The Pantry Basics

The absolute must-haves at all times

You’ve heard of a capsule wardrobe. But have you heard of a capsule pantry? One where everything goes with everything else, and a good mix-and-match will give you a good many delicious and quick dishes. All under 30 mins, all under 5 euros, perfect for busy schedules as professionals or students or grab-and-go itineraries.

When starting from scratch, go for the basics. Your pantry should start with a few go-tos. Anytime you need to rustle up a meal, you can put something together to get you fed quickly!

Here are the pantry basics I recommend always having in your kitchen corner, with the brands and shops I generally choose:

1. A good loaf of bread: Don’t scrimp on this. Get the best one that you like.

   1. I like Brennan’s multiseed wholegrain,

   2. or the variety of fresh loaves at the Lidl or Tesco bakeries (€1.50-3)

   3. brioche rolls are also a good choice for a mix of sweet and savoury (€1.70-3)

   4. if you have a local bakery around, go for that any day!

2. Butter and cheese

   1. starting with the cheddar and mozzarella mix at Tesco (€2.19)

   2. and going on to a more gourmet selection

3. Cooking oil

   1. I use the olive oil from Tesco (500ml for €4.3, lasts months)

4. Sauces of choice

   1. Sweet chilli sauce from anywhere (€2-4)

   2. Gherkin & mustard relish from Tesco (€1.45)

   3. Garlic sauce from Tesco (€1)

   4. Red onion chutney from Tesco (€1.45)

   5. Pasta sauces from Tesco or Lidl for €1-1.50. I like the tomato mascarpone sauce and the chunky vegetable pasta sauce. There’s many… try and take your pick.

5. Veggies like onion, tomato, lettuce, peppers

6. Salt and pepper

7. Milk

   1. any fresh milk you like

   2. I find that oat milk works better for my coffee

   3. flavour variations help me try new things too

8. Sugar

9. Carbs (Tortillas/ wraps/ pasta/ noodles)

10. Protein of choice

With just these few ingredients, you can create these 5 quick, on-the-go dishes - in under 30 minutes and under 5 euros:

i. Toast-egg-sausage

ii. Breakfast wrap or sandwich

iii. French toast

iv. Many kinds of pastas and noodles

v. Quesadillas

You’ll always have something to grab and go with these basics.

We’ll cover more cosy comfort dishes in the posts to come, stay tuned!

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