Must-Have Food Items for Your Kitchen — Which Do You Have?
I wouldn’t call myself an enthusiastic cook. For the most part, my love for cooking is directly proportional to my love of not dying from hunger. Once in a while, though, when the cooking fairies find their way to me, I make an elaborate show of whipping up one special dish or another.
My sporadic cooking fervor, notwithstanding, I know as much as to have some essential items in my kitchen. Even as a single lady living alone, I didn’t joke with them. Essentials differ from one person to another, so this list is missing some of the things I considered ‘life-and-death.’ It also includes one item that I never cared much for as a cooking ingredient.
Meanwhile, there is nothing as satisfying as having a well-stocked kitchen. It affords you the opportunity to put the best meals together in little or no time. The following items always come in handy:
Eggs
Unless you hate eggs or have been medically advised to quit eating them, they are a must-have at all times. Besides the amazing health benefits that come with eating eggs, imagine the many meals you can fix-up using eggs, and the variety of meals you’d be unable to prepare simply because you have no eggs. To make things easy, you can hard boil some eggs at the beginning of the week for an on-the-go breakfast. Thank God for the internet; you can try out some high-protein breakfast recipes featuring eggs. Cool!
Tomato Paste
Whether you have fresh tomatoes or not, tomato pastes always come in handy. Besides, they’re also very tasty. Additionally, tomato pastes contain lycopene which helps to fight cancer. All you have to do is buy the paste in a can, tube, sachet, etc. Simply use it to add a layer of extra flavor to your meals, especially stir-fries and curry soups. Delish!
Garlic
With garlic, you get to infuse flavor into your dishes very quickly and healthily, avoiding the use of processed ingredients and unhealthy fats, You can buy the peeled ones, so you don’t have to spend all day doing it yourself; it also makes for faster chopping and adding into your soups and stews. Alternatively, you can go for the powdered version. Do what works for you, just have your garlic handy!
Bread
Bread is both a lifesaver and a time-saver. Rather than begin to prepare a hefty meal from scratch, a piece of toast or a sandwich may suffice, especially when time is of the essence. Bread is also an easy means of getting healthy fiber into your body system.
Pasta
Save yourself stress by simply boiling some pasta. It’s easy to cook and time-saving to the max. Another fun and helpful fact about pasta? There are tons of variations and even more recipes that can be achieved from it.
Olive Oil
This is one of the healthiest cooking oils around today. Cooking oils are essential ingredients in most meals, so you’ll need a lot of them. However, it’s good that you go for a healthy option — one free from cholesterol and generally safe. This is why olive oil is your best bet. It’s safe, healthy, and can be used for a variety of things beyond food.
Vegetables
I’m a sucker for vegetables. I couldn’t stand the sight of them as a kid, but as an adult, I can’t get enough. From leafy greens to cabbage, the options are endless. Always have vegetables at home. They are a great source of vitamins, and to ensure you’re in good shape all year round, eat your veggies. Mix as many colors as you possibly can, knowing that each color of vegetable contains a different essential vitamin. Eat your greens and every other color.
Salt and Stock Cubes
These help to enhance your meals’ flavor. Nobody wants a tasteless meal, remember? Eat salt, but do not eat too much. Besides cooking, salt is useful for many other household needs. However, if you are on a diet that requires you to consume low sodium, e.g., the DASH diet, you can replace salt with diet-safe herbs and spices. Whatever you do, make sure your meals are tasty.
Vinegar
Hate the fat that comes with salad cream and mayonnaise? Vinegar to the rescue! Make yourself a healthy salad dressing by mixing vinegar with oil. The result? A simple and healthy dressing for your salad. You’re welcome! Plot twist: I don’t care much for this and I never had it in my kitchen because I don’t eat salads or even cole-slaw. I do keep a bottle of vinegar in my cleaning products cupboard, though :)
Sugar
Sugar is sweet, duh! Why wouldn’t you have sugar at home anyway? Except for medical reasons, sugar is an absolute necessity in the home. Use sugar to add some sweetness to your tea, your coffee, and your cakes. If you think sugar is unhealthy, or if you’re concerned about calories, you can opt for artificial sweeteners.
Beans
Beans are a great source of protein and fiber. In addition, they’re very affordable. Beans are also very versatile. You can make bean cakes, use beans in your salads, cook beans alongside your rice, and so on.