By: Monica Schmocker

Do you ever have food in your pantry but still feel like you don’t have anything to create a meal? Some of the most common ‘pantry’ items are rice, beans, pasta, lentils, potatoes and canned meats. Each of these ingredients can be deceptively simple, yet when paired with a few extra ingredients they can be transformed into something delicious.

Keep an eye on our blog over the next few weeks for new ideas and recipes to make with these affordable staples.

Today’s post will highlight some of the many ways that these pantry staples can be used to create nutritious meals. These ingredients are staples because not only are they affordable and versatile, but they also all have a long shelf-life. This means you can stock up on any of these foods and not worry about them going bad before you can use them.

Rice, pasta, beans and lentils, and potatoes can all be used as the base for a recipe or as a side dish. Canned meats such as tuna or chicken are brilliant options for quickly adding protein to any meal. You can add them to a salad straight out of the can, or add a little avocado to make a tuna or chicken ‘salad’ like pictured below. Tuna and avocado is one of my personal favourites, especially on top of a baked potato or wrapped in a tortilla!

Sneak Peek at some of the recipes to come…

Let us know in the comments if there are any recipes or cooking videos you’d like to see!