Five pantry staples worth keeping

Healthy weeknight cooking is far easier when your pantry is doing some of the work for you. A handful of affordable, shelf-stable basics can turn a tired evening into a decent meal without a special trip to the shops. Here are five staples that earn their place and pair well with almost anything fresh you have on hand.

The first is dried or canned beans and lentils. They are inexpensive, keep for a long time and add protein and fibre to soups, stews, salads and quick bowls. A can of chickpeas or a bag of red lentils can be the backbone of a meal on a night when you have little else prepared.

The second is whole grains such as brown rice, oats and whole-wheat pasta. These give you steady energy and a base for countless meals. Because they store well, you can always have something filling ready to cook, and they happily soak up whatever flavours you add.

The third is canned tomatoes. A simple tin is the start of so many dishes — pasta sauces, stews, soups and one-pan dinners. With a little onion, garlic and seasoning, canned tomatoes can become a warm, comforting meal in not much time at all.

The fourth is a good cooking oil and a small set of basic seasonings. Olive oil, salt, pepper and a few dried herbs or spices do an enormous amount of work for very little cost. They are what turn plain ingredients into something you actually want to eat.

The fifth is nuts, seeds or nut butter. These add crunch, flavour and a dose of healthy fat to meals and snacks alike. A spoon of peanut butter, a sprinkle of seeds on a salad or a small handful of nuts can round out a dish and help it feel more satisfying.

None of these are fancy, and that is the point. With a stocked pantry of simple staples, you always have the makings of a reasonable meal, which makes it much easier to cook well even on the busiest nights.