have specific items on hand. And I have to stick with name brands due to those allergies and Celiac Disease.
Tortillas, cheese and salsa.
You cook pre cook hamburger and freeze it. I do this a lot
great tip!
If you go to the Appalachia's Honestead channel, she shows you how to CAN hamburger. In case if power outtages.😊
@@dianaschoen4485 this is something I want to learn soon. Canning
@@amberhill2588 I just bought a Ball Bluebook Preserving Book. Best 10 bucks Ive ever spent!
We always have dry pasta, variety of canned tomatoes, egg noodles, rice, canned beans, dry lentils, oatmeal, pancake mix, peanut butter, almonds, bacon, sausage, chicken breasts, ground beef, boneless pork chops or loins, tortillas, tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream, cream cheese, heavy cream, eggs, onions, carrots, bell peppers, apples, frozen broccoli, hash browns, cheese tortellini frozen fruit, cheese, butter. And 2 emergency frozen pizzas 😜.
When you said you cook most of your meals with tomato products I subscribed immediately
We try to get a lot of corn. We blanche it then cut it off the cob. We ZIP Lock them and store it in our freezer. This is how we have that fresh corn on the cob through out the winter. It tastes just like fresh corn on the cob.
Yum!
Yup. You caught me during lunch. I think my brain just has food on the brain when I'm hungry so I'm more likely to watch food content when I'm eating
Canned tomatoes, corn, beans, refried beans, jarred pasta sauces, various pastas, rice, instant mashed potatoes, salsa, tortilla chips, flour tortillas, onions, oatmeal, dried beans, boxed stocks/broths, brownie mixes, breads, milk, lots of cheese varieties, cream cheese, butter, margarine, frozen chicken breasts, frozen meatballs, frozen vegetables, sale meats, sausage, pepperoni, apples, carrots, crackers, condiments. When I see discounted produce, I stock up, chop, and freeze bell peppers, celery, red onions.
That sausage with the peppers looked SOOOOO GOOD! How did you make it? I need the recipe! 🤤
In the spring/summer, one of our favorite light & easy meals is a copycat recipe of PF Changs chicken lettuce cups. If you've never had those, it's hard to describe but oh they're so tasty, low-calorie yet the flavor profile seems pretty decadent - and best of all they're inexpensive and fast to make. I but a pack of the butter lettuc at Aldi (around $2.50), and use either ground beef or turkey. I serve them with rice and a stir-fry frozen veggie mix to keep the 'easy' going.
Sounds great!
They are delicious. I stock water chestnuts for this purpose. I have used romaine and iceberg lettuces and they work too!!
Pasta , ground beef and some type of chicken oh and la moderna to make soup for the kids. 😁 great video once again 😊
Thanks!
Mindy! Oh my gosh. I want to use some tortellini to make a soup with Italian sausage so I tried to pick some up yesterday at a Kroger store. They didn't have a store brand in the freezer, refrigerator, or dry pasta sections! Every package was $6.99-8.99 for 12-20 oz. Oh. My. Gosh. I nearly fell over. It really knocked my mood down so much! I definitely cannot afford that. So I'm gonna be taking a trip to Walmart or Aldi just for tortellini. I hope it's cheaper there!
We always have lots of eggs and cheeses on hand for different meal ideas
Even with prices up, eggs are still a pretty economical protein in my area. :)
I always have eggs, too. I have also been stocking up on powdered eggs for baking, etc.. Between the cost of eggs, and pretty soon,the scarcity. Ill have that for recipes that call for eggs.
I freeze blocks of cheese and sliced cheese…i stock up when it’s on sale👍🏼
A small block of lard to use for cooking dried beans has broken the cycle of waiting to afford seasoning meats. A teaspoon or two in canned beans help the taste for me too.
Thanks! I’m always looking for ideas. I married the pickiest man in the U.S.
I'm fortunate, my husband is not picky at all!
I wish we were friends and I could just come over and sit side by side on the couch and you could tell me where to start.