Talk to Tesco about your store cupboard hero and your top three ways to use it - you could win a £200 Tesco voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

We've been asked by Tesco to find out about Mumsnetters' store cupboard heroes.

Here’s what Tesco say, “The Tesco Eat Happy Project is our long-term commitment to help children have a healthier and happier relationship with their food. We’ve got lots of recipes for healthy, tasty dishes that we think they’ll love – especially if they help you prepare them. But we’re keen to hear your recipe ideas too.”

So, what is your store cupboard hero and what are your top 3 ways to use it? Perhaps you always keep pesto in your cupboard, to stir into pasta, pep up a risotto or spread onto pastry to make a savoury puff? Or maybe you like to have lentils in stock, to add to soup, bulk out a stew or make a warm winter salad with?

Whatever your store cupboard hero is, Tesco would love to hear about it!

Everyone who adds their comments to the thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 Tesco voucher.

Please note that any comments posted on this thread may be used by Tesco in further marketing material (anonymously, of course).

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

Lemons!

I'd feel lost without them, there's very little that can't be perked up with a squeeze of lemon juice or a bit of zest.

Top three ways?

1. Spicy parsnip soup is massively improved by adding squeeze or two of lemon juice at the end of cooking, cuts through the sweetness.
2. Add the zest and juice of a lemon to the stock when cooking couscous or bulghur wheat for a lovely flavour.
3. Little bit of juice and zest added to a risotto with roasted squash is great.

And of course they are good for lemon drizzle cake and G&T.

I always keep a huge bag of pasta in my cupboard! It can be mixed with a homemade tomato sauce, used in a tuna salad or for a vegetable-heavy pasta bake!

Passatta sauce as its great to put in slow cooker with almost anything from pulled pork to sausage stew and chicken casserole :) all great for winter warmers

Baked beans - fantastic in a casserole, a pasta bake, or just good old beans on toast!

Dried oregano. In a ham omelette for brekkie, for lunch with crumpets, tomato puree, cheese, onion and oregano mix all stuffed on top and for tea in sooo much. Particular fav in this house is spag and meatballs.

Tinned chopped tomatoes for curries, stews etc

It has to be chicken stock, I use it in stir fry, in stews, in rice.

bisto gravy granules

Pesto! We mix it in pasta; spread on our fish; add to tomato salads, but our family favourite is pesto on toast - or pestoast as its known in our household!

Tomato puree! We make our own "pizza" using tortilla wraps and cheese and toppings.
Also use it for veggie spaghetti Bolognese.
Lastly I use it for adding some flavour to gravy.
Not bad for 50p!! I love it:)

Know stock pots are my store cupboard heroes. They're so versatile and I use them for making gravy, adding to rice when I'm making, and they add lots of flavour when making casseroles.

Lots more uses for them and I wouldn't be without them.

Having grown a lot, I'm relying heavily on stored butternut squashes - as chips, as a curry, roasted…… so many ways to cook it

Mine is so obvious I'm almost embarassed to say it - the humble baked bean! I always keep a few tins in, as they can cover a multitude of meals.

They are are quick and easy to serve with toast or jacket potato, as a substantial and protein filled lunch.

They are great for adding bulk and flavour to meals such as casseroles, moussakas and pasta sauces (and a great way to get kids to eat the other vegetables that you can sneak in with the sauce!)

And we all love bangers, mash and beans for tea as a treat (veggie sausages for me, meat ones for the rest of the family) - Yummy!

My store cupboard hero is chopped tomatoes, top 3 ways to use are curries, spaghetti bolognese and chilli x

Noodles - value pack 20p, 3 mins cook. Top 3 ways- #1 with snippets of veg for example broccoli bits, julienne carrots & a dash of sauce on top < easy photo. #2 bulk up leftover stew #3 with chilli in place of rice (rice takes 10mins to cook, noodles are quicker & less bother.)

I think mine has to be Tuna. It can be used in so many dishes. It's quick to use, and above all the kids love it...

A grinder with salt, pepper, garlic, fennel and chilli flakes in it! Lives up any dish!

Most def passatta, you can rustle up a basic pasta sauce with a few herbs, a chilli or a spaghetti bolognese. Wouldst be without it

Marmite - on hot buttered toast, stirred into soup, stirred into a curry to give them piquancy

Another vote for passata here - make your own pizzas, easy-peasy pasta sauce, bung it in the slow cooker with some beef for a tasty stew and of course meatballs in tomato sauce. The most versatile ingredient ever and no 'bits' for fussy eaters to complain about!

Another vote for passata - a store cupboard must for me.

Another hero of my fridge is Tesco Greek Style Yoghurt 0%... we use it as a low calorie option to replace sour cream or mayo, in pasta sauce, on muesli, or a small bowl on it's own in the evening with a squoosh of honey. Yum...

X

Has to be chopped tomatoes I use them as a base for curries,pasta's,stews,casseroles and they are pretty darned nice on toast or with breakfast.

My store cupboard hero would be kidney beans. I make veggie burgers with them, a mixed bean enchalatas dish and use them to bulk out chili con carne. Good food, really cheap and good for you.

Aromat- delicious in mashed potatoes, perks up poached eggs, makes a dish of boiled rice less plain. Our whole family loves it!!

tinned tomatoes
use them for pizza base
pasta sauce
in lasanga
meatball sauce
base for some soup
total panic when i run out usually have about 8 tins in stock!