Ever wonder how your mother always seemed to have food on the table even when the going was
tough? Have you ever asked yourself what is the secret?

The fact is that it isn’t a secret at all. It was actually good planning and preparation on their part. If we follow suit and heed the non-verbal actions of our savvy mothers then we too can see our dollar stretch further.

What we have on hand will determine how far our food will go. Filling your pantry with a few useful staples can be the difference between a trip to the grocery store every week versus once or twice a month. With a few key staples you can create wonderful meals.

Flour. Flour is a starter item for many recipes. You can add it to some water or vegetable broth and make gravy in the pan for many vegan meat dishes. Flour is also used to make bread (biscuits, rolls, loaves). During lean times or to just save a few dollars, you can make dumplings with flour or fix some brown rice and top it with gravy. If you choose to make the dumplings you can add some apples, cinnamon and brown sugar for a very yummy desert.

Rice. When we think of rice, we think of a plain side dish. While it is true that rice is a side dish, it doesn’t have to be plain. It can be me the main attraction in a vegan meal depending on what you do with it. It can be jazzed up with veggies to accompany dinner. You can steam some broccoli and mix it with brown rice, vegan butter, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a little sea salt to taste. It is an economical meal that tastes great and goes a long way. Rice can also be mixed with tofu or Boca crumbles and a vegan friendly cream soup to form a casserole. Rice has many uses and you’re sure to find a few that your family will love.

Pasta. There are many different pasta choices and all have great uses. Manicotti can be stuffed with tomato sauce and vegan cheeses. Macaroni can be used to make a creamy salad and also is great combined
with nutritional yeast or spaghetti sauce. Spiral pasta is used in many different pasta salads. Spaghetti
can be used in a casserole topped with vegan cheese or in the traditional way with tomato sauce and a vegan meal alternative or a lot of chunky veggies.

Spices. There are other ways to season food besides salt and pepper. In fact, many spices taste better than salt. Even die hard salt-a-holics won’t miss the salt in foods if other seasonings are used. Cayenne pepper, chili powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, oregano, and garlic powder are all useful tools in your flavor arsenal to give foods a fresh new taste.

Beans. There go those beans again. Beans can top your salad, fill a taco shell make an awesome dip, and go well with grilled foods. They provide a good source of protein with very little fat. Beans are good in soups, stews, and over rice for a simple yet filling meal.

Do you have these staples in your kitchen? You can probably think of several more that you can add to your pantry that will help you save money. Start with the ones listed and expand your own list of basic kitchen staples that are versatile and economical.

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