You can use leftover marinara sauce to make stuffed peppers , chicken Parmesan , meatloaf , pizza, and so much more. Next time you're at the store grab the multipack of sauce; it will save you extra money and provide you with multiple meals for the month.

Canned meat, like chicken, salmon, and tuna, is a great alternative for fresh meats. And it's a non-perishable item that will last significantly longer than fresh meat would, even in your freezer.

Canned tuna can be used to make sandwiches, salads, and casseroles. While canned chicken can be used for soups, salads, and, of course, dips.

Combine with a bit of breading, spices, and egg for fast and flavorful cakes or patties. Stock is a common ingredient in soups, sauces, and casseroles. You can also use chicken stock to flavor your rice or other grains and sautéed vegetables.

And a bit of stock can help you stretch soups and sauces if you need a bit more for a full meal. Peanut butter is an inexpensive and versatile ingredient because it can be used in every meal of the day. From smoothies to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to peanut butter noodles , and tons of peanut butter desserts, the jar in your pantry will certainly not go to waste.

And if you have a peanut allergy, you can substitute other nut butters, like almond butter , in many recipes. So many recipes start with oil, and for typical cooking applications, a standard olive oil is all you'll need.

But buying a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil is important if you plan to make no-cook dishes, salad dressings, and sauces.

Why's that? Cheap olive oils taste like bad olives. Good oils have a bright, floral flavor that shines through what you're eating. While a higher quality oil may be a bit pricey, remember you're using teaspoons or tablespoons at a time, which stretches the cost out over dozens and dozens of meals.

Have you ever wondered why so many recipes call for garlic? It's because garlic is an aromatic ingredient it has a distinctive smell, and smell is an important factor for taste , and it's an easy way to add a ton of flavor to your meal. There are so many ways you can add garlic to your dish based on preference and even budget — you can use fresh garlic cloves, store-bought minced garlic, or garlic powder.

Fresh garlic is usually preferred, but any garlic will work to pack in the flavor. Ground meat, like beef, turkey, and chicken, is great for making a quick and easy meal. You can make soups, casseroles, hamburger patties, and tacos with ground meat.

Ground meat isn't the most inexpensive meat, especially depending on how lean you want it, but it's a good thing to buy in a bulk package and freeze for later.

Today, we've got the top pantry staples from our loyal followers AKA Freebs , plus their favorite ways to use them… Score! It wouldn't be Shelftember and shelf cooking month if we weren't all focused on cooking with what we have in our refrigerators, freezers, and pantries! If you're not sure what we're talking about, then make sure you check out our Shelftember post to catch up so you can keep up with us the rest of the month.

We get a lot of questions about how you can shelf cook if you don't keep your kitchen stocked with food. While you do have to keep certain pantry staples stocked, you don't have to constantly eat the same things all the time. We polled the Freebs in our Shelf Cooking Community and they gave us their favorite pantry staples they always keep on hand.

Check out our pantry staples post to see what they said! Are you ready to see if your favorites made the list?

Let's do it! The Freebs we polled were so helpful to us in writing this post! So, thank you!!! It was really fun reading through all of your favorite pantry staples and the ways you use them. While we got a TON of responses, there were two items that really stood out from the rest.

Can you guess what they were? If you guessed rice and pasta, then you were spot on! A grand total of Freebs voted these as their top pantry staples. Crazy, huh? Read on to learn what their favorite uses are. Rice is one of those pantry staples that pretty much goes with anything! It's a great way to stretch a meal, especially if you have some ravenous teenagers or toddlers!

in the house. Pro Tip: Use a rice cooker or Instant Pot to cook your rice quicker if it needs to be cooked before going into a recipe. Oh pasta, you are our love language! We think it's safe to say that you're the love language of many Freebs, too! This pantry staple is another one that will go with just about anything and it's cheap and easy to keep on hand.

Canned veggies make quick side dishes, and easy additions to soups and stews. No kitchen is complete without olive oil for flavor and sauteing, and canola oil for higher temperature cooking and baking. If you really want a quick and cheap meal, make something with eggs.

From omelettes to breakfast burritos to scrambled in a hash, there is no less expensive source of good protein. Both as a topping for breads and baked potatoes, to an ingredient in sauces and baked goods, butter is an ideal ingredient to keep in your kitchen.

Much like butter, plain yogurt and sour cream can be used as a topping or ingredient. Pro-tip: Greek yogurt has a lot of protein, which makes the the perfect healthy alternative to sour cream.

Both parmesan and cheddar cheese pack a flavorful punch to many quick meals. Read next: 95 Pizza Toppings to Jazz up Homemade Pizza Night. How to Use a Foodsaver Save Tons of Money on Meat and Produce. How to Create a Grocery Budget and actually stick to it! These citrus fruits are excellent when squeezed on a variety of dishes, plus they make drinking water and cocktails more flavorful.

Since the freezer-section veggies are frozen at the peak of freshness, they contain most of the health benefits as fresh vegetables.

Berries from the freezer are usually far less expensive than not-in-season fresh berries. They can be thawed and eaten with yogurt or on oatmeal, or used to make tasty baked goods. I hope this list of pantry staples on a budget has given you lots of inspiration for how to stock your pantry.

You can use this well-stocked pantry list to create TONS of quick and cheap meals. Skip to content Previous Previous. Next Continue.

Baking Nuts and seeds Oils and vinegars

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Low-cost pantry basics - Beans and legumes Baking Nuts and seeds Oils and vinegars

Of course, you can always freeze them too , if you prefer. CARROTS These are not only a great addition to many soups, but they also make a healthy snack or side dish. POTATOES Super versatile!

You can use them in soups, casseroles, breakfast dishes or side dishes. A few of our favorite potato recipes are Creamy Sausage and Potatoes , Cream Cheese Potato Soup with Ham , and Country Potato Soup. BUTTER This is probably the one thing that might seem iffy to put on a frugal pantry list.

Plus, I love using it to make these easy Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits! SOUR CREAM I like to keep this on hand to use in soups, to make homemade dips and to use in several casserole recipes as well.

But , since I cook almost entirely from scratch, I do end up using it quite a bit even so. Just a little bit can make a lettuce salad, tuna salad sandwiches or refried bean quesadillas so much yummier! And we love these White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

FROZEN VEGGIES Often much cheaper than fresh veggies, the other handy thing about frozen ones is that they last much longer! I use them a lot as a side dish and also in recipes like my Easy Chicken Pot Pie , Cheesy Ham, Potato and Green Bean Bake and Easy Vegetable Beef Soup.

CHICKEN Probably the cheapest kind of meat there is and super versatile too! A few chicken recipes that we enjoy: Herb Roasted Chicken and Potatoes , One Pan Chicken and Rice , Creamy Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken.

In casseroles or soups, I often can get by with using less than the amount called for. A few ground beef recipes that we really like: Crockpot Tamale Pie and Super Easy Sloppy Joes. It helps me be frugal because I can buy in bulk when food is on sale becoming less and less, it seems, these days , portion it and freeze for later.

Yes, I love stocking up and freezing items that are on sale too! Such a great way to save. I so agree with you. We have worn out many vacuum food sealers over the years. Our son upgraded so he can vacuum seal whole chickens raised on his property. We opted for a slightly smaller model and use it daily.

when canning diced tomatoes can I pressure can them in stead of water bath? If so how long to pressure can? Yes, you can definitely pressure can them! As for how long, it will depend on your pressure canner and altitude. I would look in the instruction manual that came with the pressure canner and go by what it says there.

I would follow that. Tomatoes also freeze well! Either whole or diced or roasted. Consider that especially when your garden is at its peak. I would add celery to that list as I use it in making stews. Onions, carrots and celery is your mirre poir for all basic stews. Yes, celery is a great pantry staple, for sure!

Never heard of strained tomatoes but canned tomato products of any kind are handy to have, I think. This is one of my favorite ways to save on cheese too. Great list! A tip on keeping garlic longer — I buy the 3 packs of bulbs from Aldi and immediately put them in a small ziplock kept in the freezer.

It keeps a long time that way!!! Ready to mince, etc. I also keep Panko bread crumbs in the freezer as I use them in a variety of recipes. Lime juice gets used in marinades, etc.

and lemon juice is frequently used as well, not only desserts, but certain salad dressings too. Final note, this is not going to work for everyone, but try to hunt out whether or not there is a good local butcher shop in your area.

Or at least within reasonable driving distance. I make a few trips a year and stock the freezer with various meats. Got a great deal on those and they worked just fine for recipes that called for bacon bits or a bit of chopped bacon — just froze them and pulled out what I needed.

I never knew you could freeze garlic! That is totally going to change my life. Thank you! And I started keeping my bread crumbs in the freezer too. Lesson learned. Freezing lemon and lime juice is so smart! I wish I could find a local butcher shop that has that kind of price on chicken!

So glad you are finding the blog interesting and helpful! It makes the work that I put into it so totally worth it when I get comments like that. There are two grocery stores near me different companies that every so often but always at different times! have chicken leg quarters for anywhere from 39 to 59 cents a pound.

so, 4 to 6 dollars for 10 pounds of those which I take home and bake and debone. I use the bones ad skin along with veggie scraps to make broth and usually enough chicken meat to make 2-cup packs that I stuff n the freezer.

It gives me a frugal break from my usual rotisserie chicken per week for much less broth and meat. But, learning how to build up your pantry will actually save you money in the long run and even work up to how do you stock a pantry for 3 months and beyond.

Of course, your pantry staples to stock up on a budget may look a little different than our pantry list based on your dietary needs and food likes and dislikes. So think about those things when learning how to stock your pantry on a budget. So give careful consideration to what to put on your essential food items on a budget list!

It will give you a better understanding of why we recommended these for pantry staples! Once you build up your pantry food storage, you can even start saving money with once a month grocery shopping!

TIP: Allow your pantry storage to build up for a few months before you start using it. Remember: the goal of stocking a pantry is so you have extra food you can rely on to stretch your money or for emergency purposes!

Need containers for pantry storage? A NOTE ABOUT THE PRICES LISTED: We used first quarter pricing from Amazon Fresh. Egg noodles are great because they are super cheap and can be used with just sauce or with meats or in a variety of different casseroles or dishes.

Many people recommend storing pasta sauces for your pantry list. With canned tomatoes, you can use them for soups, chili, pasta sauces, other sauces, casseroles, pizza and more. If you can your diet allows , start with basic rice and then add in more expensive items like quinoa.

UP NEXT: How To Save Money On Groceries Without Clipping Coupons! I know this is going to sound like a broken record, but dried beans are also an important as frugal pantry staples for the same reasons as rice and pasta: price, long-term shelf stable, great fillers for recipes, and they make us feel full.

Many pantry lists recommend you store broth like the kind you get in a carton.

Low-cost pantry basics - Beans and legumes Baking Nuts and seeds Oils and vinegars

We also love this No Boil Lasagna recipe too! DRIED HERBS SPICES Dried herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor to your recipes.

And while I occasionally buy fresh herbs, using dried is much more economical and they last much longer too! A few of the ones that I use regularly: basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg.

CHICKEN STOCK BOUILLON Chicken stock is a common ingredient in soups and casseroles and is super easy to make yourself! I also like to keep bouillon on hand since some recipes call for that instead. Also, if I happen to be out of liquid chicken stock, I can always use the bouillon to make some- although the stock made using bouillon is not nearly as tasty or as good for you as the real thing!

VINEGAR This is another ingredient that I use to make homemade salad dressings. I also use it for various other recipes and it works great as a natural cleaner too! SALSA I have quite a few Mexican-inspired dishes that call for salsa, so I like to always keep this on hand.

chips and salsa! DICED TOMATOES These are super inexpensive and way cheaper than buying fresh tomatoes. I love using them in recipes to give a bit of added flavor and color.

And I even show you how to can diced tomatoes yourself if you want to try that. PASTA SAUCE I know making your own pasta sauce is pretty easy, but since I can buy it so inexpensively, I prefer to just do that. Pasta sauce is great for a quick meal of meatball subs, pizza, spaghetti or, lasagna to mention just a few.

KETCHUP, MUSTARD, MAYO Okay, so maybe I should have listed these 3 things separately. I use many more condiments than these, but these are the three that I think every kitchen should for sure stock. BREAD I typically make my own bread , but it is something that I always keep on hand.

We often use it to make sandwiches for lunch, toast it to eat with eggs and occasionally use it in recipes like my Cheeseburger Casserole too! TORTILLAS I use these all the time to make enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas and wraps.

In fact, these Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps are one of my favorite quick meals! And these easy recipes with tortillas are also great as well. ONIONS GARLIC I use both of these items regularly to inexpensively add extra flavor to lots of different recipes.

Of course, you can always freeze them too , if you prefer. CARROTS These are not only a great addition to many soups, but they also make a healthy snack or side dish.

POTATOES Super versatile! You can use them in soups, casseroles, breakfast dishes or side dishes. A few of our favorite potato recipes are Creamy Sausage and Potatoes , Cream Cheese Potato Soup with Ham , and Country Potato Soup.

BUTTER This is probably the one thing that might seem iffy to put on a frugal pantry list. Plus, I love using it to make these easy Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits!

SOUR CREAM I like to keep this on hand to use in soups, to make homemade dips and to use in several casserole recipes as well. But , since I cook almost entirely from scratch, I do end up using it quite a bit even so.

Just a little bit can make a lettuce salad, tuna salad sandwiches or refried bean quesadillas so much yummier! And we love these White Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwiches! FROZEN VEGGIES Often much cheaper than fresh veggies, the other handy thing about frozen ones is that they last much longer!

I use them a lot as a side dish and also in recipes like my Easy Chicken Pot Pie , Cheesy Ham, Potato and Green Bean Bake and Easy Vegetable Beef Soup.

CHICKEN Probably the cheapest kind of meat there is and super versatile too! A few chicken recipes that we enjoy: Herb Roasted Chicken and Potatoes , One Pan Chicken and Rice , Creamy Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken.

In casseroles or soups, I often can get by with using less than the amount called for. A few ground beef recipes that we really like: Crockpot Tamale Pie and Super Easy Sloppy Joes. It helps me be frugal because I can buy in bulk when food is on sale becoming less and less, it seems, these days , portion it and freeze for later.

Pasta in garlic-scented oil topped with Parmesan cheese can be a main dish or a side and is perfect in its simplicity. The key is not to rush the toasting of the garlic: if it burns, the dish will taste acrid and unpleasant.

We love to keep couscous in the pantry — needing only a steep in boiling water to bring it to life, it is the fastest carb to prepare. Add in some canned and frozen vegetables and a punchy lime vinaigrette and you have a salad that eats like a meal. If you have rice, onions, and canned tomatoes in the pantry, Italian sausage in the freezer, and some bell peppers in the crisper drawer, you are a half hour away from popping some killer stuffed peppers into your oven.

Have any leftovers after dinner? Chop them up and make a hash, and top with fried or poached eggs for a hearty breakfast. A great savory casserole to serve up on a brisk fall or winter evening, this one-dish pantry wonder only needs a little salad on the side to turn into an amazing dinner.

This recipe stretches one pound of ground beef and some pantry ingredients into a meal that can serve people. Have a craving for tomato soup but no cans of soup in the cupboard?

If you have canned tomatoes, you are 30 minutes away from fresh homemade soup that cries out for a grilled cheese for dunking. This is so easy to make, you may never go back to canned tomato soup again. Indian cookery has always made the most of beans and pulses the technical name for the part of the legume we generally eat , and this dish of spiced chickpeas is everything you could hope for in an affordable pantry supper.

Serve over rice or with naan or pita, or pile into baked white or sweet potatoes. Canned black beans are the base for a veggie burger that is so simple to prepare, you might have bought your last frozen patty. Want that frozen convenience? Make a double batch, form and freeze uncovered until solid, then wrap in plastic wrap and stash in a freezer bag.

Grill straight from frozen and just add a couple minutes cooking time. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Here are some to keep on hand:. Tomatoes are so useful and versatile in everything from spaghetti to chili and beyond.

Be sure your pantry includes:. RELATED: How to do a Pantry Challenge to Save Money on Groceries This Week. Premade stock makes so many dinners faster and easier. Some varieties include:. Some of the best frugal pantry staples are for making baked goods. Here are some ideas:. If you really want to make it easy, buy some baking mix such as Bisquick.

You can make everything from pancakes to biscuits, muffins, blondies, and even as a coating for chicken. Nothing jazzes up dinner like some flavorful sauces and condiments. You can make sauces out of:. You can use condensed soups to make a huge array of cheap pantry meals.

Another one of the best budget pantry staples is tortillas. They have a much longer shelf life than a loaf of bread, but can be used for anything from tacos to individual pizzas.

A spaghetti dinner can come together super quickly with the use of a jar of pasta sauce. You can always doctor it up with more spices or fresh ingredients if you want. Believe it or not, you can make more than just mashed potatoes with these.

Try using them to make gnocchi, as a binder for meatloaf or a thickener for sauces and gravy, or even as a crispy coating for onion rings. Having a canister of breadcrumbs in the pantry can be used to:.