What should I have in my cupboard?

[HellyBelly]

I'm having to start this new year on a majorily tight budget so goodbye ready meals and hello to home cooked food (do things for kids but dh and I have been terrible!)

Anyway.....

What basics should I have in my cupboard? This is what I can think of so far:

Tinned Tomatoes
Lots of Pasta & Rice (already have that)
Mixed Herbs
Stock Cubes
Dry Kidney Beans

errr???? gone blank!

What else would be good that lasts a long time?

Thanks

cans of tuna
i have dried beans of ALL sorts - black beans, chickpeas, flageolet, red kidney, etc. use 'em as a primary ingredient or to compliment meat when you haven't got much of it
couscous
quinoa
porridge oats
olives
artichokes
tofu
anchovies - flavourful!
capers
sea salt and cracked black pepper - i buy a big container of it in Costco

i grow herbs on my windowsill and shelves next to the kitchen window, which faces south and is sunny. rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, sage. can do lots with those!

oh, i always keep all butter puff pastry and shortcrust pastry in my freezer - can whip up a quick pot pie w/leftover meat.

tomato puree too.

If you can grow your own chives and parsley thyme and basil in a window box that works out v v cheap and adds lots of flavour. I dont know about parsley and basil but my excess chives were chopped and have frozen very well.

Frozen mince is a good cheap standby.

hth

oooh yes - oregano is a good herb to have dried.

lentils and pulses. dried beans are much cheaper to buy than canned, but you do need to remember to soak them overnight before cooking.

big bag of red lentils to thicken my soups and stews

canned fruits

i use a breadmachine to make bread so i keep a supply of baking ingredients to hand as well.

do you like spicy food? we always have curry paste, chilli powder, cajun mix, chilli sauce, soy sauce etc etc to brighten up stir fries etc

parmesan cheese for pepping up pasta and salads

long life cream (tinned tuna pasta and cream makes a good standby meal)

Amoy straight to the pan noodles - those are great for super quick stir fried meals

Suet (so easy to make dumplings for casseroles and stews and really cheap, filling too and yum)

what's in mine...

soups (various ones)
super noodles - millions of bought when on BOGOF only.
grevy/stock cubes
lentils
pulses
tinned toms
tinned beans
flour (SR and P)
baking powder
suet veg and meat
pasta - tonnes of the value stuff
tinned spagehetti
sauces - tom sauce brown sauce etc.

in the freezer I always have at least 1 loaf of bread (althou going to go back to making it once jnr's here) mince and sausages.

ooh and corned beef - does for DH's sarnies of corned beef hash.

I also always keep a few tins and bags of frozen veg - mixed veg, sweetcorn, mushrooms and stuff like that. When you have run out of everything, except a lonely packet of mince in the freezer and a couple of sprouting potatoes in the cupboard you can use these things for emergency shepherds pie!

They are relatively expensive in comparison to fresh, so are used in "no fresh veg in the house" emergencies!

And tinned sweetcorn good for sweetcorn fritters! Yurm!

If you chop up your fresh basil or parsley, or garlic very finely, you can mix with olive oil and put in a clean jar in the fridge - lasts ages.

Chocolate.

Haven't read thread so sorry if repeating but
chickpeas - you can make hummus or spiced smashed chickpeas a la Jamie Oliver
lentils, lentil hotpot is easy and healthy
beans ontoast, with baked potatoes
tuna mayo or on toast or tuna pasta bake
sardines on toast
frozen or tinned peas,rice with peas
pasta/spaghetti
fishfingers
veggie sausages

Didn't anyone mention chocolate. Big bar of. For you. Tuck it behind the lentils.

JellyJelly - this is the thread I started when dh lost his job (under old name )