Storecupboard Essentials

Lizalu

Hi, I'm quite new to this board so please bear with me!

I'm 20 and have moved in with my OH and his two kids (both of whom eat pretty much anything). I want to start cooking "old style" but the problem is that I don't get back from work til half six, and OH doesn't have enough time to cook before then. We do have a slow cooker which will help a lot!
I can't get to the shops very often during the week so my question is -what are your larder / freezer essentials?
We're doing a sainsbury's shop tomorrow night and I need to know all the basics to stock up on so any ideas would be much apprecited.

Many thanks.

emmie1234

I always buy/make sure I have in tomato puree/pasata, herbs for spag bol ( i use oregano and basil dried) curry powder, cumin, paprika, chilli powder, these work out cheaper if you buy them in bulk from ethnic shops - the bags last for ages, I've got mine stored in mini tupperware thingies) Come in handy for chillis, curries, flavouring chicken, steak, eg for fajitas, stir fries etc. pasta rice.Cheap cuts of meat come in handy for the freezer too, you could you use these in the slow cooker for casseroles, stews etc. Look in the reduced section too!!Other more experienced peeps will prob help out a bit more shortly, hope this helps for now.kind regardsemma

Gingham_Ribbon

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=150934&highlight=essentials

This older thread might help.

Lizalu

Ah - I figured there'd be an older thread but wasn't sure what to search for! Thank you very much. Will go to the shops armed with a list now.
Many thanks.

lil_me

I would say don't buy other peoples cupboard/freezer essentials. Many do this inc me once (and regretted it) and you end up with a cupboard full of things you rarely/hardly ever use.

What I would say is do a meal plan for every meal, involve the kids in making the choices as much as you can and go from there as to what you will need to make the meals. Could even look up some recipe ideas online.

Cheaper cuts of meat etc will probably be a great idea with an SC. You can also do the likes of a bolognese sauce in it too, or chilli etc etc. Have a look on the slow cooker index on here.

Another good idea may be to bulk cook some meals which can be defrosting while you are at work then reheated when you get home.

Lalala_3

tinned toms- find whole ones more versatile as can be served alone as an accompaniment to other foods, chopped in sauces/stews/spag bog/chilli etc/ whizzed in blender as alternative to passatta/used on pizza toppings
frozen peas- great alone or as an addition to pasta dishes/stir fries/stews etc- add them to pasta in saucepan and they cook at the same time
pasta
rice- find basmati most versatile (cheaper in ethnic food stores/wholesle) and pudding rice the two I go for most
plain cous cous- cheaper than packets, v quick and can even be made into desserts
onions- basis for so many dishes
canned sliced mushrooms- great for adding to other dishes to pad them out eg spag bog, and much cheaper than fresh
baked beans (these are brilliant as an alternative to almost any other sort of beans in a reacipe, eg red kidney beans in chilli, just rinse them under the tap in sieve and you get plain borlotti beans(I think they're borlotti anyway)- normally about 70p a can I guess but cheapo value beans less than 20p. Or drain them into a separate bowl before rinsing an you could use the sauce for something else- hmm, not thought of that before!)
packet noodles (the ones with the little sachets of msg, er flavouring- don't bother with the sachet, just make the noodles up as normal and add them to stir fries etc. Yum. And only 15p in lidl.
Spuds- so many uses. And once you've done hm oven chips you will never want to go back to mccains!
Spices/Herbs- agree with emma1234 these are invaluable for tarting up even really boring food and can make normally dull meals really tasty

I also get home about the same time as you and know how much I appreciate having these things in the cupboard so that once my little boy is in bed, I don't really have to um and ah for too long as a bit of inspiration will hit me and a tasty meal for dh and I can be on the table in 20 mins. Apart from tonight as he is out and so I have been on here since 7

Lalala_3

Oooh my dh is out not ds, that looked all wrong!

Pink.

Hi Lizalu,

These older threads should help you put together a list of essentials, but as lil_me has said you'll have to tailor them to your own needs/tastes.

Help!! Basic shopping list needed

1st ever shop... And doing it OS!

Your fully comprehensive storecupboard

store cupboard essentials?

Storecupboard list - might be useful

Emergency food tin

OS store cupboard basics

Pink

lil_me

Just been looking at those threads, I would do a list myself of what I have in at the mo which is about what I like to always have in but I think my fingers would wear out before I get to the end of it :rotfl: I'm a horder and you never know when we might get snowed in :rotfl: Just to give an idea - 2 freezers, one fridge,(american style FF and under bench freezer) one pantry and 7 standard cupboards full, some stuff stashed on top of cupboards but we won't count those. I am working on it, I promise but yep, I still NEEDED things today

Skint_Catt

Moving in to first house together on Friday and will be going shopping from 'scratch'.

What 'essential' basics do you ALWAYS keep a stock of?