| We have two backup emergency boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese in the pantry at all times. |
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I always have spaghetti, sauce, and meatballs in the freezer.
I pretty much always have the ingredients for ziti on hand too. I always try to keep frozen pizza in the freezer in a pinch. |
Oh yes I usually have chicken nuggets in the freezer and mac n cheese in the pantry too. |
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Tortillas, sour cream, cheese, salsa is enough to make quesadillas that everybody can enjoy. They all last a good while if they’re not opened. *bonus the ingredients can all be used for other things / consider them staples.
And, if you have extra stuff to add, all the better. Leftover chicken, green onion, guacamole, or beef, veggies. |
| Ramen noodles, coconut aminos, chili paste, chili crunch. I’m sure you’re way above this with your don’t do jarred sauce, but Rao’s abbarita sauce with banza noodles. I never don’t have fresh veggies though. So I’d add basil and spinach. |
| Pasta, parmesan cheese, and Rao's sauce (always have at least 3 jars). Beans in a pouch, canned tuna in olive oil, tortillas (in the freezer), a few packages of Asian noodles, frozen dumplings, chicken broth, and the frozen truffle pizza from Trader Joe's. And an emergency bag of frozen vegetables. |
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Giant bag of Costco meatballs in the freezer
Veggie burgers in the freezer Quesadillas - always have cheese, beans and tortillas, frequently have spinach Pantry - make cous cous or quinoa (tastes better if made in chicken broth, always have bouillon on hand), dump in can of diced tomatoes, cooked sliced kielbasa, spinach (can use frozen/chopped), and sprinkle with parmesean cheese = fast dinner |
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Chickpeas
Coconut milk Diced/crushed/whole peeled tomatoes Black/pinto/kidney beans Diced green chilies Onions, garlic, ginger Peanut butter Rice noodles Jarred pesto Soy sauce Fish sauce Tamarind sauce Tortillas Tofu Lemon/lime juice Frozen pastas Frozen roasted corn |
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We always have some form of pasta and rice
TJ frozen food Frozen bbq pork bao buns (I make in large batches and freeze) Frozen fish (I can't remember the brand but its preseasoned and doesn't need much time in the oven) Always seem to have frozen batches of soup Various frozen veggies |
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Eggs, rice and Spam. Yes, Spam. Slice and fry. There is even turkey Spam.
Pancakes and hash browns. Breakfast for dinner. Can of San Marzano tomato sauce, onion and butter. Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce is the best in a pinch. |
,+2 And a box of spaghetti and marinara |
| Pantry Only (like a bunker challenge) you can make corn chowder with broth, cream style corn, corn, and evaporated milk. A bonus is potatoes and onion fresh, but you could cube up canned potatoes and use dehydrated onion. |
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My backup quick meal is pasta and meatballs.
I make my own meatballs, used to be a beef/pork blend but now I make them from chicken or tuna. I freeze them so I always have some ready to go. Having tried a bunch of brands both cheaper and much more expensive, my jarred pasta sauce of choice is Mezzetta’s roasted garlic. It’s simple sweet and oh so garlicky! There is always a wedge of Parmesan cheese in the fridge. |
| Canned dolmas and hummus ingredients. |
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Olives, roasted red peppers, raisins and canned tomatoes and you can make a pretty good approximate picadillo.
Sesame oil and rice wine vinegar, and pre shredded slaw and you can make egg roll in a bowl. Precooked rice packets, any meat, any vegetable, and soy sauce/oyster sauce and chili oil and you can make fried rice. Keeping the ingredients on hand to make Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, or taco seasoning. Sprinkle it over a sheet pan dinner with oil. I nearly always have the ingredients for frittatas or egg bakes (eggs, cheese, mustard, veg, herbs, some meat). When its tomato season i always have capers and red wine vinegar for salads or panzanella. |