My Go-To Pantry Staples to Reduce Food Waste

Food waste is a tremendous problem right now. Whether it resonates with you because of the rising cost of food, or because it is instrumental in climate change, all of us can take small steps to help reduce the amount of food we throw away. One of my biggest tips is to keep a well-stocked pantry, so when you have produce or other ingredients about to go bad, you have staples at the ready to whip up a quick meal.

Now, before you stop reading because you don’t have a “proper pantry,” neither do I. I have a lazy Susan in my kitchen where I keep spices, some oil, some pasta, some rice, and baking ingredients, otherwise, everything else is stored on a couple of shelves in my basement. I also have a chest freezer in my basement, which is both a blessing and a curse. It gives me added freezer space, but stuff easily falls to the bottom, so I periodically do a quick inventory, get stuff from the bottom and move it up to the top.

This is all to say that sometimes you just need to make do with what you have and/or get creative. Maybe you can carve out a shelf or two in a closet or in your own basement, and then go through the following lists and only get what you will realistically eat and have space to store.

Pantry Staples

• Jarred marinara sauce

• Crushed tomatoes and/or diced tomatoes

• Tomato paste

• Pizza sauce

• Chicken stock

• Veggie stock

• Jarred marinades (I prefer Primal Kitchen, especially No Soy Teriyaki)

• Jarred pesto

• Soy sauce

• Avocado oil

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Canned beans (black, kidney, white, garbanzo)

• Rice (brown & white)

• Pasta (both regular and lentil)

• Quinoa

• Couscous

• Bread crumbs or panko

• Spices (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt & pepper; pick your favorites!)

• Boxed tomato soup

• Potatoes (white and sweet)

• Onions

Freezer Staples

• Chicken breasts

• Chicken thighs

• Ground beef or bison

• Ground chicken

• Ground turkey

• Pork chops

• Chicken sausage

• Pepperoni

• Pizza crusts

• Shredded mozzarella (yes, you can freeze this!)

• Frozen broccoli

• Frozen, sliced mushrooms

• Hamburger buns

• English muffins

• Wraps/tortillas

• Tortellini

Refrigerator Staples

• Spinach

• Broccoli florets

• Lemons

• Bell peppers

• Cheddar cheese

• Parmesan

• Greek yogurt

• Eggs

• Condiments (mustard, ketchup & mayo)

You can make endless meal options with these staples, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So the next time you have a bag of spinach or some zucchini on its last leg, cook some lentil pasta, sauté your veggies in some avocado oil, and top with a little pesto. So easy, so tasty, and you just saved food from the trash or compost!