Saving Money on Food Shops - Kitchen Staples

On this post, I will be covering what I always ensure I have in my kitchen cupboards and fridge. For example, I often bulk buy dried lentils, chickpeas and split peas from Grape Tree. You can use other stores local to you or even supermarkets do great selections now! Always check the world food isles for these items too. 

These are ingredients I use all the time and really help me whip something out of nothing! Or bulk out meals. 

A family member recently made a joke of "Shannon cooked it, of course it has lentils in it!"

This made me giggle more than it should have! 

Now, I'm not saying go out and buy all of this immediately. That would be absurd. It took me a little while to build this up. Make notes of what you use often and then build from that! 

This is what I find myself regularly grabbing for:

General dry store ~

Chopped tomatoes - I always ensure I have 2 tins in my cupboard. Especially for when poop hits the fan and I have £5 to my name so I can focus on other ingredients. Plum tomatoes also work well! I opt for own brand/ savers lines. 

Mushy peas - staple ingredient for a pea and ham soup which I make regularly. Delicious and cheap! 

Coconut milk - I always have 1 tin in my cupboard for emergency curries and dhals

Low salt/ salt free stock cubes - cooking for little ones, I found half my time stressing about salt. Buying salt free or low salt stock cubes like Kallo or Knorr ensures you get beautiful flavour for your dishes. I always ensure I have beef, chicken and a surplus of veg 

Gravy granules (low salt) - believe it or not, I actually use gravy granules in a lot of my cooking. For example, my lasagne I normally put a spoonful of vegetable gravy in the mix. Always have chicken and vegetable gravy in your cupboard. They come in handy

Tinned veg - likes of sweetcorn especially, these come in very handy! Tinned potatoes make a quick and easy budget mash also! 

Tuna - not a necessity as such, but always handy to have 1 or 2 tins for quick and easy dish. Opt for tuna in spring water if feeding to little ones. Brine is very high in salt content! 

Vegetables - I always have potatoes, garlic bulbs, onions and sometimes carrots in my cupboard. Stored in tubs below my mugs! This ensures they're kept in a nice dark cool place and prolongs their shelf life

Coconut oil 

Pasta and rice - I opt for wild rice (personal preference) and wholegrain pasta. Long grain rice is also a staple to make rice puddings and jambalayas. 

100% peanut butter - opt for one with no added sugar

Baking ~

Plain flour

Self raising flour

Dried mixed fruit - savers brands work fine! 

Bicarbonate soda

Baking powder 

Veg/ sunflower oil - you'll be surprised how much you can make with oil! I've found when I've not had butter in the house I've substituted with oil, works perfectly! 

Oats 

Maple syrup - make sure to opt for a Canadian maple syrup and not maple flavoured syrup, they are sneaky! 

Vanilla extract 

Chia seeds

Fridge/ fresh ~

Lemon juice 

Greek yoghurt (full fat)

Full fat milk (blue) 

Tomato puree

Fruit - Bananas, apples and oranges. Nice and cheap, delicious and healthy snacks! I also used bananas a lot in my baking 

Nuts and beans and pulses ~

Dried chickpeas 

Dried lentils - I have a variety of red, green and organic 

Dried split yellow peas

Popping corn - cook in a little coconut oil in a lidded saucepan for a delicious snack for a movie night! 

Ground almonds 

Pearl barley 

Herbs ~

Mixed herbs

Smoked paprika 

Cumin

Tumeric

Ground ginger 

Pepper grinder 

I believe that's everything... I guess I'll update the post if I think of more! Ha! 

These are items I use almost daily, they allow me to make flatbreads/ pizza bases, curries, spag bowl sauces, sweet treats and so much more!