10 Money Saving Pantry Staples

If you are looking for ways to trim your budget, these ten pantry staples are all items we can’t live without.

In most cases, many of these items can be picked up in bulk on Amazon, Vitacost or, at Costco (if you prefer shopping in store) – it’s so much cheaper to keep these items stocked in your pantry than to head out and buy fast food or eat out with the family.

In fact… for us, with a family of 7, it’s impossible to eat out for less than $30 – by making sure we have these TEN items in our pantry, there is always a meal possibility in mind.

It’s even easier when you have an Instant Pot – as most of these items cook in a fraction of the time (compared to using the stove or oven!)

Beans (Pinto, Navy, Northern, Chickpeas & Black):  Not only do these cook relatively quickly in the Instant Pot, they are great to have as a meal – combined with Lentils, or, with rice, or even in salads. You can use them to make vegetarian chili, or your own hummus.

Corn Flour:  This is great to have at home – use it to make cornbread, or even your own corn tortillas. Pick up the Organic Corn Flour on Amazon for a great price in bulk.

Organic Brown Rice:  Pick up a huge bag at Costco for just over $1 per pound, and use this as a compliment to your Lentil dishes, mixed with veggies for a fast, healthy dinner. The Instant Pot makes brown rice in just under 25 minutes with the push of a single button.

Lentils (Red, Green or Brown): Such a cheap pantry staple – and so versatile to use in salads, soups and other dishes. These cook in 15 minutes or less in the Instant Pot and are a great alternative to meat in terms of protein if you are looking to sustain a plant-based diet.

Coconut Milk:  A can of this can thicken soups, plus it’s great in rice or even in desserts. Buy the Organic Coconut Milk on Amazon for a great price and avoid making a trip to the store.

Flour (Organic Whole Wheat & Organic All Purpose Unbleached):  Use the flour to make tortillas, Naan Bread, regular bread, rolls, muffins & more.  Making sure you buy Organic flour is extremely important – even more, if you are buying white flour, always go for Unbleached.

Yeast:  We go through quite a bit of yeast but we make all of our own breads – one of the best places to buy yeast is Costco, they sell the Red Star for just under $5 for a huge bag. You can keep some in the freezer and some in the pantry.

Organic Steel Cut Oats:  These are great for breakfast ~ you can pick up relatively inexpensive on Amazon and they last for quite a while. Make Steel Cut Oats in your Instant Pot the night before to have breakfast ready for the kids the next morning, or make enough to last you a few days so you can just reheat each morning.

Quinoa:  This is a must for us ~ it’s great to have on hand for dinner and cooks in the Instant Pot in just one minute (compared to 20  minutes on the stove). Dress up with veggies or, nuts or serve as is.

Chicken Broth / Veggie Broth:  A must if you make as many soups as we do!  Pick up a pack of 6 Organic Chicken Broth for $12 at Costco and always have some on hand when you whip up dinner. You can use broth in broccoli soup, potato soup, celery soup, carrot soup & more – if you don’t make your own this is a great low-cost alternative.

With these items in our pantry, it’s relatively easy to whip up a meal at any time of the day – whether breakfast, lunch or dinner… by pairing them with fresh, organic produce.

What are your “must have” pantry staples? Do you keep any of these items? What would you add if you could add 5 additional items?