US Life Post

Have you ever wondered how our grandmothers managed to keep food on the table without going to the grocery store daily? They knew the importance of keeping these five items on hand.

[1] Flour
Flour is the beginning or end of many meals. It can be used for not only bread items but gravies, cakes, pies and a breading for our meats. There are many kinds of flour. The most common are enriched white, whole wheat, self rising or all purpose. Each have different uses and can be used in many recipes.

[2] Rice
Rice, like the before mentioned flour comes in many kinds. It’s also very versatile and can be used from breakfast to dinner desert. The brown rice is better with meats, while the white rice what I call a company rice. It likes to be mixed with company such as, soups, salads and casseroles. In my house we use it in our breakfast meals, lunch soups and in our evening deserts.

[3] Pasta
What house can be without pasta? None, when I’m in charge of the grocery shopping. I love pasta of all kinds. Just when I think I have tried all there is, I find a new one. You can boil a pound of pasta and have lunch for the next five days without having the same topping twice. It turns a simple soup into something spectacular, a salad into a meal and a tomato sauce into something divine. Choose your favorites and use them often.

[4] Spices
There are other ways to season food besides salt and pepper. My favorites that I always keep on hand are:

Cayenne pepper: Even a pinch can make a difference in your meal

Chili Powder: Try it on your baked potatoes, not just your chili.

Nutmeg: This one can go into deserts, soups and meat recipes.

Cinnamon: We all love the aroma but try it on your morning biscuits or in your favorite homemade salad dressing.

Garlic Powder: Not only does it taste great in your meat meals but it’s good for us.

Keeping these 7 spices on hand will keep your meals the talk of the neighborhood.

[5] Beans
Beans are a great source of protein and can stretch your food budget. Beans can be used in salads, make awesome dips, soups, stews and go great with rice.

When you have these items as staples in your home, there will always be a meal on the table.

Faylee