Always On Hand

There is one thing I've learned since I've been cooking more at home and trying to expand my kitchen horizons - you can never have too many seasonings and sauces. Along with that, there are some things that are essential and it is a good idea to always have them on hand. You never know when you're going to need to make dinner at the last minute because a roommate has eaten that last piece of pizza you were saving. Here is a handy list of things that are always helpful to have around.

PRODUCE:

Onions - Red, Yellow or White, it's whatever you prefer. They're handy to have for soups, casseroles, practically any dish that involves meat, salads, etc.

Green Bell Pepper - Again, perfect for soups and different meat dishes. Also a great snack between class and work or whatever. I suggest having red pepper handy, too, but it's not totally needed.

Frozen Corn/Broccoli/Peas - Not only are they great in different dishes, but if you need a quick side to something, they are fast and tasty. I always go broccoli florets versus broccoli cuts. But you can do whatever.

MEATS:

Ground Beef/Turkey - I prefer the latter. Either way, I always try to keep at least 2 lbs. in my fridge/freezer at any time. You can pull a pound out before you go to bed and put it in the fridge to be used the next day. It's great in casseroles, spaghetti dishes and soups or you can just have it ready for burgers, meatloaf, meatballs, etc.

Chicken Breasts - I always keep a bag of chicken breasts in my freezer. Again, it's easy to thaw and use the next day in different pasta dishes, casseroles, soups or just marinade, grill and throw on a bun.

DRY STORAGE:

Lentils - A type of bean, lentils are SUPER cheap. They cook easy and they're perfect when you have no real groceries around and need to throw together a super easy soup.

Instant White Rice - It's great for a quick and easy lunch in between classes or before work.

Quick Oats - Oatmeal is great for baking and also handy for meatloafs or meatballs.

Pasta - One of the best remedies for a quick dinner. I always try to keep three different types on hand: spaghetti, rotini and elbow macaroni. Sometimes I throw in some bowtie, penne or shell pastas.

SEASONINGS/SAUCES:

Kosher Salt - Kosher is great for cooking. It has a better flavor and you can be a lot more liberal with it.

Ground Black Pepper - What can't you put pepper in? Exactly.

Garlic - I like to try and have minced garlic hanging out in the fridge when I can, but garlic powder is just as usable and easier to afford.

Apple Cider Vinegar - Throw this into any marinade or use it to sautee veggies. Cider vinegar gives a perfect amount of tang to any dish. Just be careful with this one - you don't want to use too much.

Worcestershire Sauce - Ah, I never realized what this sauce really did until I got a BBQ grill. Then it became a staple in all of my meats, whether I was grilling or not. I always throw it in with my ground turkey, toss it on my chicken, use it in marinades, etc. It's surprisingly tasty on portabello burgers.

Lime Juice - Another great flavor for marinades and meat. A yummy tang for chicken.

Cumin - Cumin gives a tasty smokey flavor to anything you throw it in. Perfect in chili, too.

Oregano - Need to give your spaghetti a kick in the teeth? Sprinkle on some oregano. A sweet touch to garlic bread, too.

Barbecue Sauce - Maybe I love BBQ more than most, but having a solid sauce on hand is great for impromptu outdoor gatherings or even just when you're cooking a burger for yourself. A nice touch to different dips.

Peanut and Soy Sauce - Remember that rice I told you to have on hand? What better to top it with than these two? The peanut sauce is flawless. It's got the perfect blend of heat and nut to it. And you can throw either in with veggies or chicken too, to give it a boost.

It may not seem like much, but having just these items alone on hand will give you a lot of different meal options. And the best part? They're all fairly cheap!