Shelf Cooking Explained: How to cook with what’s in your pantry!

This month I’ll be focusing on answering your questions you’ve asked through social media.

A question I often get is regarding Shelf Cooking. And let’s be honest, “what’s for dinner is a question we all ask every day!” Shelf cooking will make your life easier!

What is shelf cooking? Shelf cooking is simply cooking with what is already on your “shelves.”  This something I became really proficient in during 2020. The shelves in the stores were bare and I had purchased ingredients that I typically don’t use, just to have food in our house. Then I had to figure out what to do with these items?

Here are a few ways you can utilize shelf cooking.

1. Follow a recipe.
   Type in the ingredients you have and see what recipes populate.
   A while back I had challenged myself to only shop for groceries once a week. It was Sunday afternoon and I needed to make some lunch. I typed in: Chicken, Butternut squash, and couscous. This delicious recipe populated: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/roasted-butternut-squash-broccoli-cheddar-chicken-couscous/

2. Don’t limit yourself. Make it work!
   Does the recipe call for half and half but you only have heavy cream? Does it call for raw chicken breast but you only have frozen rotisserie chicken? Make the recipe work!

3. Get creative!
   You have recipes you have loved for years. Don’t be afraid to try something new. I used to feel like I HAD to have a recipe to follow. But the reality is that I don’t really need one. I can get creative and mix up some of my favorite recipes to create something delicious.

4. Season, season, season!
   Even something that may seem plain is delicious when seasoned properly.

5. Keep it simple!
   Sometimes we can make meal time complicated. A meat and a side of pasta and a veggie or salad is a great and nutritious dinner! I keep some frozen vegetables on hand for those times when I haven’t gone to the store for fresh produce. Grill up some chicken or porkchops, boil any type of noodle and add a quick sauce, and steam a bag of broccoli and you have dinner!

Shelf cooking has become a way of life for me. Some weeks I will challenge myself to buy as little as possible and still cook at home all week. It’s fun to get creative and you never know what deliciousness you will achieve!