Introduction
Since the global lockdown, a lot of us have been trying out cooking while cooped up in our homes. According to Mark Roemer, cooking your own food doesn’t just allow you to make healthier meals, but it can also be a relaxing experience on its own. However, if you are just starting out, you may be confused about the staples that should be stocked in your kitchen.
The Items
Here are a few essential kitchen staples you need for your home:
- Frozen Vegetables – Since fresh produce is going out of stock in most grocery stores, this staple becomes an even greater priority during the pandemic. Even after the world recovers from COVID-19, frozen veggies would always help you out in a pinch. Stock up on a good variety of frozen veggies so that you can improvise your meals when you run out of seasonal or fresh produce.
- Vinegar and Citrus – Drizzle these staples in small quantities and you can add a punch to your dish. Vinegar and cooking acids like apple cider or lemon juice should have a permanent place in your fridge. You can keep them in your fridge for months and use them with liberty. With these staples, you will always be covered for salad dressings and don’t have to increase your calorie intake drastically by buying store-bought dressings. If you are worried about the scent of regular vinegar, you can always opt for sweet balsamic or rice vinegar.
- Oil – You probably knew about the importance of this staple since it is used everywhere from baking and cooking to dressings. Keep your kitchen stocked up with a generous quantity of extra virgin olive oil or at least unrefined olive oil of high quality. Other than direct use for cooking, you can also use it for dips and healthy flavorful salad dressings. If olive oil isn’t your thing or seems out of budget, you can always replace it with healthy options like safflower, coconut, or flaxseed oil. You can also stock up on different types of oil so that you can play around with their varying flavor and smoke point.
- Whole Grains – Meal preps are incomplete without whole grains. Whole grains aren’t just simple to cook but can be made in large batches for future meals. They are also highly nutrient-rich and are full of protein and healthy fibers. Make sure that your kitchen has a good quantity of oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, and more such whole grains.
- Spices and Herbs – They play a major role in adding flavor to food and have a long shelf life. Make sure to cover the basics and include dill, oregano, thyme, chili flakes, smoked paprika, and a few unique spices like turmeric and Maldon sea salt. Don’t forget about garlic either and try to steer clear from pre-chopped garlic.
Conclusion
Mark Roemer believes that you should also make some veggie and chicken broth and stock to add more flavor to your sauces, breakfast with whole grains, and other dishes. You can never have enough of these items.