Pandemic-driven job cuts and lost wages have pushed many people to visit local food pantries for the first time.
According to Feeding America, roughly four in 10 people who used a food bank from March through June last year were newcomers. As the winter holidays neared, over 80% of food pantries reported serving more individuals than the previous year.
Financial pressure has also led many others to watch their spending more closely — opting for inexpensive staples instead of pricier grocery items.
Relying on food pantry provisions and cutting food costs can be great for the budget, but you may need to change how you prepare and cook meals. We consulted registered dietitian and nutritionist Wendy Wesley for tips on crafting nutritious, flavorful dishes using items commonly found at food pantries.
Turning Inexpensive Pantry Staples Into Tasty Dishes
Don’t discount canned goods when building satisfying meals, Wesley advised.
“I always keep a stockpile of canned beans in my pantry,” she said.
The trick to transforming modest ingredients into filling dishes is adding kitchen basics like onion, garlic, peppers, spices, dried herbs, butter and eggs.
“You grab rice and beans from a food pantry and then you spruce that up with an onion, a green pepper and some garlic and you use chili powder, garlic powder [and] onion powder,” Wesley explained.
One of her go-to budget-friendly recipes is black bean soup, made from a can of black beans plus onion, garlic and green pepper.
“There’s something special about black beans,” Wesley said. “For perhaps a dollar or two in extra ingredients, you’ve got a hearty, filling meal high in fiber that will keep you satisfied for a long time.”
Another inexpensive idea: crack some eggs you receive from your local pantry into a skillet with onions, peppers and perhaps tomatoes and mushrooms. You can make a large scramble for under a dollar.
To keep those supplementary flavoring items on hand, Wesley suggests buying a few essentials gradually when you shop.
“If you tried to buy everything in a single trip it would be pretty costly,” she said.
Spices in particular can be expensive, so opt for cheaper brands when possible.
“We don’t need costly ingredients to enjoy delicious meals at home,” she added.
How to Stretch Your Food and Your Dollars
Whether you’re feeding a household or simply trying to make food last longer for yourself, stretching ingredients gets you more value.
Bulk up meat dishes with beans and vegetables.
“I’ll extend taco meat with onions and green peppers and tomatoes, so it’s a bit of meat and a lot of veg,” Wesley said by way of example. “Or I’ll stretch it with beans, so it’s a little meat and a lot of beans.”
Those additions also boost fiber — something many Americans could use more of, she noted.
Add a grain — like rice, quinoa or barley — to help make a meal go further. Wesley favors cooking a large batch of one grain over the weekend so it’s ready to mix into meals during the week.
Preparing portions ahead of time can also save you precious time on hectic weekdays — and that saved time is invaluable. When meals are ready to reheat, you’re less likely to grab fast food on low-energy days.
Nicole Dean is a senior writer at Savinly.
