Damn Good Food

Pantry Essentials: What You Need for 5 Fail-Proof Dinners

With unpredictable or packed schedules, we know how important it is to have go-to meals, so we created a list of our essential pantry items to have stocked in bulk or to restock each week. This will make your life a heck of a lot easier when it comes to dinner planning. Our hope is that we can help remove the stress and make it easy for you to whip up one of our go-to dinners even on the busiest of days, without having to think twice! Our list includes staple ingredients to help you cook up five kinds of dinners.

8 Minute Read

With unpredictable or packed schedules, we know how important it is to have go-to meals, so we created a list of our essential pantry items to have stocked in bulk or to restock each week. This will make your life a heck of a lot easier when it comes to dinner planning. Our hope is that we can help remove the stress and make it easy for you to whip up one of our go-to dinners even on the busiest of days, without having to think twice! Our list includes staple ingredients to help you cook up five kinds of dinners.

Busy nights call for go-to dinners.

With unpredictable or packed schedules, we know how important it is to have go-to meals, so we created a list of our essential pantry items to have stocked in bulk or to restock each week. This will make your life a heck of a lot easier when it comes to dinner planning. Our hope is that we can help remove the stress and make it easy for you to whip up one of our go-to dinners even on the busiest of days, without having to think twice! Our list includes staple ingredients to help you cook up these 5 dinners:

  • Thai Curry
  • Mexi Chili
  • Mediterranean Bowls
  • Italian Pasta
  • Taco Night


The purpose of this pantry list is not to give you exact recipes, but to rather give you ideas based on staple pantry items. You can then add your veggie, carb, and protein of choice based on what you have in the fridge that week.

The Pantry Grocery List
  • Produce with a Longish Shelf-life
  • 4 Sweet Potatoes/Yams
  • 2-3 Red Onions
  • 2-3 Yellow Onions
  • 2-3 Lemons and Limes, each
  • Garlic  
  • Avocados and Tomatoes (not a long shelf-life really, but they aren't refrigerated and we always have them in our kitchens)
  • Canned Goods
  • 2-3 Diced Tomatoes
  • 2-3 Tomato Sauce
  • 2-3 Coconut Milk or Cream
  • 2-3 Black Beans
  • 2-3 Chickpeas
  • Starches
  • Jasmine Rice or Brown Rice
  • Quinoa
  • Pasta of Choice
  • Misc.
  • 2 Boxes of Broth (I keep 2 of each: Veggie, Chicken, Beef on hand)
  • 2 Jars Red Curry Paste
  • 2 Jars Tomato Sauce

We are going to assume you have olive oil/coconut oil, sugar (coconut/brown/cane), salt, and black pepper...and if you don't then definitely purchase that as well ;)

Thai Curry
  • Rice (Jasmine, Basmati, or Brown Rice)
  • Canned full fat coconut milk or cream
  • Curry paste
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Garlic/Onion/Ginger
  • Lime


**Dress it up with protein of choice (chicken/shrimp/tofu) and throw in some fresh veggies (broccoli/cilantro/bell peppers/mushrooms).  Create a soup by adding some broth (veggie/chicken/beef all work).  

Chili
  • Canned Black Beans
  • Canned Tomato Sauce
  • Canned Diced Tomatoes (fire-roasted if you're feeling spicy)
  • Garlic/Onion/Sweet Potatoes


**Create your own version with either bison or beef as the protein.  Add chili powder, cayenne, cumin, or cinnamon depending on your flavor preference and some red bell peppers.

Mediterranean Bowls
  • Quinoa or Rice (Jasmine or Brown Rice)
  • Canned Chickpeas
  • Garlic/Red Onion
  • Lemon

**Make it a fresh bowl with some tomatoes, parsley, hummus or grilled chicken, olives, pita chips etc.

Italian Pasta
  • Pasta (Gluten-free, Wheat, Chickpea, Brown Rice --we don't care just have some pasta on hand)
  • Rao's Tomato Sauce or Specialty Sauce (Natural, without all the additives and added sugar)
  • You can also sub canned crushed/fire-roasted tomatoes or tomato paste mixed with EVOO and water for store-bought sauce and add garlic/dried oregano when in a pinch


**Want to be "healthier"? Roast spaghetti squash and mix your noods with some squash noodles.  Or sneak in another fave veggie (spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers work great) and protein (bolognese anyone --add grass-fed beef or bison).  Get fancy by sprinkling on some fresh parm and herbs (basil or parsley).  

Taco Night
  • Base: Tortillas (Corn, Flour, or Siete wraps if you want a grain-less option, it's a splurge but if there is a sale we stock up), Rice, Quinoa, or Sweet Potatoes
  • Fillings: Black Beans, Sweet Potatoes, or Quinoa
  • Toppings: Lime, Red Onions, Avos, Tomatoes


**
Taco Night should be the least stressful throw together meal.  You can make a bowl, a salad, or a traditional taco.  Don't have meat on hand, go veggie with black beans/sweet potatoes/or quinoa as filling.  Season with taco seasoning or create your own with spices on hand.  Dress it up with veggies or if you're living on "the edge" cheese/sour cream/hot sauce.