Kitchen pantry must haves: 14 ingredients you should always have handy

There are some items a well-stocked pantry should always have and they will save you time and money if you do it right.

The experts are telling us – for a good reason – to be aware of the threat of coronavirus, but not to be alarmed.
The advice is: there is no need for panic buying. And, while it is good to be organised with groceries, it can be financially disadvantageous to go overboard in stocking up.

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What groceries should I always have in my pantry?

This is our must-have pantry list:

1. Tinned tomatoes

Tomatoes are high in vitamin C. They also contain the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to health benefits, including reduced heart disease and cancer.

2. Canned tuna

Tuna fish is versatile. You can use it in pasta, salads, or my kids’ favourite, tuna mornay macaroni bake. A frugal friend recently shared how her mother used to make spaghetti Bolognese using tuna. Her mum did it to save money, but to her it remains the ultimate comfort food.

3. Powdered milk

Powdered milk can last for months in the cupboard. A tip is to reconstitute a litre, and then add that to a litre of fresh milk and leave it overnight. By the next day, you can’t tell the difference between real and powdered. That said, my kids prefer powdered milk and beg me to make it for them as a treat. Powdered milk is easy to use in baking in place of fresh milk. I use powdered milk to make yoghurt.

4. Coconut oil

Coconut oil has a long shelf life. It can last for two years before going rancid. It also has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties as it contains lauric acid, which has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-viral properties. Plus, it’s easy to cook with and can be used in place of oil or butter.

5. Honey

Not only is it delicious on porridge, but honey is also a comforting thing to drink with warm water if you have a cold. My kids love a drink of warm honey water if they have a cough, and they find it just as useful as cough medicine.

6. Dry spaghetti

A few packs of dry spaghetti are always useful to have in your cupboard for a cheap and easy meal.

7. Flour

I like to bake sourdough bread (for us) and white sandwich bread (for my boys). I buy my bread flour in bulk so that I always have enough on hand.

8. Sugar

Some people might be able to live without it, but not me. It’s essential in our household, especially in home baking.

9. Tea and coffee

We are tea drinkers and buy loose leaf in bulk and that ensures we always have enough on hand.

10. Rice

Eighteen months ago, I bought 60kg of rice on sale. We still have over half of it. While I don’t recommend you follow my example in buying so much, we’re now set if there’s ever an emergency.

11. Tinned vegetables

Tins of sweet corn or other vegetables are handy to have on hand. Who doesn’t like sweet corn fritters?

12. Tinned fruit

While we love our fresh fruit, I enjoy tinned peaches and hubby loves tinned pineapples. Having tinned fruit on hand is a great way to make sure you always have fruit available.

13. Vegemite

This is a non-negotiable ingredient in our house. I always buy a big jar!

14. Rolled oats

Oats are a power food. A bowl of porridge is a great way to start the day – especially topped with honey.

Where do I store all my groceries?

Apart from the cost of paying for items, you need to have a suitable space large enough to store your bulk supplies. We let out our spare room as AirBnB accommodation, which earns us a lot more than any savings on toilet paper could.

There are many people in our society who are disadvantaged by the shortages in supermarket necessities. Foodbank in NSW and ACT recently urged us to remember special groups of people in our community who cannot shop regularly.

“Our ageing parents, our grandparents, our elderly neighbours and the vulnerable struggle to duck to the shops when they run out of items. Travelling from suburb to suburb looking for essentials is out of the question along with online shopping,” they said in a Facebook post.

Foodbank suggested that we be prepared and stock up on two weeks’ worth of essentials, but avoid stocking up on three or six months’ worth of products.

That said, with a contagious disease spreading it makes sense to be prepared. And even without the threat of coronavirus, it’s a good idea to have some essential pantry staples on hand for the times you don’t want to run to the shops.

Buying in bulk (without going overboard) often means that the products are cheaper, especially if you buy when on special.

This story originally appeared on Australia’s Best Recipes and has been reproduced here with permission