As winter rolls in, bringing with it cold wind and rain, our cravings move away from light and zingy meals and more towards comforting, hearty dishes. It’s also the perfect time to stock up winter pantry staples to help ease the dark, breakfast and dinner time rush, add serious flavour, and help keep within budget – staying away from the (allbeit ultra convenient) fast foods and takeaways.
Use our guide to keep your budget on track, your tummies satisfied, and your pantry stocked for winter cooking.
The 5 best pantry staples to stock for winter cooking
1. Oils
Stocking a variety of oils (not all of them, just 2 or 3) will mean your pantry has a wider range of oils for cooking. Instead of stocking just olive oil (which has a limit to what it can coat, dress and fry), stock oils with different tastes (fruity, nutty and neutral) and heating limits (low, medium and high) – so when you’re in the mood for some deep-fried fitters, stew or curry, you have the right foundations to make them.
- Fruity oils, like extra-virgin and virgin olive oil, are great for finishing a stew and a warm salad, but will lose their flavour when used at medium to high heat.
- Nutty oils, like sesame seed or peanut oil, add depth, umami and warmth to a dish – making them essential to use for warming, cosy winter meals.
- Neutral oils, like sunflower and canola oil, are needed for deep-frying, sauteeing aromatics, as a base for curries and stews
2. Stocks
If you like rustling up quick meals or need to keep to a strict budget, using stock pots/powders/concentrates is a great way to achieve this. They also help add depth, seasoning, umami flavouring and variety to any dish. Alternatively, you can always prepare one or two large pots of homemade stocks and freeze them into cubes for ease of use. Since there is an abundance and variety of stocks, it would be maddening to have to keep track of what you’re keeping in your pantry. I suggest having two stocks in your pantry at all times.
- Chicken stock: a stock that works for chicken, pork, vegetable and even seafood dishes, chicken stock is a cheat stock that every chef uses as a worthy and budget-friendly cheat
- Beef stock: rich and packed with umami, beef stock works very well with red meats and as a base for dishes that pack a punch (like stews, potjies and some curries)
- Vegetable stock: when vegetarian or vegan dishes are being made, vegetable stock is perfect for adding flavour and depth, without a hint of animal products – a bonus is that it also works with everything from red meats to seafood and anything in-between
3. Canned goods
The winter pantry staple that is versatile and budget-friendly is canned goods. They help save time prepping and cooking, add a punch of flavour and may even reduce cooking times. Use your food preferences to help you stock preferred items, but here is a list you can’t go wrong with:
- Beans (red, white, kidney, black, even a mix): perfect for the base of soups, stews, curries, and not only add a whole lot of nutrients but also act as natural thickeners
- Tomato & onion (with or without extra flavourings): perfect for getting a head start on cosy pasta sauces, stews and curries
- Creamed corn and other veggies: canned veggies help bridge the gap that winter makes when it comes to veggie supplies – it might taste slightly different, but it’s better than being without
- Canned sides, like beets and chakalaka: easily add variety or a needed zing to lunch or dinner with canned sides
4. Grains & pasta
Grains and pasta make for easy lunches and hearty dinners. Keep a few of your favourites (or venture out by trying new ones) stocked up:
- Rice
- Sorghum/millet
- Quinoa
- Millie pap and rolled/instant oats
- Pasta noodles like spaghetti, fettuccini, and alfredo
- Pasta shapes like farfalle, penne and orzo
- Dried gnocchi
- Asian noodles like Japanese udon and buckwheat, or rice noodles and Chinese egg noodles
5. Condiments
Condiments can help add that extra something, umami, acid, or spice to any dish. Keep 4 or 5 of your favourites stocked up to help you make breakfast, lunch or dinner in a jiffy.
- Vinegars (like balsamic, mirin, or white)
- Soy sauce
- Fish sauce
- Worcestershire, HP or Maggi
- Fermented pastes like miso, gochujang or doenjang
- Fish pastes (like anchovy paste)
- Tomato paste
- Curry/stew blocks
