A well-stocked storecupboard can be your best stay-on-track friend. Read on for our list of must-have healthy ingredients – and six recipes to make the most of them!
The key to storecupboard success is having a combination of clever spice blends, vinegars and healthy grains that can be thrown together to make a meal.
We’ll assume you have the basics such as oils, stock cubes and condiments, so here’s the WW magazine team’s list of additional kitchen essentials.
Tinned tomatoes: No store cupboard is complete without some zero-hero tinned tomatoes. They provide a healthy base for hundreds of different dishes, including lots of tasty stews and soups.
Pre-cooked pulses: Cooking chickpeas, lentils and other pulses from scratch can be time-consuming, so the pre-cooked versions are lifesavers.
Grains: Wholewheat grains – such as freekeh, quinoa and buckwheat – are useful staples to have to hand. They can even be prepared in the microwave to save you time and effort.
Harissa: An aromatic spice paste made from roasted red peppers, chillies, garlic and spices, use this as a marinade or to add flavour to soups and stews.
Bold spices: A few punchy spices, such as smoked paprika (great in casseroles), or blends like ras el hanout (try it on roasted veggies) will make a huge difference to your cooking without adding any SmartPoints®.
Mustard: A great way to give flavour and heat to a sauce or salad dressing without adding too many SmartPoints. Stock up on varieties such as Dijon (sweeter), wholegrain (more acidic) and English.
Vinegar: Adding a splash of vinegar to your cooking is an easy way to balance out flavour, provide acidity and bring out the sweetness of a sauce. Try balsamic, red wine, white wine, cider, sherry and rice wine vinegars.
Now cook! The delicious recipes below are based on some of your store cupboard ingredients. Who knows – maybe they’ll become your go-to staples!
