A well-stocked storecupboard is a key part of making the most of your food shop. A few simple ingredients, that have a long shelf-life, will make your cooking so much easier and your food stretch a lot further.
A well-stocked storecupboard is a key part of making the most of your food shop. A few simple ingredients, that have a long shelf-life, will make your cooking so much easier and your food stretch a lot further.
Condiments, oils and vinegars, tins, pulses, these storecupboard essentials will soon become your life-savers as they can turn even the most sparse selection of ingredients into a tasty family meal. They’re perfect for using up leftovers too – as long as you’ve got some rice and pasta in the cupboards, you’ll never be short of ideas for that to make.
You’ll only have to spend out on these gems once and they’ll be in your cupboard for months! Click through our storecupboard essentials to see what to pick up the next time you’re in the shops – and what to make with them once you have them!
Chopped tomatoes
What? Chopped tomatoes are the ultimate storecupboard essential. Cheap but oh-so useful - there are so many different ways you could use this handy ingredient.
Cost: under 40p (basics)
How it can be used: Chopped tomatoes are the base for a homemade tomato sauce which can be used for pasta, mince, gnocchi, sausage casserole, risotto and even a curry sauce with the right flavours. You can even use chopped tomatoes to make a speedy soup or salsa dip.
Recipes to try:
Tomato pasta sauce
Basic mince
Chicken tikka masala with red peppers
Pasta
What? The most versatile carb of all time, pasta can be combined with pretty much every savoury ingredient you have in.
Cost: under 40p (basics)
How it can be used: A tomato, cream or cheese sauce will give it more flavour but it can also be made with a simple drizzle of oil and garlic. Pasta also forms the basis of lots of classic meals: lasagne, spaghetti Bolognese and pasta bakes are all hearty family meals that wouldn't be possible without pasta.
Recipes to try:
100s more pasta recipes
Rice
What? Having a bag of rice in the cupboard means you will never run out of meals to make. Rice is a meal in itself and is very handy when you need to use up leftover food.
Cost: under 40p (basics)
How it can be used: Rice is traditionally served as a side to dishes like curry but it can also be the main ingredient in a meal. Risotto can be made with most types of rice and all you need to have in is stock cubes. Pilafs, pepperpots are other dishes you can make with rice - and it's just as tasty fried with a little egg.
Recipes to try:
Olive oil
What? Olive oil may be a little expensive to splash out on but a couple of the right types of oil will add so much flavour to your cooking - you also don't need to use much so it will last a long time.
Cost: under £2 How it can be used:
- Olive oil - can be used for marinades, shallow frying and even baking.
- Extra virgin olive oil - is delicious on salad. It's nutty flavour makes a lovely dressing.
- Sesame oil - adds a delicious nutty flavour to your food. It's perfect for Oriental cooking and stir-fries.
Curry paste
What? Ready made curry sauces are no where near as tasty as homemade but buying all the separate herbs and spices can be really expensive - curry paste is the next best thing. All you need is some chopped tomatoes and some curry paste and you can turn whatever food you have in into a curry!
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: Simply make a tomato or cream-based sauce and add the curry paste - so quick and so tasty! You can get different pastes for different types of curry.
Recipes to try:
Stock cubes
What? Stock can really save a meal. You can get vegetable, beef, chicken, lamb and fish stock as cubes, jelly pots or in ready-made liquid form.
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: Stock can be added to sauces, either made up or just in cubes, to thicken the sauce and give it extra flavour. Stock made up with boling water is the basis for a homemade soup and can be added to rice to make risotto or paella.
Recipes to try:
What? Traditionally used in Oriental cooking, noodles can be bought dried and stored in your cupboard for months. The most common forms of noodles found in UK supermarkets are egg, rice and udon noodles. Straight to wok noodles are a God-send as you don't have to worry about an extra pan to wash up, but they don't last as long.
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: Noodles are most commonly used in a stir-fry and can be combined with lots of different meats and veggies. You don't even really need a sauce to make noodles, a little soy sauce and rice vinegar is more than enough flavour.
Recipes to try:
More noodle recipes
Tinned tuna
What? Canned fish is always handy to have in the kitchen and you don't have to worry about it going off as quickly as fresh fish. Tuna in brine, sunflower oil or spring water is the most popular tinned fish but mackerel, sardines and anchovies are very useful.
Cost: under 50p
How it can be used: Tinned tuna is most commonly added to pasta with a cheesy/tomato sauce or with sweetcorn and mayonnaise. Tuna can also be combined with potatoes to make fish cakes and adds protein to sandwiches, salads and jacket potatoes.
Recipes to try:
More tuna recipes
Soy sauce
What? A favourite in Oriental cooking, soy sauce is a rich, sticky sauce which gives food a salty twist.
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: Soy sauce is used in most stir-fry and Chinese recipes and is lovely drizzled over noodles or rice for extra flavour or used in a marinade for fish or meats. You can also combine it with rice vinegar to make a tangy dipping sauce for spring rolls and other sides.
Recipes to try:
What? Dried yeast can turn a simple flour, water and salt mix into a freshly baked loaf of bread.
Cost: under 50p
How it can be used: It's always handy to be able to whip up a loaf of bread. Yeast can also be used to make speedy pizza dough bases - very useful if you don't have much in!
Recipes to try:
More bread recipes
Tomato puree
What? A concentrated tomato paste, normally found in a tube or jar near the sauces in the supermarket.
Cost: under 50p
How it can be used: Tomato puree can be used to give a weak sauce extra flavour. Use it in casseroles, pasta sauces and Bolognese to give it the taste of fresh tomatoes - even if you've only used tinned. You can also use it as a speedy pizza topping if you're in a rush/low on food.
Recipes to try:
Couscous
What? Not as popular as rice or pasta, couscous is just as useful as a speedy side. The grain can be kept in the cupboard for as long as it's carb rivals and be used in just as many dishes.
Cost: under £1
How it can be used: Couscous is so easy to make. All you need to do is soak it in hot water or stock for 5 mins, wait for it to absorb all the water and stir. You can add herbs, tomatoes and veggies to it with a little sauce or dressing to turn it into a meal or serve it on the side of a casserole or tagine.
Recipes to try:
- Moroccan lamb couscous with orange and olives
- Couscous, chickpea and salmon salad
- Couscous with sausages
More couscous recipes
What? Sticky, sweet and full of flavour, honey can be bought in a glass jar or in a handy squeezable bottle.
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: It may be sweet but honey can be used in lots of savoury dishes. Combined with mustard, or on its own, it works as a lovely glaze for meats, such as gammon, fish or vegetables. It also livens up your porridge and gives cakes a super-sweet flavour - how versatile!
Recipes to try:
What? Pesto is a combination of basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil, blended down to a smooth, powerfully-flavoured paste. It has a short shelf-life once opened, but you can store it in the freezer, in ice cube trays, and use portions when you need them.
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: A favourite of students, pesto can be simply stirred through pasta for a quick and easy sauce. Pesto also brings easy flavour to fish or chicken and can be added to roasted vegetables for a tasty twist.
Recipes to try:
Coconut milk
What? Break open a coconut and you will find a super-sweet light milk. Now we don't often come across coconuts in the supermarket so tinned coconut milk is the next best thing - and it keeps for ages in your cupboard!
Cost: under £1
How it can be used: Coconut milk is the basis of Thai curries and just needs to be teamed with a paste to make a speedy curry sauce. You can also combine it with chicken or prawns for a light and subtle sauce or soup or add to your baking or desserts for a creamy, sweet finish.
Recipes to try:
Kidney beans
What? Kidney beans are reddish pulses with a creamy texture. Other beans like broad or cannellini are also handy to have in and can bulk up lots of different meals.
Cost: under 50p
How it can be used: Kidney beans are most commonly added to mince to turn it into a chilli con carne (with extra spices). You can also add them to Mexican dishes like fajitas or nachos or blend them down to make a tasty dip.
Recipes to try:
Lemon juice
What? Rather than buying fresh lemons every time you need one - keep a bottle of lemon juice in your cupboard. Some recipes may require the zest of the lemon but for when you just need the juice, it's much cheaper to buy it bottled.
Cost: under 50p
How it can be used: Lemon juice can be used as the base of a salad dressing or, when combined with oil and garlic, as a light pasta sauce. You can also flavour meats, fish and veg with lemon juice - and that's just savoury! Lemon juice can be used in lots of sweet dishes too including cakes, desserts and breakfasts.
Recipes to try:
What? Sharp and slightly spiced, you can buy English, wholegrain, French, Djon or American mustard in jars.
Cost: under £1
How it can be used: Mustard is a great way to add a fiery burst of flavour to your meal. It can be used to glaze meats and fish, spice up sauces (like a classic stroganoff) and as the basis for a homemade salad dressing.
Recipes to try:
Herbs and spices
What? Fresh herbs may have a more powerful flavour but they have a short shelf-life and can be quite expensive. Having your cupboard filled with a variety of herbs and spices will make your cooking so much tastier. It takes a while, and a little money, to amass the collection but once you have them, they'll last for ages.
Cost: under 50p
How it can be used: Pretty much most savoury dishes call for a little herbs and spices - they bring extra flavour to sauces, meat, salads and spices, like cinnamon, can even be used in baking.
What? High in protein, chickpeas are a legume that you can buy fresh but we find the tinned versions much easier to cook with (you don't have to worry about preparing them from fresh, which can be tricky.)
Cost: under £1
How it can be used: Chickpeas can be added to meat or vegetable curries, to salads or simply fried up with herbs as a side on their own. Chickpeas can also be blended down to make hummus or blended and baked to make falafels.
Recipes to try:
Vinegar
What? Balsamic, white wine, red wine, cider and rice vinegar are all excellent ways of adding quick flavours to a dish.
Cost: under £1
How it can be used:
- Balsamic vinegar - can be used to add flavour to sauces and gives food a deep richness. It also makes a lovely glaze for meats or a dip for chunks of warm bread. Try it with strawberries - it really works!
- White/red wine vinegar - adds a more subtle flavour to sauces and is a lovely used in a homemade salad dressing.
- Cider vinegar - adds a sweet twist to meats and is lovely in a light casserole-style sauce with chicken or pork.
- Rice vinegar - is used in a lot of Chinese and Japanese recipes and adds a light acidic flavour to sauces.
What? Lentils are pulses that can be bought dried or in tins. You can buy red, green or brown lentils.
Cost: under £2
How it can be used: Lentils are great at making a meal more hearty. They can be added to sauces for dishes like curry or casserole or added to soup to make it more filling. You can also use lentils as the basis for a salad.
Recipes to try:
Where to next?
100 ways to make the most of your food shop
How to use up your leftovers
£40 a week meal planners