There are multiple reasons why you may find yourself needing to stay home for some time (more than a couple of days). New baby, recovering from surgery, taking care of someone who is ill, you may be ill; no matter the reason here are some tips and resources that will help you keep your sanity through the coming weeks or months ahead.
Stocking the Pantry
Did you know that cans provide year-round access to seasonal fruits and vegetables and keep food fresh and flavorful without the need for preservatives or additives? (Read more here from Cans Get You Cooking). Some canned vegetables such as canned tomatoes are actually the better choice nutritionally. You can read more about this on the Tomato Wellness page here. When it comes to stocking up, choose things like canned fruits and vegetables, canned tomatoes, dried rice and beans, dry pasta, frozen vegetables and fruits, meat that you can freeze, this article from the Food Network is a great resource for what to choose when stocking the pantry. Why canned food? They are safe, nutritious, environmentally friendly and affordable. The food you eat is just as fresh as the day in went in the can. Here at Tuttorosso we use a Non-BPA lined can to protect the fresh tomato flavor that comes from our tomatoes that are picked ripe from the vine. Did you know that the high heat canning process is one of the safest when it comes to preserving food because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause foodborne illnesses. For even more can facts and more, visit this site.
If you are unable to get out or need to stay home, you can use online resources like Instacart to order groceries for delivery, or check to see if your local retailer offers online ordering for curbside pickup and search for Tuttorosso products to get the best quality canned tomatoes.
Cooking with Pantry Staples
You stocked up on canned tomatoes and other pantry staples, what can you make with them? Some of our favorite recipes use pantry items like canned beans, canned vegetables, rice or canned meat. Find them on our Pinterest page here. You can make things like soup, pasta dishes, chili and side dishes using canned items.
Ingredient Substitutions
Even though many of our recipes call for fresh herbs, you can easily substitute and use dried instead. A quick Google search will help you with conversions from fresh to dried. And speaking of substitutes, here you can find all types of ingredient substitutions when you don't have a basic ingredient needed for a recipe. Speaking of your pantry, when was the last time you threw away out-of-date items? Visit our blog for tips for Decluttering Your Pantry.
Be flexible with your cooking. If you have a recipe that includes items you have on hand, but you don't have shrimp or ground beef in the freezer, feel free to leave it out. It will still be a delicious dish of pasta or bowl of soup without it.
Meal Prep and Cooking for Leftovers
Try doing a little meal prep one day a week to have easy-to-grab breakfast like making our Greek Frittata with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Feta into muffins. Instead of a frittata where the vegetables are sauteed, we chop them up and mix them with the eggs and whatever cheese we have; (e.g. cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan or Reta) and pour the mixture into the cups of a muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until the center comes out clean when checked with a toothpick. They can be easily reheated in the microwave during the week. We are loving our Tuscan Herb Petite Diced Tomatoes for maximum flavor but feel free to use regular Diced or Diced with Basil, Garlic & Oregano - whatever flavor you have on hand. A little additional cooking on one day can save you from cooking every day.
Make recipes for leftovers or to freeze for later such as Lasagna or Baked Ziti. You can make a whole pan so you have leftovers or make half for dinner and put the other half in an aluminum pan to freeze so you have meals ready to go in the freezer. Find more recipes that provide plenty of leftovers here.
Check out this Ultimate Guide for freezing food from TasteofHome.com. When we make big pots of soups and chili or our Italian Beef Sandwiches, we freeze leftovers that can easily be warmed up at a later time. It's like a surprise dinner when you don't want to cook! Pro tip - be sure to label everything; what is in the container, the date it was made and the date to eat it by. No mystery meat or meals in the freezer!
Scroll down to see recipes that can be made from pantry staples, meals with minimal cooking, multi-use recipes, restaurant favorites and more!