Using the Storecupboard

Leading a busy life often means needing meal solutions fast, balancing this with frugal cooking isn't always easy. Whilst living rurally a well-stocked storecupboard is a must and I have become good at keeping one. But what exactly is a well-stocked pantry? I define a good storecupboard as meaning, there is always a weeks worth of meals ready and waiting. For me my storecupboard is a great resource and a fantastic way of making my weekly shopping budget work, simply because when I fancy something nice or something different a quick rummage in my pantry and there are endless possibilities for dinner.

I have spent time devising a good list of what I feel should be in a storecupboard, it's not exhaustive, but its a good starting point:

Wholegrain mustard English Mustard powder Olive Oil Red Wine Vinegar Balsamic Vinegar All-purpose Plain flour Cornstarch Dried Pasta Canned chickpeas Canned Tomatoes Baking powder baking soda cream of tartar Selection of dried beans and pulses olives sundried tomatoes dried mushrooms semolina arborio rice condensed milk pearl barleydried dates treacle malt extract De-activated Yeast extract

Soy Sauce a selction of dried herbs: Dried Oregano dried basil Ground Cumin Ground Coriander Curry Powder Smoked Paprika Sea Salt Black Peppercorns Extra virgin olive oil vegetable oil Bread flour Whole wheat flour Dried yeast caster sugar Brown sugar icing sugar demerara sugar Unsweetened cocoa powder Canned cannellini beans Canned kidney beans Canned Butter Beans Canned coconut milk   couscous Basmati rice Brown rice Puy Lentils 　 Oatmeal Honey Maple syrup Almonds/hazelnuts or mixed nuts Mixed seeds Pine kernels Yeast extract vegetable stock cubes SpicesGround cinnamon nutmeg silken tofu tahini camp coffee pasta flour 00 dessicated coconut Apricot Jam guerkins home made chutneys

I always keep a few tins of various beans and pulses in stock, for those times when I have forgotten to soak them overnight or just haven't planned ahead.