Do not panic! We are here to help you make awesome meals with limited pantry supplies during these tough times! Here are 17 awesome meals to make with your current pantry items to save yourself a ton of money.
Eating out isn’t an option right now with the coronavirus pandemic in full swing. Restaurants are shut down and grocery stores are doing their best to keep food items in stock, during these uncertain times.
Furthermore, online grocery and food delivery services are swamped right now making it difficult to order groceries online. Many food items offered by online grocery stores are out of stock and it takes a couple of days for food to show up at your door.
Where else can you turn? Look no further than your own pantry. Common pantry items include:
The Staples
- Boxes of pasta
- Tomato sauce
- Canned soups
- Rice
- Cereal & Oatmeal
- Chicken Broth
- Mixed nuts
- Dried fruit
- Canned Mushrooms
- Canned chicken
- Canned beans
- Canned corn
- Potatoes
- Peanut Butter
Freezer Essentials:
- Frozen spinach
- Frozen green beans
- Frozen peas
- Frozen broccoli
With these common items in your pantry, you can make one of these 17 recipes while you’re in quarantine.
Black Bean and Corn Chili
This is a type of chili that is more on the tangy side with a salsa verde twist instead of a hearty sauce. Playing off the bean’s natural texture, this is still a hearty dish and if you add some citrus it makes for a well-balanced layering of flavor. The best part is, it only takes about 30 minutes to cook and it has around 4-5 servings.
Tomato Soup with Beans and Greens
Garlic, kale, and white beans can be used to elevate simple canned tomato soup into a quick and easy lunch or dinner that packs a punch. If you have diced canned tomatoes that can be used as well to create a heartier texture. This recipe takes only about 10 minutes to cook!
Broccoli Casserole
Frozen broccoli, cheese, and rice is a cheap, filling meal that is sure to get you snuggling up on the couch, watching TV. This recipe contains budget friendly ingredients and you probably already have these items in your pantry. You can also add meat or beans to add a little bit of protein to the dish.
Spanish Rice
While this may seem like a side dish, add the right ingredients and you can make it the main course. You can add tomatoes, beans, chorizo, and seasonings to create different textures and flavors. This dish is freezer friendly, so make large portions and save some for later!
Beef and Bean Sloppy Joes
Do you have some canned beans and ground beef on hand? If so, you can make an awesome sloppy joe that is packed full of protein and fiber. This recipe calls for less ketchup and sugar making it a healthier alternative to traditional sloppy joes.
Spaghetti Carbonara
This is a last minute desperation dinner that only uses pasta, cheese, garlix, eggs, and butter. That’s it. With these simple ingredients, you will be blown away how sophisticated this dish tastes.
Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas
This tasty meal is one to delight. Slow simmer eggs in creamy tomato sauce and add chickpeas and spinach for a fast and easy vegetarian dinner. Serve with crunchy garlic bread to add an additional layer of texture to this dish.
Scrambled Eggs and Toast
We’ve all probably made this dish before. It’s simple and if dressed up properly, can be delicious. Your scrambled eggs can be dressed up with cheese, onions, peppers, mushrooms, bacon, sausage, salsa, most seasonings, the possibilities are endless.
Fried Rice
When I was younger, everytime I went to this local Chinese restaurant, I would always get beef fried rice. One of the key ingredients they used was butter, making this dish the juiciest fried rice I’ve ever had. This dish can be cooked with a protein like beef, pork, shrimp, and steak, or you can cook it with just vegetables and eggs.
Tortilla pizza
Do you have some tortilla shells, cheese, and pizza sauce laying around? You can make quick and delicious personal pizzas for the family to enjoy. Set your counter up as a pizza making station with your favorite toppings on hand and watch your family have a blast.
Goulash
Goulash, sounds nasty right? Well, it’s actually delicious. Try making an American goulash with ground beef, tomatoes, noodles, and onions. Zest it up with seasonings and cheese and you have yourself one tasty dish. The best part is, it’s extremely easy to cook and takes less than 30 minutes.
Beef Stroganoff
Making a beef stroganoff is very simple. Your three main ingredients are ground beef, noodles, and cream of chicken soup. You can also make it a little more hearty by adding mushrooms and sour cream. Give this simple recipe a try and don’t be disappointed!
Tuna Sandwich
Many people have canned tuna in their pantry, but what do you do with it? The answer is, a simple tuna sandwich. A tuna sandwich is a classic meal and it’s one of the most popular sandwiches that brings back memories from our childhoods. Whip up a quick tuna sandwich with this recipe and grab some chips or vegetables as your side.
Jambalaya
Originating from New Orleans, jambalaya is a great comfort food dish. Find your crockpot, choose just about any protein you have on hand, grab a can of tomatoes and your favorite Cajun seasoning and mix it all together. You can also add rice to add some extra nutrition and texture.
Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese
Who doesn’t have a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese in their pantry? Take your simple box of mac and cheese and create something to die for. Add panko crust to create a crunchy, chewy, and all around irresistible meal for you and your family.
Taco Macaroni
Maybe a mac and cheese grilled cheese doesn’t sound very appealing to you, but you still have that box of Kraft Mac and Cheese. Try going a different route and make taco macaroni. This is a great solution for those quarantine days and it will definitely add some zest to your regular box of mac and cheese.
Chicken Pot Pie Stew
Don’t like cooking… try making chicken pot pie stew. Gather the ingredients from your pantry and freezer throw this dish together with minimal effort. You can also use mashed potatoes to make this recipe extra creamy.
Conclusion:
We are certainly under strange times, but don’t let that stop you making amazing meals by using the pantry and freezer ingredients you already have. Not only that, you are able to practice social distancing by not going out and about to gather ingredients from the grocery store.
Set some time aside and relieve your coronavirus stress in the kitchen with these 17 awesome recipes by channeling your inner chef.
Have more pantry recipes you’d like to share? Leave a comment below and let others know.
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I should make tortilla pizza. I only keep about 150 tortillas at a time. Hi there. I am going around the neighborhood introducing myself. My name is Marc. My blog contains excerpts from my book The Driveway Rules. It contains memoirs about growing up with undiagnosed autism. I hope you stop by.
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Hi Marc! Thanks for stopping by. I’ll definitely check out your blog, it’s sounds very interesting.
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