Cooking at Home with Basic Kitchen Staples Saves You Money
This is a guest post by Dr. Yakini, publisher of Girly Home Webzine, an online lifestyle magazine for ladies. Girly Home Webzine is devoted to providing readers with fresh and unbiased information about all things chichi! Dr. Yakini is a clinical psychologist and freelance lifestyle writer living in Brooklyn, NY. She owns and edits Girly Home Webzine.
I find that one of the greatest ways to save money is cooking at home. I have friends, male and female, who dine out for nearly every meal: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They certainly have a good time eating out, and they do eat well! However, this is an expensive habit. What I think they fail to realize is that you really can prepare great tasting, restaurant-esque meals at home quickly and with minimal cost. I regularly make inexpensive meals that take less than half an hour of preparation time, with enough leftovers to eat for the next few days. When these same friends visit my home for a dinner party, they are enthralled with the menu. If only they knew how little I had spent! Further, when I prepare meals at home, I can create a variation of that meal and carry it for lunch the next day (i.e., baked chicken = chicken salad sandwich, chicken quesadilla, or a grilled chicken caesar salad).
There are many reasons people don’t cook at home, with fear/ignorance of the kitchen and limited cooking skills among those reasons. However, I believe that the biggest obstacle that prevents people from affordable home cooking is that they don’t have a kitchen that is stocked with basic staples. So they end up having to buy every single ingredient at once when they finally decide to try cooking something at home. The idea of this becomes so daunting for people that they ultimately throw in the towel and decide to order take-out. This is what I deem a “lose-lose” scenario. Not only does frequenting restaurants or ordering take-out daily add up, in terms of cost, but take-out food is usually higher in calories and loaded with a whole bunch of other “junk” that we really should be avoiding.
To prevent this “lose-lose” scenario, I suggest that you prepare in advance and begin to stock your pantry shelves today with the basic staples. By “staples” I mean ingredients that a lot of recipes call for, that will keep for a long time. We’re talking about making a very small investment that will ultimately allow you to create delicious meals with minimal fuss. The best part is that all you need spend is $150 and you may begin this process of stocking your kitchen with the basics! So, ladies, by sacrificing that one visit to the day spa for your monthly microdermabrasian you can cook at home for weeks on end.
Will this really save me money? It certainly will! It’s really quite simple. You see, when you already have certain basic staples stocked in the pantry, you are more likely to opt for home cooking rather than eating out. The reason: the ingredients are already on-hand and, thus, preparing your choice meal requires little to no effort (e.g., trips to the grocery store). With each trip to the grocery store you can add more to your repertoire of kitchen staples. I think you’ll discover that, not only are you saving money, but home-prepared food is much more delish than restaurant-food!
Here is my shopping list of staple ingredients for a well-stocked kitchen.
Baking
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Brown sugar
Condensed Milk
Corn meal
Corn starch
Evaporated Milk
Vanilla
White Sugar
Yeast
Herbs & Spices
Black pepper
Chicken bouillon cubes
Cilantro
Cinnamon
Crushed garlic
Garlic powder
Green seasoning (found in the international aisle of grocery store)
Nutmeg
Oregano
Onion powder
Sea salt
Seasoned Chicken Breader by House Autry
Oils, Stocks, Condiments
Beef stock
Chicken broth
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Red wine
Soy sauce
Tomato sauce
Vegetable oil
Vinegar
White wine
Worcestershire sauce
Miscellaneous
Cream of mushroom/celery/chicken soup (canned)
Pasta
Rice/Couscous
Ladies, what are your kitchen staples? What are those “must have” ingredients that you keep stocked in the pantry at all times?
Ladies, what are your kitchen staples? What are those “must have” ingredients that you keep stocked in the pantry at all times?
Share your own “frugal” kitchen tips with us!
About the Author: Girls Just Wanna Have Funds is for the woman that wants to take charge of her personal finances. We value budgeting, investing, frugality and remain mindful of our spending habits. Move over and make way for women who are in control of their financial destinies and not afraid to say it. We're armed with a positive net worth and not afraid to flaunt it while breaking financial ceilings one stiletto at a time!
Samantha | Mar 4, 2008 | Reply
I buy a boatload of meats and seperate them in baggies by portion. When you buy the meat in bulk it saves money and also time.
Meg from The Bargain Queens & All About Appearances (5 comments.) | Mar 4, 2008 | Reply
Balsamic vinegar. I use it as a salad dressing, dip for bread, pasta seasoning… It makes a lot of things taste a lot fancier than they are.
Ginger | Mar 6, 2008 | Reply
@ Meg- I used to do this as well, don’t know why I stopped but you can do so much with Balsamic Vinegar.
Samantha, how long do you store your meats? We buy meats in “bulk” but we make a point to use it within 2-3 weeks. Really 2 weeks.
Yakini (6 comments.) | Mar 6, 2008 | Reply
I do the same thing Samantha. =) After a long, draining grocery shop it definitely feels like MORE work to separate/baggy right after coming home…. but when i take the time to do it, Im really, really glad! For someone like me, who lives alone, it’s the smartest and most cost-efficient thing to do.
Ginger, my meat usually keeps in the freezer indefinitely, but i try to use it within a couple of months. The only time this doesn’t work out is when I use a freezer (Derek’s) that tends to cause freezer-bite, which is totally gross. (Don’t know why that is the case with some freezers and not others….? The food is sealed tightly, i’ve played with the temperature, etc….?)
Leah | Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
I use a FoodSaver for my meat - I’ve had it for over 6 years now, and I’m sure it’s saved me tons of money. Meat can stay in my freezer for 3-4 *months* and not get freezer burn.
I do a lot of stir-fry, so I always have frozen veggie mix in the freezer, and for spices I use a lot of ginger and curry. Definately have to cater the spices towards the types of food you prepare. That also means I have peanut and sesame oils and rice wine vinager.
S. Nicole (2 comments.) | Mar 10, 2008 | Reply
I have to have ground turkey in my freezer. I either make turkey burgers, meatloaf (always a new experiment!!), bbq meatballs, or i just cook it up and break it apart and throw some veggies in it and white or brown rice. The kiddies love it… I love it. I usually use corn or sweet peas. I use lots of garlic in anything/everything I cook, so fresh garlic, a bit of garlic salt, and white pepper or the spicy adobo w/ white pepper. I throw the ground turkey in the pan w/ some olive oil, break it apart so it cooks quickly. I either use the bag steam veggies (I think it’s birdseye?) or I open a can and drain and throw it in once the ground meat is cooked… boil the rice… keep it moving…
If I don’t have ground turkey I use chicken breasts and cut them up and apply the same method…
Angie (1 comments.) | Mar 18, 2008 | Reply
I just seen on the news this morning that by cutting back on eating out you can save up to $400 a month!!
Meg from All About Appearances (1 comments.) | Mar 24, 2008 | Reply
Angie, my husband and I have cut back that easily — and probably another $400 on groceries, too. Unfortunately, we only cut back after we spent our way deep into debt. Well, at least we now realize where it all went!
But the good news is that we eat better now than we did before. And we hope to start growing our own veggies soon and keeping a couple chickens. That should help a lot. And there are still sooo many ways that we could cut back. If we really wanted to, I have no doubt that we could easily feed both of us for under $100.
Anaylli (1 comments.) | Mar 26, 2008 | Reply
Yes,this is such a good tip! I’m glad people are really getting back into cooking at home, it’s the best! Especially when it comes to brown bagging your lunches, you save so much money.
I have a couple of lunch ideas on my blog too.
Some of my staples are fresh garlic and ginger, hoisin sauce,oyster sauce, red pepper flakes,pepper sauce, citrus fruits, apple cider vinegar, adobo seasoning, toasted sesame oil…
Oh and dried beans, they’re cheap and nutritious, and with a little planning they’re easy to incorporate, plus they take up less space than canned :o)
Add me to the list of those who buy meats in bulk when they’re on sale and bag them up in the freezer.(I even freeze them with a little bit of seasoning sometimes to get a head start on the marinating, and they taste less freezer-burned).
Also, there are a couple of tools that I think really work hand in hand with a well stocked pantry: microplane/zester…just a hint of lemon or orange zest can perk up anything from a stew to a cake. A garlic press is handy to have too!
Plus, inviting friends over and having an indian-themed food night can be so much more fun than heading out to restaurant. :o)
Sorry for writing so much…
Great Post!!
Pamela (1 comments.) | Apr 8, 2008 | Reply
I’m Southern & one of my staples are boxes of cornbread mix & mac & cheese - not sophisticated but tasty & cheap!
Also, I always have a big bag of shrimp in my freezer from Sam’s Club. You can make shrimp cocktail, shrimp w/any kind of pasta or couscous, etc from just a few ingredients. I also can’t live without ketchup, mayo & stone ground mustard.
Katerina (1 comments.) | Apr 8, 2008 | Reply
I’m Caribbean and Greek, I alway have whole wheat pitas, which can be cut up drizzled with olive oil to make tasty pita chips with ready made hummus. Also my kitchen must haves are: brown rice, eggs, frozen spinach, canned diced tomatoes, grits, canned wild salmon, scallions, red peppers and limes. You can pretty much make something tasty with any of those combos.
Katerina’s last blog post..More money, more responsibility (Series Part 6 of 6)
Cheryl (1 comments.) | Apr 9, 2008 | Reply
Balsalmic vinegar!
Cheryl’s last blog post..Infuriation leads to creation
Beth | Apr 10, 2008 | Reply
My father taught me that anything will taste good if you throw it in with some sauteed celery, onions, and green peppers! It’s something I do often when I can’t think of anything to make for dinner!
Pamela | Apr 11, 2008 | Reply
Beth: my Mom has said the same thing only since none in our family could eat green peppers, diced tomatoes are what we substitute with fresh garlic. I agree with everyone about balsamic vinegar Did you know that you can also buy a thicker balsamic glaze? In the South we eat collard greens & this gives it just the right punch - same with spinach! Thanks to all the participants in this - I’ve gotten a lot of new ideas!
Trent Hamm (7 comments.) | Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
Tarragon is the great undiscovered herb. Try some - put it in your scrambled eggs, about half a teaspoonful per egg. You’ll find it gives it a lot of color and a lot of *pop* on the tongue.
Trent Hamm’s last blog post..Reader Mailbag #6
liz | Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
my staples too include beans - specifically dry black beans and dry lentils and dry chick peas… every once in a while i’ll cook up a bunch of them, and store some in the freezer and make a casserole/ soup out of the other. talk about cheap! i can go and get 4lbs of dried black beans for $3.
i also use freeze dried herbs a lot - as a single gal, i find i buy garlic and i don’t use it, but with freeze dried or pre-grated/processed garlic, i can keep it for a long time without spoiling.
i also buy a lot of frozen veggies and fruit, especially on sale. when i’m feeling lazy, i can throw in some predone veggies, some beans, and some chicken and VOILA! a hearty southwestern chicken stew. easy.
i also own a slow cooker and adore it. just throw a bunch of stuff in there, set it for 10 hours and go to work.
sfordinarygirl (1 comments.) | Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Can albacore tuna and salmon are my go-to staples for cheap protein! Open the can, throw them in a bowl with some dijon mustard, dill, parsley and a bag of salad mix and dinner is served. I’ve bought my cans of tuna for 80 cents on sale and the salmon for a buck each. Makes for super cheap meals.
sfordinarygirl’s last blog post..Another year, another birthday
Mrs. Van (1 comments.) | Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
The Spanish family. (due to canola oil is less fatning, although it can kill bugs,) watch other over counter commerical items it is in. So, we buy Olive oil, Spanish Rice:
put your cooked rice, cut up tomatoe, and onion, chicken bullion cube, and water, you can add green pepper cut up, and cilantro, and cumin. Eat with corn tortilla, and fry with cheese in middle.
REEcoo!
Anna | Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
This is my first visit, linked from Simple Dollar.
I think your staples are great- I’ve tried to boil it down to a list like that before and failed miserably.
I might add seasoning salt to the list- I use it on pan-fried pork chops, among other things.
Beans, too, but they were mentioned already.
Cornflakes or bread crumbs for breading or crisp toppings on casseroles.
Italian Seasoning, but my family is all about homemade pizza, spaghetti, etc.
Michelle | Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
I also linked from Simple Dollar and I LOVE your website!
One of my staples is a jar of minced garlic.
Kat | Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
Coconut milk. I can’t have dairy, so I use that in a lot of things. YUM! Also curry powder.
Denise | Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
linked from Simple Dollar as well - this is a great list!! thanks!
I also go for the ground turkey and large bags of veggies in the freezer.
potatoes keep for a surprisingly lomg time too - baked potato w/veggies is a quick dinner!
also french fried onions for topping, and ranch mix powder (for turkey burgers)
and Kat - I just stocked up on curry power and light coconut milk at the store last weekend!
Johnny | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
I am a 64 year old guy who thinks younger and younger all the time i have been cooking at home for 59 years and enjoy it so much. Ithink the staples everyone should have are very well covered in this article. One of my favorite dishes is an expensive one but i call my homemade lasagna the world’s best. I wieghs about 10 pounds when it $comes from the oven and only takes about 4 hors to properly prepare. I think there is a lot of money to be saved by cooking at home in all instances.
Mar | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
I always say that some dishes are expensive to prepare but the alternative of having a nice meal out is far more so. When my four children were young and money was tight, we would have a treat meal when they had a special achievment. MOst people would have gone out for pizza. I have a hunch if I were to ask my kids they would tell me that having a treat meal they chose and eaten at home is something they still remember more than going to the local pizza shop.
Candace | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
Does anyone have a recommended Web-site or list of recipes to use with these list of recommended staples. I would love any suggestions on how to create a new recipe list for the family.
Pamela | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
my all time favorite web recipe site is epicurious.com - Many are fancier than I want to do for every day but there are lots of basic recipes there as well.
Anita | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
I also linked up to this site through Simple Dollar. Very helpful list.
Candace - try Supercook.com - it’s a pretty neat website that Trent @ Simple Dollar recommended and it’s a life saver as well as money saver for using up ingredients when I discover they’re close to expiration date. I’m live in South Dakota and generally have always cooked at home but have always HATED trying to come up with ideas for meals (forget asking teenagers for ideas) :o) Supercook helped alot with quick easy meals when running with busy school/work schedules.
Justin (1 comments.) | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
I’d add breadcrumbs, chicken (kept frozen), Tabasco, basil, pasta sauce, and tomato paste to that list.
Oh, and cookies.
Justin’s last blog post..New job for me!
Nancy | Apr 18, 2008 | Reply
Great list of staples! Other staples I’d add to the list are canned beans (whatever you like, I prefer black beans and pinto beans) and/or dry beans, herbs such as oregano and basil, spices such as chili powder and cumin (if you like Mexican food) or ginger (if you like Asian food), and canned whole tomatoes. I’ve found that the flavor of canned whole tomatoes is far superior to diced tomatoes or tomato sauce or paste. Just drain the puree from the can, crush the tomatoes by hand, season to taste (I add a bit of salt, sugar, oregano, basil, garlic, and Sriracha sauce), and you have a great-tasting tomato /marinara sauce without cooking anything. Also, I don’t know if tuna would be a pantry item, but it would fit under the Misc. category above.
Kandy (1 comments.) | Apr 19, 2008 | Reply
Being a busy single mom adds to the allure of eating out. I’m a gourmet food junkie– and gourmet food is pricier to buy prepared than it is to make at home yourself– but who has the time to make a gourmet dinner! The solution to saving money on dining out and still eating good and healthy is why I started mybabycancook.com– shameless plug but valuable resource for easy gourmet meals. Check out Suppers made $imple: these pre-made recipes require only the meat of your choice and oil/milk/butter to prepare AND can be divided to make an entirely different meal the next day. Home-cook’n is definetly back in style in this economy.
Patrice | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
Hello, new reader here. This is a great resource! Thank you.
Raphael (2 comments.) | May 15, 2008 | Reply
I have to throw in a college staple of mine Old school Ramen Noodles. I used to have a ton of recipes that somehow contained them
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Stephanie | Jun 25, 2008 | Reply
I love the taste of fresh garlic but can never use it up fast enough, so I bought a cheap package (5 bulbs for $1), removed all of the papery stuff from the garlic cloves, and peeled each one. Then I stuck all of the ready-to-use cloves back in the original mesh package and froze the whole thing. Most things that you use garlic in don’t require absolutely fresh garlic (it can be a little mushy if you thaw it first), but it’s quicker than getting new stuff every time.
Lulu Barbarian (1 comments.) | Jun 25, 2008 | Reply
Fresh herbs are so delicious, but way expensive, so I grow herbs in containers on my patio: oregano, thyme and rosemary are super easy perennial herbs to keep on hand, and hardier than you might realize. I also grow parsley, dill and cilantro, although they’re a bit more work because you need to periodically restart them from seeds. And seedlings need to be watered frequently. Still, it’s worth it.
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