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To many of us, canned, jarred and bagged foods do not go hand-in-hand with nutrient-rich eating. But I’m here to tell you that not only can these items behealthy, there’s no shame in basing your meals around pantry items—and they’re often budget-friendly, too.
As a full-time freelance food writer, I try to make sure my grocery bills are reasonable. But I often don’t know how many meals will be made at home and how many mealtimes will be spent reviewing restaurants each week, so I keep easily perishable products to a minimum.
I’m a Dietitian & These Are the 6 Canned Foods I Always Buy at Costco
1. Chickpeas
I always like to have a littlehummusin my refrigerator. I prefer itextra garlicky, with plenty of lemon and cumin. I keep my tahini in the refrigerator, along with vegetables for dipping, but when it comes to the main ingredient, I buy my chickpeas for less than a dollar a can atWalmart. For a little bit of protein at lunch, I also love throwing the legumes into a simple salad with greens and a dressing made of olive oil and pomegranate molasses.
2. Crushed Tomatoes
From making my own pasta sauce to braising meat and topping pizzas, I usecrushed tomatoesin practically everything. It’s no wonder that I need to buy them every week! Cento is my favorite brand for its balance of sweet and sour flavor, though the 28-ounce cans are so large that I sometimes only use half at a time. One thing to remember: Unlike prepared tomato sauces, there’s no salt added, so make sure to add plenty of seasoning to brighten up your flavors.
3. Almond Butter
One of my favorite snacks is apple slices dipped in almond butter. It’s a great way to combine a juicy McIntosh with a little bit of rich-tastingplant protein. But the reason this staple really goes quickly in my house is that I love to use almond butter in salad dressings. My favorite capitalizes on the creaminess of the nutty paste to thicken up a vinaigrette that includes fresh mint and just enoughgochujangto add a little sweet heat.
4. Dried Apricots
5. Pasta
Though I often make my own pasta sauce (see No. 2 above), I also treat myself to an occasional jar of white truffle marinara from Rao’s Limited Reserve line. Whether I’m using that or slowly stewing my own Sunday gravy,my favorite noodleto use is the brand’s casarecce, a type of pasta that I was surprised to find at Walmart. The S-shaped pasta reminds me of my honeymoon in Sicily, where the formation originated, and I adore the variety of textures in each al dente bite.
6. Gunpowder Green Tea
7. Coconut Milk
My husband’s latest culinary obsession is makingmango sticky rice. When we can find good mangoes, he uses a pot-and-basket set purchased from Thailand to cook up the dessert every night. That means that we go through a lot of rice, pandan extract and coconut milk. I tend to buy six cans at a time at my nearest Asian market. I also use coconut milk to make Thai curries, which are among the easiest weeknight dinners to throw together, thanks to pre-made curry pastes, a rainbow of which are also stacked in my pantry.
The Bottom Line
Cooking from your pantry is entirely possible, especially when you keep staples on hand, such as canned chickpeas, tomatoes and coconut milk. While you can buy preferred brands at specialty stores, I just as often rely on grocers like Walmart, which keeps things budget-friendly. Plus, these picks can create quick snacks and meals—and saving time on a busy day is a huge perk.
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