One common mistake people make when building a food stockpile is buying too many items that have just one obvious use. You can end up with shelves full of food but very few choices when it’s time to cook.
I’d rather keep ingredients that can be mixed, seasoned, and used in several different recipes. That makes meal planning easier and gives you more variety without having to store dozens of different products.
Eating the same bowl of rice or beans every day gets old pretty quickly, especially during a long emergency. A collection of versatile pantry staples can help you make breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and even desserts with many of the same ingredients.
Here are 15 foods worth keeping in your stockpile because each one can be turned into several different meals.
1. Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are inexpensive, filling, and a good source of plant-based protein. A few bags of dried beans can provide the base for plenty of meals, from simple side dishes to hearty dinners.
Try using them to:
- Serve cooked beans over crackers, toast, or biscuits
- Mash and fry them into refried beans
- Add them to stews
- Combine them with canned meat or vegetables for a bean soup
- Mix them into chili
- Use them as a filling for burritos or tacos
Beans are easy to season with different herbs and spices, so you don’t have to serve them the same way every time.
2. Oats
Oats are an inexpensive pantry staple that works for breakfast, snacks, and even savory dishes. Steel-cut oats and oat groats can be good storage choices when kept in suitable airtight containers in a cool, dry place.
You can:
- Cook them with water or milk for breakfast
- Make overnight oats
- Use them to thicken stews
- Mix them with nuts and dried fruit for trail mix
- Combine them with peanut butter for a quick snack
- Add them to smoothies or yogurt
- Make homemade granola
Oats can be sweetened with honey, fruit, or brown sugar, or seasoned with herbs and spices for a savory meal.
3. Rice
Rice belongs in just about every well-stocked pantry because it’s inexpensive, filling, and pairs with so many other foods. White rice generally lasts much longer in storage than brown rice because brown rice contains natural oils that can go rancid over time.
A bag of white rice can become:
- Fried rice
- A simple side dish
- An addition to soups and stews
- Rice pudding
- A filling for stuffed vegetables
- Homemade rice flour for baking
Rice works well with beans, canned meat, vegetables, and sauces, giving you plenty of combinations from a handful of basic ingredients.
4. Dried Pasta
Dried pasta can save dinner when you don’t have many fresh ingredients available. Keeping a few different shapes on hand also gives you variety without having to buy a long list of separate foods.
Use pasta to:
- Toss with butter, cheese, or sauce
- Add to soups
- Stir into stews
- Make cold pasta salads
- Combine with canned vegetables or meat
- Bake into a casserole
Dried pasta is essential for food storage because it’s affordable, easy to prepare, and pairs with many other pantry staples.
5. Lentils
Lentils cook faster than many dried beans, making them a handy choice when you want to save cooking time and fuel. They also provide plant-based protein and take on the flavor of whatever seasonings you add.
Try them in:
- Soups
- Stews
- Chili
- Lentil salads
- Patties or fritters
- Casseroles
A pot of lentils can taste completely different with curry powder, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, or whatever vegetables you have available.
6. Quinoa
Quinoa is another grain-like pantry food that provides protein and can bring some variety to meals built around rice and pasta. It usually costs more than rice, so I wouldn’t make it the foundation of a food stockpile, but a few packages can be useful.
You can:
- Serve cooked quinoa as a seasoned side
- Chill it for salads
- Mix it with canned or dehydrated vegetables
- Make grain bowls
- Grind it into flour for certain baking recipes
- Stir it into soups
A little quinoa can give your usual pantry meals a change of texture and flavor.
7. Canned Meat
Canned meat may not sound particularly exciting, but it’s useful to have around when fresh meat isn’t available. Chicken, beef, ham, tuna, and other shelf-stable options can turn a basic pantry meal into something more filling.
Try adding canned meat to:
- Soups
- Stews
- Rice dishes
- Pasta
- Casseroles
- Tacos
- Sandwiches
Some varieties can also be eaten straight from the can, which is helpful when cooking isn’t possible. Check the storage instructions and expiration dates on the products you buy.
8. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a pantry favorite because it provides calories and protein without requiring any cooking. It also works in sweet and savory recipes, so a single jar can be used in several ways.
Use it to:
- Eat as a quick snack
- Spread on bread, waffles, or pancakes
- Make energy balls
- Add to sauces
- Mix into oatmeal
- Make cookies and other desserts
- Stir into certain noodle or rice dishes
It’s especially handy on days when you need something filling but don’t want to spend much time preparing food.
9. Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Vegetables
Fresh vegetables don’t last forever, which makes dehydrated and freeze-dried varieties useful additions to a food stockpile. They’re lightweight, easy to portion, and can provide some variety when fresh produce is unavailable.
Use dried vegetables in:
- Soups
- Stews
- Casseroles
- Rice dishes
- Pasta
- Scrambled eggs
- Homemade vegetable broth
You can also rehydrate many varieties and serve them as a side dish. Follow the package instructions for soaking and cooking times.
10. Honey
Honey won’t make a complete meal by itself, but it’s a handy pantry item that can add sweetness to many basic foods. Properly stored honey can last for a very long time, making it a useful choice for long-term food storage.
Use honey to:
- Sweeten tea and other drinks
- Replace some of the sugar in recipes
- Add to oatmeal
- Make energy bars or balls
- Sweeten sauces
- Glaze meats and vegetables
- Add flavor to homemade bread
A jar can make simple meals and snacks taste a little better without taking up much pantry space.
11. Bouillon Cubes
A food stockpile can provide plenty of calories and still leave meals tasting rather bland. Bouillon cubes are an inexpensive way to add flavor without storing large containers of broth.
Use them to:
- Make quick broth
- Season beans
- Flavor rice
- Add depth to soups
- Season stews
- Boost the flavor of vegetables
- Create a base for sauces
They take up very little room and can make a pot of basic ingredients taste like a completely different meal. Check the labels for sodium content, especially if you’re watching your salt intake.
12. Flour
Flour gives you the option of making foods that would be difficult to keep fresh for long periods. With a few other basic ingredients, you can make bread, biscuits, tortillas, and plenty of other homemade dishes.
Use flour to make:
- Bread
- Biscuits
- Tortillas
- Pancakes
- Dumplings
- Gravy
- Homemade noodles
- Thickened soups and stews
Flour needs proper storage, particularly if you plan to keep it for an extended period. Seal it in an airtight container and protect it from moisture, heat, and pests.
13. Canned Beans
Dried beans are great for long-term storage, but canned beans have one major advantage: they’re already cooked and ready to use. That’s handy when you’re short on cooking fuel, water, or time.
Use canned beans to:
- Make a hearty bean soup
- Add protein to stews
- Make chili
- Mix with rice
- Add to tacos or burritos
- Eat straight from the can when necessary
Keeping both dried and canned beans gives you more choices, depending on how much time, water, and fuel you have available.
14. Canned Tomatoes
Canned tomatoes can turn plain pantry ingredients into a meal with plenty of flavor. If you have room, keep a mix of whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
Use them to:
- Make pasta sauce
- Add flavor to soups
- Build a stew
- Mix with beans
- Make chili
- Create sauces for rice and meat
- Add to casseroles
They also add moisture and acidity to dishes that might otherwise taste dry or bland.
Get the Recipe: Canned Tomatoes
15. Instant Potatoes
Instant potatoes may seem like a basic convenience food, but they’re useful for much more than a quick bowl of mashed potatoes. They require little preparation and can help stretch other ingredients into a filling meal.
Use them to:
- Make mashed potatoes
- Thicken soups
- Thicken stews
- Make potato pancakes
- Add to bread and baked goods
- Create potato-based casseroles
- Make a quick potato soup
They also take less cooking time than whole potatoes, which can be helpful when fuel is limited.
