Learning the kitchen ropes for the first time? Gathering all ingredients, following the recipe, and avoiding a grease fire is all you can handle. And you seem to find recipes that require obscure necessities like capers and kalamata olives. What you need, newbie cook, is to stock your pantry with the most common ingredients and work within those parameters.
1. Cooking Oils
If you plan on making anything stovetop, oil is essential. You'll want to use virgin olive oil as much as possible--since it's a healthier option--but many things don't taste right cooked in olive oil. Keep some vegetable and peanut oil on hand to broaden your cooking options.
2. White Flour and Sugar
From baking to soup thickening, you'll need to have a bag of flour handy. If you need to brown a chicken breast, dip the chicken in egg then in flour before cooking stovetop. Far too many recipes call for flour, so don't venture into a cookbook without it. Sugar is used in much more than just desserts--keep a pound sealed in the pantry for a dash of sweet.
3. Cream of Soups
The cooking soups I use most often are cream of mushroom, cream of celery, and cream of chicken. Add these to tuna casseroles, pot roasts, and anything that needs a creamy punch. Purchase the low sodium/low fat varieties to cut back on the calories.
4. Apples and Oranges
These seem to last forever. Go for the mixed fruit bag that includes red apples, green apples, and oranges and you'll have a great selection of fruit that won't turn mushy soon after purchasing.
5. Noodles
Keep a bag of egg noodles (for stroganoff or casseroles) and some basic wheat spirals. Paired with some cooked ground beef and Prego sauce, you'll whip up a cheap tasty meal for pennies. I sometimes cook more noodles than I need for a recipe and use leftovers to make cold pasta and mini-tuna casseroles later in the week.
6. Breadcrumbs
From toppings to meat filler, a simple box of breadcrumbs goes the distance. Steer clear of the Italian seasoned variety--put your own oregano, basil, garlic, and parsley in to save money.
7. Spices
The seasonings I need most often are sea salt, garlic powder (or minced garlic, but not garlic salt), onion powder, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, Lowry's seasoned salt, chili powder, and crushed red pepper. On the sweet shelf you can always find vanilla extract, almond extract, nutmeg, honey, and cinnamon. I also combine baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar in with the sweets since you'll add them to baked goods.
8. Oatmeal
If you can acquire a taste for oatmeal, your pocketbook will be in good shape. A bowl of oatmeal make with milk and brown sugar costs just around $.40. Make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and add oatmeal as a filler for meat loaf when you're in a pinch.
9. Chicken and Beef Broth
Buy several cans of both--you'll use more than you think for flavor across the cooking spectrum. If you need to save money buy bullion and make your own with boiling water. It only takes an additional 5 minutes to heat the water and add your own flavoring.
10. Canned Meats and Vegetables
The best tasting ones are chunk light tuna in water, chicken, green beans, all other beans, corn, and tomatoes (mainly for cooking). A good rule of thumb is only buy canned if you can find it frozen. Most of the frozen veggies are healthier and tastier, but some can't be beat in the can.
11. Quick Mixes
I like to keep a couple of mixes--Bisquick Heart Healthy, Betty Crocker white cake, Fiber One muffins--for the just in case scenario. When company comes over last minute it's nice to have something ready that doesn't take a huge effort to assemble.
12. Cold Necessities
Always keep eggs, milk, butter (the real thing, no transfat), and a block of cheddar cheese to keep your cooking options open. Check expiration dates--sometimes the organic products have a much longer shelf life. You may pay a bit more for the product but it can perch in your fridge for more time.
Source: Go Frugal Blog - Ashley Grimaldo is obsessed with finding free stuff, whether she needs it or not. She loves playing with words, crunching ice, and is convinced she missed her calling as a professional ice skater. In between changing diapers and pureeing baby food, Ashley is launching an official campaign to make maternity pants an apparel industry standard.
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