Those are just a few of the reasons that beans are one of the top pantry staples for the Freebs! You can even use your leftover canned beans in easy peasy dishes like my tamale casserole! Beans are a delicious filler and add protein and other nutrients!

These soups are so good to have on hand. They go with pretty much anything and can really help to take a few ingredients from being a random assortment of items to a casserole in no time! Pro Tip: It is beyond easy to make your own cream of chicken soup if you keep broth on hand — just add milk, flour , and a little seasoning!

Genius, right!? These are an obvious pantry staple! They're great to have by themselves as a side or added to a recipe. Pro Tip: To improve the flavor of canned vegetables, first rinse them in a colander under cold water. Then add to your recipes as usual.

Whether it's beef, chicken, or vegetable, broth and stock are great pantry staples to keep on hand! Just buy the biggest carton or whatever is cheapest that you can find if you use it a lot. Be sure to refrigerate it after opening so it doesn't go bad!

Pro Tip: I like to buy Better Than Bouillon from Costco. It's amazing and lasts a while! Oatmeal is such a versatile pantry staple! It can either be eaten on its own or easily goes into so many kinds of recipes, from early morning breakfast to dessert. Did you know that an ounce package of Old Fashioned Quaker Oats contains roughly 26, rolled oats?

That's a lot of oats! Canned chicken, tuna, salmon, ham, and beef are all great ways to keep meat on hand without having to worry about the electricity going out and your meat ruining! These pantry staples are so versatile and work in a lot of different meals.

Pro Tip: If you're cooking the canned meats in a recipe, make sure you don't add it in until the very end. Your goal is to heat it up, not cook it and dry it out! Alright, well there you have it! Sugar or Sweetener You know I love my coffee super sweet, but besides using it in coffee, sugar is also obviously used in baking as well as beauty and cleaning products.

Rice is a super inexpensive side dish to fill those growing kids! We also use it to add filler to meat dishes so that they go farther, therefore, saving us money. Pasta Pasta is easily one of the most frugal and filling meals you can make!

Peanut butter as a staple pantry items can be used to make protein balls, fudge, and even a filling sandwich for lunch. If you miss the sweet with the salty the jelly , you could pair it with an inexpensive banana, honey, or as my Dad likes to eat it… with butter.

Popcorn is an inexpensive snack to keep on hand for those moments when you just want to munch, without it costing an arm and a leg! We make popcorn on the stove in minutes, or in a brown bag version in the microwave too.

Popcorn is our best pantry staples for cheap snacks. We do this all the time! Tortillas are super versatile, and you can even freeze them for later, making them a great pantry staple to stock up on!

Fajitas, quesadillas, and soft tacos are all great inexpensive meal options that use tortillas. As you can see, we keep a number of different staple pantry items in our home at all times to make sure that our home is well stocked for easy meals.

I hope that this list has not only inspired you to stock your pantry as well but that you give it a try! Because I believe everyone has the power to live a life of abundance regardless of their income level. Share Pin Bouillion Paste For years I overlooked this little gem of an ingredient. Canned Beans Want to reduce the money you spend on meat?

Use Beans! BONUS FREE DOWNLOAD. Create A Plan For Your Money These FREE Budgeting Spreadsheets will help you keep a pulse on your money from the palm of your hand. Cheese This item is probably the most expensive one on this list. Eggs We eat a lot of eggs in our home, especially because they are one of the cheapest breakfast foods you can feed your family!

Vinegar This is a great base for making your own homemade salad dressings. Baking Powder Baking powder is a must for baking from scratch! Baking Soda Baking soda is an important ingredient that can be used for cleaning and deodorizing around the home.

Cocoa Powder Make sure you choose the unsweetened variety of cocoa powder so that you can add your own sweetener and make it as sweet or not for your liking.

Oats are a super healthy pantry staples for families! Flour Flour is always a great staple to have on hand. Rice Rice is a super inexpensive side dish to fill those growing kids!

These are the foundations of baking. With this list, you can make anything from pancakes , cookies , and brownies. They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, supporting heart health and longevity. I love using oats in my dessert recipes because it acts as a great all-purpose flour replacement, especially when you grind the oats into oat flour.

Nuts are packed with healthy fats and antioxidants. These fats help to support brain health and overall well-being. Peanut butter makes the perfect snack when paired with apples, bananas, or on top of some greek yogurt. Balsamic vinegar contains antioxidants, including polyphenols, which help fight free radicals in the body.

These free radicals can damage cells and contribute to aging. Consuming foods rich in antioxidants can support longevity.

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:. Russet, red, and sweet potatoes all have an incredibly long shelf-life when kept in a dark, cool place like your pantry.

Onions also stay good for a long time, and add an incredible amount of flavor to any savory dish. 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. Whether you fancy treating yourself or your guests, you can stock up on biscuits like bourbons or custard creams for as little as 50p!

Rice pudding may sound like a random thing to keep in your cupboard, but at less than 70p a tin, it's a great, budget-friendly dessert option for both adults and children! In addition to tinned meat, fruits, and vegetables, tinned soup is also another staple, which can help you hit your five a day target.

Soups such as tomato or chicken are around 50p a tin and are perfect for a quick lunch or tea. Crackers are another cheap and cheerful cupboard staple, with own brand cream crackers costing just 30p in some stores.

You can have them with soup or create your own snack toppings using things like cheese and tomatoes. Whether you love a cup of tea or coffee, or have cereal for breakfast every day, there's no denying that milk is an essential in most households.

However, fresh milk can be expensive. Try switching to a long life or UHT milk as a cheaper alternative. This can also help you waste less as it lasts longer and you can store it in the cupboard before you open it. Butter is another essential for most households and can be used for sandwiches, toast, baking, and more.

For a basic pack of own brand butter, you're looking at paying around £1. Eggs provide a cheap and easy way to get more protein into your diet. You can make standard egg recipes like scrambled eggs on toast, omelettes and boiled eggs, but also use them in other meals like when you're baking or making burgers.

Cheese is another great product to keep in your fridge, as you can add it to pretty much anything you cook. From cheese on toast, to pasta bakes, and everything in between, cheese is definitely a staple to add to your list!

The type of cheese you choose will affect the amount you pay for it, but a general cheddar cheese will cost around £2 for g. Frozen meat often works out much cheaper than buying fresh, and you can often buy in bulk to save money on products such as chicken and mince meat.

On top of the list above, here are some of our tried and tested ways to save money when stocking up your fridge and cupboards on a budget:. Writing a list and planning out meals for the week can help avoid any temptations once you get to the supermarket! If you've got a strict budget, think about how you can make it stretch further.

Shopping the yellow sticker corner, using loyalty card points, and taking advantage of coupons and in-store cashback deals and freebies are all ways to save money at the supermarket.

Related: 15 ways to save money on Asda groceries. If you often skip past the world food aisle, now is the time to get familiar with it, as it can help you save money on cupboard essentials. Quite often, things like lentils and sauces work out cheaper for the same amount or bigger quantities when you pick them up from these aisles.

If you can afford to, sizing up or buying in bulk can help you save money too, especially for packet products like pasta and rice. Check out more top tips in our Cost of living tips from the UK Money Bloggers.

So, what is the cheapest food you can buy at the supermarket to help you save money? Keep reading to find out What are basic food staples? What groceries should I stock up on?

The main staple foods that can help you cut down your grocery costs include: Cheap cupboard staples 1. Tinned fruit and vegetables Fruit and vegetables are key to maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, but they can be expensive when you buy them fresh.

Rice Rice is the perfect food staple, as you can bulk up most meals with it. Pasta Pasta is another hero staple product to stock up on at the supermarket if you're on a budget.

Flour If you're a keen baker, all purpose flour is the perfect cheap cupboard staple for whipping up your favourite sweet and savoury treats like bread, biscuits, pie crusts, pizza dough, and more. These retail between £ but last so much longer than the fresh alternatives. Cereal Cereal is a cheap and cheerful breakfast option for busy families and offers a healthy way for you to start the day if you're on a tight budget.

Condiments Condiments like ketchup and mustard are also key cupboard essentials for any household. Peanut butter This may sound like an odd one to include on the list, but peanut butter is a versatile cupboard staple. Oil Cooking oil is another cheap essential to keep in your cupboards.

A pack of lentils are also quite cheap and can also be used for curries, salads, and soups. Potatoes Potatoes go great with most meals like Sunday roasts, and are ideal for whipping up quick meals and sides like jacket potatoes.

Bread Bread is another essential item on most people's grocery shopping list, so it's no surprise it's made it on our list! Sugar If you love to bake or take sugar in your tea or coffee, this is another cupboard must-have.

Biscuits What goes better with tea and coffee than biscuits?? Rice pudding Rice pudding may sound like a random thing to keep in your cupboard, but at less than 70p a tin, it's a great, budget-friendly dessert option for both adults and children!

Tinned soup In addition to tinned meat, fruits, and vegetables, tinned soup is also another staple, which can help you hit your five a day target. Crackers Crackers are another cheap and cheerful cupboard staple, with own brand cream crackers costing just 30p in some stores.

Milk Whether you love a cup of tea or coffee, or have cereal for breakfast every day, there's no denying that milk is an essential in most households. Butter Butter is another essential for most households and can be used for sandwiches, toast, baking, and more. Eggs Eggs provide a cheap and easy way to get more protein into your diet.

Cheese Cheese is another great product to keep in your fridge, as you can add it to pretty much anything you cook. Frozen meat Frozen meat often works out much cheaper than buying fresh, and you can often buy in bulk to save money on products such as chicken and mince meat.

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. Pro Tip: When you're cooking pasta, don't use oil in your water for boiling.

A lot of Freebs keep canned pasta sauce on hand as it pairs naturally with pasta. It's a pantry staple that is pretty cheap to stock up on and can go in lots of different things! Pro Tip: Pasta sauce is basically canned tomato sauce and some seasonings, so stock up on tomato sauce and you can easily make your own pasta sauce in a pinch!

Tomatoes are another pantry staple that a lot of Freebs keep on hand! Whether they're canned tomatoes, or tomato paste or sauce, there are so many different recipes you can make with them! Don't be afraid to doctor your tomato sauces with fresh herbs, garlic, cheeses, or thickeners to get the results you want.

You can even combined tomato sauce with paste for a slightly different take that uses up both ingredients. Now that you have some ideas about how to use up those delicious canned and jarred tomato soups, sauces, and pastes, let's talk beans!

Whether they're canned or whole, beans are good for so many things! Eat them plain, add them to meat to bulk up the meal, add them to a soup….

Those are just a few of the reasons that beans are one of the top pantry staples for the Freebs! You can even use your leftover canned beans in easy peasy dishes like my tamale casserole! Beans are a delicious filler and add protein and other nutrients! These soups are so good to have on hand.

They go with pretty much anything and can really help to take a few ingredients from being a random assortment of items to a casserole in no time! Pro Tip: It is beyond easy to make your own cream of chicken soup if you keep broth on hand — just add milk, flour , and a little seasoning!

Genius, right!? These are an obvious pantry staple! They're great to have by themselves as a side or added to a recipe. Pro Tip: To improve the flavor of canned vegetables, first rinse them in a colander under cold water.

Then add to your recipes as usual. I find it a convenient way to add protein plus Omega-3s to my diet. In addition to tuna salad and salmon patties , I like to serve tinned seafood on snack boards check out this beauty for inspiration , and add anchovies to salad dressing and this excellent anchovy toast.

Most of the cooking fat I use in my house is olive oil, but butter is a refrigerator essential. The good news is that butter freezes well, so it makes sense to buy more than you need. Keep one box in the fridge and the rest in the deep freezer.

Unsalted butter will be good for up to five months and salted butter up to nine. To defrost, leave butter in the fridge overnight. For recipes that call for cold butter, grate frozen butter straight into your baking bowl. This works well for biscuits and other baked goods. Good-quality hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, aged cheddar, and gruyère are a worthy investment.

Plus, hard cheeses last for several months or longer stored in the fridge. Even better? You can grate them and store in an air-tight bag in the freezer.

Add grated cheese straight from the bag to dishes such as enchiladas , pizza , and breakfast casseroles. You might be surprised to know that eggs have a pretty decent shelf life, somewhere between three to five weeks in the fridge.

If you have eggs to use up, you can always boil a batch to turn into egg salad, deviled eggs , or whisk up a quick frittata. When my kids were younger, though, it was a pantry must—a meal they could blissfully assemble on their own!

Worst case? If your cereal is creeping towards stale, you can transform it into sunbutter Crispy treats or these sticky cereal bars. A pound of ground poultry or beef is immensely useful for so many budget-friendly meals.

Plus, ground meat holds up well in the freezer for three to four months. To get the ideas rolling, here are 15 recipes for ground turkey. You can make a pound of ground meat stretch further by adding a can of black, pinto, or white beans to the mix.

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