Time to spring clean your cupboard: Cupboard staples and what they're good for

Living in lockdown has proved challenging for many of us. People are struggling to find ingredients in the supermarkets. People are having to eat three meals a day at home when they may only have previously had one. And people are losing the motivation to keep their food exciting and different.

But you don’t need to worry. There are a variety of meals you can make that rely on the ingredients that have been hiding in your cupboard for months. You don’t even need to go to the supermarket. Cooking with cupboard staples doesn’t mean you have to eat plain or flavourless meals. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

It's time to get the most out of your store cupboard staples. Reliable items include:

BEANS

Cans of beans are great cupboard staples – whether you’ve got cannellini beans, kidney beans or borlotti beans, beans are very versatile and can be used for a variety of different dishes. They are great for casseroles, stews, curries or even salads.

For a delicious mixed bean stew, just throw in your beans and canned tomatoes into a pan and there you have it. Or add some chilli and spices and you’ve got a delicious curry!

BAKED BEANS

Baked beans are another bean that is essential to have in your cupboard. They are great on toast, on a jacket potato or as an accompaniment to a meal – they go with anything.

CHICKPEAS

If you’re vegetarian, chickpeas can be incorporated into many different meals. Perfect in curries and stews, nice in wraps or as a burger. You could even make homemade hummus if you’re feeling adventurous.

COCONUT MILK

Having a can of coconut milk to hand means you can make a creamy curry in no time. Not just for savoury dishes, coconut milk can be used to thicken smoothies and can also be used in many desserts.

COOKING OIL

Cooking oil is not only needed for cooking almost everything, oils are also great for salad dressings. There are so many different oils you can buy – olive, vegetable, rapeseed, sunflower, chilli, nut oils, the list is endless. It’s handy to have a variety of different oils, to add depth and flavour to your meals.

COUSCOUS

Couscous is perfect for lunch, a dinner accompaniment or in a salad. As a grain on its own it can be quite bland, so add lots of vegetables or cook in stock rather than water for an added taste.

DRIED PASTA

Ideal for lunch or dinner, a tomato or creamy sauce, meat, fish or vegetarian. For a quick dinner, dried pasta is a go-to, you can whip up a meal in no time.

EGGS

Scrambled, fried, poached, boiled or as an omelette, eggs are perfect for a quick and easy breakfast/lunch. They are also essential for a lot of baking recipes.

FLOUR

Plain and self-raising flours should be cupboard staples if you’re into baking. Although there is currently a shortage of flour, if you have some, they are great for baking, making pancakes, or even to thicken sauces or casseroles.

HERBS, SPICES AND SEASONING

Dried herbs, spices and seasonings are essential to keep in your cupboard for adding flavour to meals. Thyme, rosemary and sage are perfect herbs to boost a meal. Chilli powder, paprika and cumin will instantly boost the flavour of a meal. And the basic salt, pepper and garlic powder are great in almost every savoury dish.

HONEY

Not only delicious on toast or as a topping on porridge, honey can also be used in baking or even in dipping sauces. It’s also perfect for adding extra flavour to stir-fries.

LENTILS

Great for bulking out vegetarian dishes. Lentils can be used in stews, casseroles, curries, dhal and salads, or even as a side dish.

MUSTARD

As well as a condiment, mustards are great for homemade salad dressings and dips. You can also add a teaspoon or two to a casserole or stew for added flavour.

NUTS

Nuts are a great snack, but they can also be used in salads, stir-fries, cakes and cookies. Cashews, almonds and peanuts are great staples.

PEANUT BUTTER

Peanut butter is actually more versatile than many think. Not only is it great for toast or in a sandwich, it’s excellent in smoothies and for baking. It’s also a great addition to stir-fries.

SOUP

Cans of soup are perfect to have in your cupboard for lunch or dinner if you are feeling a bit lazy and want something comforting quick. It's a good idea to have a variety of flavours in your cupboard for a rainy day.

SOYA SAUCE

Soya sauce is great to use in marinades, dips or as a liquid seasoning. Superb for noodles, rice and stir-fries too.

STOCK CUBES/POTS

Stock cubes/pots are handy for stews, curries and gravy. You can also use them to add to grains to add extra flavour.

SUGAR

Not only good for drinks and cakes, sugar can be used to add an extra bit of sweetness to many dishes, such as stews and chilli.

TINNED FISH

Many people are likely to have a tin of some kind of fish knocking around in their cupboards. Whether it’s tuna or salmon, these will come in handy for a variety of meals such as on a jacket potato, with pasta or on a salad.

TINNED TOMATOES

Tinned tomatoes are a must-have cupboard essential. Not only are they perfect for homemade pasta sauces and soups, they are also great for chilli con carne or a Bolognese. They are the basis of a majority of delicious dishes.

RICE

A dried essential, rice can accompany almost any dish. Bored of having it just with curry? You can also use it to make risotto, paella or rice pudding.

ONIONS AND GARLIC

Onions and garlic can change any meal into something bursting with flavour. Especially great in pastas and curries.

POTATOES

Whether you want them mashed, boiled, fried or roasted, potatoes are great to have in your cupboard. However, don’t keep them in there for too long as sprouts might start to grow! Store them in a dark, dry cupboard in a paper bag to make them last longer.

So, don’t panic if you can’t find everything you need in the supermarket. You can probably make a huge variety of meals with what you’ve already got. Some of those tins have probably been in there for a while so get using them!