A variety of canned foods that would go in a pantry.
Updated: August 16, 2024

Stock Up on Staple Foods

Look for grocery store sales on canned, dried, and frozen foods to stock-up and save money. Add these meal starter foods to your shopping list to cook healthy meals and snacks, instead of ordering food out.

Dry and Canned Foods
These foods have a long shelf-life of one year or longer. Start with these basic foods to cook healthy meals everyone will love.

Frozen Vegetables
These foods are are washed, chopped and ready when you are. Choose frozen vegetables without added butter or creamy sauces. Add to soups, stews, and stir-fry  dishes. 

Frozen Fruits
Choose frozen fruit without added sugar. Make fruit smoothies, fruit sauces, and top yogurt, oatmeal, and cottage cheese with thawed frozen
fruit.
Canned vegetables Chopped peppers, onions Peaches
Canned fruit in 100% juice and dried fruit without added sugar Broccoli and cauliflower Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries
Broth or stock Winter squash Pineapple, banana
Peanut or almond butter Peas, green beans, corn, carrots Cherries
Pasta sauce Spinach, kale, collard greens Mangoes
Pasta, rice, barley, popcorn kernels, oats Edamame, sugar snap peas Cranberries

 

Make a hearty soup. Broth, a can of tomatoes, a can of beans, and a bag of frozen vegetables will cook up into a delicious meal in about 30 minutes. Try this recipe for Vegetable Lentil Soup and enjoy the leftovers for lunch the next day!

Bake up a hot breakfast to keep everyone full until lunchtime. Oats and frozen or canned fruit are great go-together foods. Try this recipe for an Banana-Blueberry Baked Oatmeal using oats and whatever canned, frozen, or fresh fruit you have on hand.

Cook up a pasta dish! Canned tomatoes, dry pasta, canned or dried beans or meat, frozen vegetables, and a sprinkle
of cheese make a hearty one-pan meal! Try this recipe for Italian Baked Lasagna

Pack your own super snacks with energy-boosting foods like nuts, dried fruit, and popcorn. Try this recipe for Terrific
Trail Mix and pack up single-serving snacks in plastic sandwich or snack bags. Take trail mix to work with you, and put it in kids’ backpacks for a healthy after school snack.


Smart Tips
PLAN - Read grocery store sale fliers and online store sales each week to stock-up on pantry staples. Plan meals using a combination of canned, frozen, dried, and fresh foods.

SHOP - Buy one, get one free, or buy a few of the same item for one sale price. Stock up on seasonal items, like canned pumpkin and chopped nuts, when they are on sale. Then enjoy these foods all year long. Keep foods you use often on your shopping list and restock your pantry regularly.

EAT - Challenge yourself to use foods you already have at home. Meals using pantry staple foods come together quickly and taste great. Choose canned and frozen fruits and veggies if they are the best deal. Waste less food. Use only what you need and save the rest for another time.

 

 

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