How to build healthy meals in minutes using pantry and freezer staples

By Amy Deahl-Greenlaw, RDN, LDN, and Ashley Abell, MS, RDN, LDN

It's the end of a long day. You're tired. And your dinner isn't planned. A well-stocked pantry and freezer can help you put together a fast, delicious and nutritious meal in minutes, without relying on takeout or a last-minute grocery run.

Stocking your pantry with a variety of minimally processed staple goods allows you to quickly pull together balanced meals. As registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), we recommend these tips for how to stock a healthy pantry for fast weeknight meals.

Pantry staples for nutritious meals

Pantry staples are shelf-stable foods you store in your cupboard and freezer. Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh versions and last much longer, making them perfect staples to keep on hand.

Stock the following pantry staples to create a variety of easy meals by shopping your kitchen.

Vegetables

• Canned tomatoes
• Frozen veggies

Plant-based proteins

• Canned beans (low sodium)
• Dried lentils
• Nut butters like peanut, cashew or almond

Lean, meat-based proteins

• Frozen or canned fish (salmon, tuna, sardines)
• Frozen chicken
• Frozen turkey

Whole grains

You can get fiber and lasting energy from:

• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Oats
• Whole-wheat pasta

Nuts and seeds

To add texture, protein and healthy fats, use:

• Nuts like pistachios, walnuts, almonds, etc.
• Seeds like sunflower, chia, pumpkin, etc.

Flavor boosters

To add big flavor without extra salt or sugar, use:

• Low-sodium broths
• Healthy fats like olive and other vegetable oils (not coconut)
• Dried herbs
• Non-salt spices

With a well-stocked pantry and freezer, you're always ready to get a delicious, balanced, nourishing meal on the table fast.

Recipes for meals using pantry staples

These featured recipes show how a handful of shelf-stable and freezer staples can become a balanced meal with minimal prep.

Why we love these recipes:

• Loaded with healthy fats, fiber, protein and vitamins
• Delicious
• Easy to prepare!

Beanut burger recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons canola or avocado oil, divided
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
• 14.5 ounces canned black beans, drained, rinsed and roughly mashed with a fork
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 burger buns
• Burger toppings and condiments of your choice

Instructions:

• Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and gently cook until softened, around 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and cayenne, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the peanut butter and let it warm until it softens. Stir in the grated carrot and mashed black beans and mix well to combine.
• Remove from the heat and season to taste.
• When cool enough to handle, shape into 4 patties, pressing them together. (You can use some flour on your hands if the mixture is a little sticky.)
• Cook the burgers in the remaining 1½ Tbsp oil for around 5 minutes. Then turn them over carefully and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve on a bun with your choice of toppings and condiments.

Makes 4 servings. Recipe adapted from Costco Connection.

Three sisters soup recipe

Historical context: This soup originates from the Native American agricultural practice of planting corn, beans and squash together.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 15.25-ounce can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 15.25-ounce can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 rib of celery, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling)
• 5 fresh medium sage leaves OR 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Instructions:

• Pour the broth into a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Stir in the corn, beans, onion and celery. Boil, still over medium-high heat, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the pumpkin, sage and curry. Reduce the heat and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
• Serve in your favorite soup bowl or mug.

Makes 6 servings. Recipe adapted from the American Heart Association.

And as with all recipes, taste and season these two to your liking.

Related recipes from our RDNs

Heart healthy slow cooker recipes

Fall casseroles

Vegetarian soups

Next steps

Whether you're looking to gain confidence in the kitchen or refresh your weekly menu, Amy and Ashley offer free programs that support your wellness goals at the Main Line Health King of Prussia Teaching Kitchen and through eating webinars online:

• Join our healthy eating webinars
• Register for an in-person teaching kitchen class

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What about limiting processed foods?

The U.S. government's new Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize limiting highly processed foods by "avoid[ing] highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat [foods]... instead, prioritize nutrient-dense foods and home-prepared meals." But what does highly processed mean?

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, foods can be ranked from minimally to highly or ultra-processed:

• Minimally processed foods include fresh fruit, cut vegetables, roasted nuts prepped for convenience and foods that are processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness including canned tomatoes, tuna, frozen fruit or vegetables.
• Highly processed foods include sweetened breakfast cereals, soda, energy drinks, artificially flavored crackers, potato chips, chicken nuggets and hot dogs.

With these definitions, pantry staples and frozen foods are considered minimally processed. If you're craving a snack that's in the highly processed category, our RDNs recommend these simple snacks they eat to power their day to try instead.

Why not all fresh ingredients all the time?

As much as we love fresh ingredients right from the store or farmers market, these ingredients may not be at their peak all year long and often don't keep as long once you bring them home. Since many pantry staples are dried, canned or frozen, they have a longer shelf life while maintaining their nutrients (for example, canned tomatoes have certain nutrients that are more absorbable than when they are fresh). Stocking your home kitchen with pantry staples allows you to always have something healthy you can use in a pinch.

How can I prepare pantry staples safely?

When preparing a meal using pantry staples, follow these safety tips:

• Check for food recalls before you shop
• Review the expiration dates before you plan your meal
• Throw away the recalled or expired products you have at home
• Do not use cans that have been dented, are bulging or show signs of spoilage
• When using frozen foods, follow freezing and thawing safety guidelines
• Wash your hands before you prepare food