You know that you don’t always need fancy ingredients to make quick, tasty meals if you’ve ever enjoyed the wonderful mix of pasta and cheese.
Since you’re always on the go, wouldn’t it be great if every meal was so simple?
Having the right items on hand all the time might be the key. Quick and easy meals don’t have to be impossible if you have a few key things in your kitchen.
It’s like having a well-curated closet: a well-dressed pantry has foods that go well with a lot of different meals.
As little work as possible should be put into making dinner. This set of 15 staples is what you need.
Beans in black
When it comes to dinner, black beans are like the little black dress. They fit well into almost everything.
Ideas for preparation
Put them in:
- Tacos, soup, bean burgers, salads, and vegetable medleys
- For your next Meatless Monday, try making these black bean burgers.
Put it away for now.
It might not seem very creative to use up a half-can of black beans, but it can be the start of a creative second meal.
Spread the mashed beans on flatbread and top with tomatoes, melted cheese, and cilantro for a creative Southwestern pizza. You can also add a few to baked sweet potatoes that have been seasoned with chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Good for your health
If there were a prize for the healthiest food in every way, black beans would be in the running. They have a lot of protein and fiber, which are both good for you and can help you keep a healthy weight. They also have a lot of vitamins and may help keep blood sugar in check.Well-Known Source.
Chicken on a rotisserie
Rotisserie chicken is a great choice for a quick and easy meal because it is already cooked. You’re ready to go once you take the meat off the bones.
Ideas for preparation
To make one of these recipes more protein-rich, add some chicken.
- Stews, pasta, salads, and sandwiches
- One idea is to make a 15-minute white chicken soup with cumin, rotisserie chicken, white beans, green chilies, and chicken broth.
Put it away for now.
If you have time, you could take the meat off of a rotisserie chicken as soon as you get home and put it in the fridge. That will make getting dinner ready even faster.
You can also freeze the meat in a jar with a lid for up to 6 months.
Good for your health
It is true that rotisserie chicken has more sodium than chicken breasts or legs, but it has the same amount of protein as any other chicken.
There are 24 grams of protein in a 3-ounce amount of the meat.Source you can trust to help you build muscle and keep your immune system healthy.
Meatballs that are frozen
When it’s time for dinner, frozen meatballs can save your bacon, or they can wrap themselves in it.
Ideas for preparation
By adding sauce and mozzarella to these meaty appetizers, you can make Italian subs bigger. Do you want to add some green? Put in some spinach or greens.
You can also heat them up in the microwave to make Swedish meatballs over egg noodles faster.
Put it away for now.
It’s best not to re-freeze meatballs that have already been cooked. Put them in the fridge for three to four days. After that, you can pull them out and use them in wraps, pasta, or albondigas.
Good for your health
It’s not always true that frozen meatballs are full of antioxidants and good fats, but they are a great source of both.a reliable source of
Iron, copper, protein, and vitamin B12.
To be sure you know what you’re getting, just read the signs. A shorter list of ingredients usually means that the product has been handled less.
Tuna in a can
Tuna in a can is another easy protein that can save the day. Fresh fish needs to be cooked, but canned tuna can be used right away to make a lot of breakfasts and dinners.
Ideas for preparation
For instance, you could eat your best noodles with Mediterranean-style pasta.
Add:
There is olive oil in the tuna.
Fresh basil, shaved Parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon juice
Take a big fresh heirloom tomato and cut it in half. Then put tuna salad inside.
Put it away for now.
You can keep a little extra tuna in the fridge for one or two days. For a small snack, try mixing it with mayo and putting it on top of sliced cucumbers.
Good for your health
In addition to having a lot of energy, canned tuna is great because it has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy fats like these have been linked to many health benefits, such as a lower chance of heart disease and better sleep.
Puffed rice
When pasta takes too long, couscous is the next best thing. After only three minutes in the microwave, it’s ready to go.
Ideas for preparation
A couscous grain bowl with everything you need for dinner is quick and easy to take with you.
Combine the grains with cooked chicken (maybe rotisserie chicken?).
Fresh vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes should be added.
Add a little feta cheese on top.
Add a little olive oil, and dinner is ready!
Put it away for now.
Couscous that has been cooked will keep in the fridge for three days. When you get home from a crazy day, a jar in the fridge can be used right away as a side dish for meats or as the base for a casserole.
Good for your health
You can spend more on whole wheat couscous if you want to. It has more fiber than the refined kind, which helps your digestion, keeps you full, and feeds the good bugs in your gut.
Bread with sourdough
When it comes to bread, sourdough is king.
Ideas for preparation
It works well as the crust of an egg bake, the base of a pizza made on the spot, or the main ingredient in French toast.
There’s also bread avocado toast all the time.
Put it away for now.
Crunch, crunch, crunch… Crispy bread crumbs can change the texture of a lot of different meals.
You can put them on green beans, mac and cheese, or stuffed squash. To make it, toast some extra sourdough bread and then pulse it in a food processor until it looks like crumbles.
This dough can be frozen for up to three months.
Good for your health
Who said bread isn’t good for you? Because it ferments, sourdough may be easier to digest than regular bread because it has live and active bacteria that are good for your gut.
Tortillas
You don’t have to eat Mexican food with tortillas, but you can if you want to!
Ideas for preparation
Instead of tortas, tostadas, and enchiladas, try a flour tortilla for a veggie wrap at lunchtime.
Or, try this for a lunchbox decoration that kids will love:
Make a tortilla with cream cheese on it.
Add deli meat and a colored vegetable that has been sliced or shred.
Then roll it up and cut it into flip-flops.
Put it away for now.
You can always find a way to use an extra tortilla or two. Wrap up a green salad, roasted vegetables, or fried eggs that you have left over to finish the package.
Better yet, make a standard quesadilla in the microwave!
Good for your health
It’s hard to compare tortillas because each one has its own set of nutrients, like flour, corn, spinach, etc.
Some nutrients, like B vitamins, can be found in large amounts in tortillas alone. They are also easy to hold in your hand and can help you eat more vegetables, beans, and lean meats. To get even more fiber, pick a whole-grain or corn tortilla.
Sauce marinara
You could use fresh tomatoes and herbs from your yard to make your own marinara sauce, but jarred marinara is better for quick meals.
Ideas for preparation
It goes well with spaghetti and other pasta, but you can also use it to make pies, sliders, and subs and give them a tomato-y kick.
You can quickly make pizza night better by buying garlic naan bread, spreading sauce on it, and adding mozzarella, diced roasted red peppers, and olives.
Put it away for now.
Put sauce in a jar, screw the lid on tight, and put it in the fridge. If you’re not going to use it in a week or two, put it in the freezer. It will last for 6 months that way.
Add it to chili or stew if you only have a little left over. Everyone will be curious about the “je nais se quoi” ingredient that made it taste so good.
Good for your health
Because tomatoes are the main ingredient, marinara sauce has some of their health benefits, such as a lot of the vitamin lycopene. Because lycopene reduces inflammation, it may be why it has been linked to a lower chance of some cancers and better heart health.Well-Known Source.
But make sure you read the labels and pick a jar with little to no extra sugar.
The artichokes were marinated
It takes a long time for vegetables like potatoes and squash to get soft in the oven. Choose jarred artichokes (choose a marinated type for flavor that’s already there) if you want to get your vegetables faster.
Ideas for preparation
They can be added to pasta and salad without cooking them, and they look great on quick-bite snacks like crostini.
Put it away for now.
Once the jar of pickled artichokes is opened, it should stay in the fridge for the rest of its days. They’ll stay fresh for up to three weeks.
Good for your health
Artichokes have a lot of polyphenols, which fight inflammation.Source You Can Trust, it’s low in fat and high in fiber.
Garlic in a jar
Why bother cutting cloves up? Getting garlic in a jar makes meals easy.
Ideas for preparation
Put it in:
Soups, garlic bread, pasta, and pesto
You can also use garlic from a jar as the first step in a sautéed greens side dish or a pot roast that tastes surprisingly sour.
Put it away for now.
You can keep garlic in a jar in the fridge until it goes bad, which could be up to three months after you bought it.
Good for your health
Adding garlic to your food might be good for your health in many ways.
A study from 2020According to a reliable source, garlic may help avoid cancer, heart disease, and metabolic diseases like diabetes. It makes the bad breath from garlic seem a little less bad.
Frozen mixed greens
When you need to make meals quickly, frozen mixed veggies are your best friend.
Ideas for preparation
Put them in:
There were soups, shepherd’s pie, fried rice, and steamed veggies.
Having frozen vegetables on hand means that you can add color to your diet with the shake of a bag.
Put it away for now.
There is no easier food to put in the freezer than mixed frozen vegetables. After cooking, you can keep leftovers for 5 to 7 days in the fridge.
Good for your health
You might find a mix of nutrients like these in your blend:
fiber fiber fiber vitamin C potassium folic acid vitamin A
All of these nutrients make a big difference! A little researchTrusted Source has found that eating vegetables makes you less likely to die of any cause.
Hummus
This spread can be used for a lot more than just dipping vegetables.
Ideas for preparation
Its creamy texture can be used in place of mayo in wraps and sandwiches or as the base for thick salad dressings. Plus, it’s pretty much necessary for a meat board, which is a really simple meal.
Put it away for now.
Hummus that has been put in the fridge will stay good for one to two weeks. Bring it out when you need a quick side dish, like crackers or cold cuts. For a healthy breakfast, spread some on toast and top with pomegranate seeds.
Good for your health
This gift from the Mediterranean has become the most important part of healthy parties, and for good reason. The sesame paste, tahini, gives you healthy fats, and the chickpea base is full of fiber and protein.
A study from 2019 suggests that people who eat more plant-based nutrition may live longer.Well-Known Source.
Mashed potatoes from the freezer
When you need to make dinner quickly, raw potatoes aren’t very helpful, but frozen potatoes that have already been mashed are great.
Ideas for preparation
Take the bag out of the freezer whenever you need a quick side dish. As a side dish for chicken baked in mustard, meatballs, or a quick fish dinner with lemon and capers, it will get you off to a good start.
Put it away for now.
You can keep bought mashed potatoes cold in the freezer for up to 6 months. Put them in the fridge after they’re done cooking. To use up scraps in a new way, stuff them into samosas or enchiladas or fry them up as potato latkes.
Good for your health
People say potatoes are bad for you because they have a lot of carbs, but they’re not really that bad.
They have a lot of potassium, which is a mineral that helps your nerves and muscles move properly. A study from 2021 also suggests that their resistant starch might help you control your blood sugar.
Cheddar cheese shreds
Choose cheddar shredded cheese if you want to use it on almost anything.
Ideas for preparation
It’s rich and melts easily, and it cools down spice and puts on top of family favorites like
Chili cheese fries, baked potatoes, and mac and cheese
Put it away for now.
Putting your shredded cheddar in the fridge with a tight lid will help it work its best. You can also freeze cheese. You can freeze a bag for six to nine months.
Good for your health
It is known that cheddar has a lot of iron. 15% of the Daily Value is in a quarter-cup servingTrusted Source.
This element helps with:
Blood clotting, heart rate, muscle movement, and hormone balance are all important for good health.
There is also a modest amount of protein in the cheese.
Greek milk
How do we love you, Greek yogurt? Let’s see how many there are.
Ideas for preparation
Put it in:
Smoothies and parfaits can be used in place of sour cream in pudding or pie fillings and dips.
Even more ideas: It can be used to make tzatziki sauce for falafel or to coat chicken or pork before breading it.
Put it away for now.
About two weeks is enough time to keep Greek yogurt in the fridge. You could freeze it for up to two months, but it might not be the same after that.
Good for your health
So many good things about Greek yogurt are good for you. It has a lot of protein, calcium, and bacteria that are good for your gut, to name a few things.
What to Do
It’s okay to take a few short cuts when making healthy meals, even if the good things take time.
If you keep these cooking essentials on hand, you won’t have to think twice the next time you need to make dinner quickly.
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