Budget-Friendly Pantry Staples You Should Always Have on Hand

The ideal complement to both savoury and sweet dishes, peanut butter is a must-have in your pantry. Whether you throw it into stir-fries, mix it in homemade dough or spread it on toast, one thing is for certain – peanut butter’s possibilities are endless. For more inspiration, check out these dreamy walk-in pantries.

Sure, you can splurge on fresh, high-quality pasta, but sometimes nothing beats a big ol’ bag of the dried stuff. Even if you pair it with an exorbitant amount of pricey Italian cheese or veal meatballs, your cost per meal will be exceedingly low. What’s not to love? For more ideas, try these easy stuffed pasta recipes that start with store-bought noodles.

Whether diced, crushed, whole or seasoned, canned tomatoes lend themselves well to a variety of dishes, such as soups, pastas and other sauces. At around a couple of dollars a pop (if not less), this versatile staple is the perfect way to add flavour to food on a budget.

For more inspiration, try your hand at homemade canned tomatoes or test out this scrumptious Shakshouka dish.

With the right spice selection on hand, you can pretty much make anything taste great. Instead of purchasing pricey fresh herbs, save some silver with a well-stocked dried spice rack – an absolute must in any home cook’s kitchen!

We also cooked with six trending spices to see if they were worth the hype.

You won’t have to count dollars (or calories) if you stock up on healthy oats in bulk. Keep them on hand for big bowls of porridge and wholesome baked goods to satisfy your sweet tooth. Psst, these are the only oatmeal cookie recipes you need in your life.

Whether you whip up a stir-fry or marinate ribs, soy sauce is a fabulous flavour-enhancer that can be bought on-the-cheap at any grocery store. For an easy-breezy meal prep, consider these dinner recipes featuring five ingredients or less.

Yes, olive oil can sometimes be a little pricey, but if you weren’t able to stock up on it while it was on sale, canola or vegetable oil are relatively inexpensive substitutes. We love having options, especially when they don’t leave a dent in our wallets.

Get more meal inspiration with these recipes to master while stuck indoors.