What foods are always in your shopping cart/ fridge/ pantry?

[ChrisJ]

Great list. I'd add fresh red chillis - vit C, great taste, add colour, etc. And garlic.

Feel free to ignore this bit if it's against the 'basics' spirit of the thread, but if I were nominating some essential flavourings/seasoning/spices, apart from salt and black pepper, I'd go for whole cumin seeds, a jar of 'lazy' ginger (keeps for quite a while in the 'fridge), a block of fresh coconut (ditto), lime juice, dried parsley, oregano, turmeric, coriander leaf and basil, a small tub of vegan 'parmesan' and a bottle of soy sauce.
Together with the other ingredients mentioned you're then able to produce a big range of 'styles' of food, even if you're not being completely authentic; S Asian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, N African, etc.

Of course I'm surprised no-one's mentioned olives yet...

[Man On Bike.]

Olives are a luxury IMO. Not really essential for everyday nutrition, but f--king lush nontheless.

[skinnydog]

Shouldn't olives be under protein? I thought they were a complete protein, or have I been wrong all these years?

I'd add Cider viniger. Very good stuff.

[passionforcompassion]

I'd add oats under grains! I use oats a lot.

maple syrup might not qualify as a staple, but it sure it handy to have around.


Edit: Never mind, oats are in the original post. I use them for a variety of things. (i.e. grinding into flour, putting into baked goods etc.)

[Fallen_Horse]

Shouldn't olives be under protein? I thought they were a complete protein, or have I been wrong all these years?

Actually olives have almost no protein.

[Man On Bike.]

I'd add oats under grains! I use oats a lot.

maple syrup might not qualify as a staple, but it sure it handy to have around.


Edit: Never mind, oats are in the original post. I use them for a variety of things. (i.e. grinding into flour, putting into baked goods etc.)

When I saw this I was thinking WTF, I eat porridge every morning, how could I have missed oats off the list FFS?!

[tempehmomma]

Dark leafy greens, Dark leafy greens, Dark leafy greens.

Collard greens

[Nepenthe]

Cocoa.


Granted, it's not technically "essential"...but it is for me!

=)

[skinnydog]

Shouldn't olives be under protein? I thought they were a complete protein, or have I been wrong all these years?

Actually olives have almost no protein.

NOOOOOO!!! I wish i'd never had asked. I'd rather live in ignorance than have one of my favorate foods become 'useless'

[Man On Bike.]

NOOOOOO!!! I wish i'd never had asked. I'd rather live in ignorance than have one of my favorate foods become 'useless'

they're not useless, they contain plenty of good fat

[skinnydog]

ok, that'll do me fine

[Dann]

Protein:

Lentils (green, red, yellow)
tinned Kidney beans (because dried beans take ages to prepare)
tinned Chick peas
Tofu*
Seitan*
Tempeh*
Nuts - peanuts, walnuts, cashews etc
Peanut butter
Various other tinned beans*: black beans, black eyed peas, gungo peas, butter beans, borlotti beans, white haricot beans

Tinned beans?

Rookie question. Does that mean canned?

[-laura-]

Protein:

Lentils (green, red, yellow)
tinned Kidney beans (because dried beans take ages to prepare)
tinned Chick peas
Tofu*
Seitan*
Tempeh*
Nuts - peanuts, walnuts, cashews etc
Peanut butter
Various other tinned beans*: black beans, black eyed peas, gungo peas, butter beans, borlotti beans, white haricot beans

Tinned beans?

Rookie question. Does that mean canned?

yup

[Dann]

Protein:

Lentils (green, red, yellow)
tinned Kidney beans (because dried beans take ages to prepare)
tinned Chick peas
Tofu*
Seitan*
Tempeh*
Nuts - peanuts, walnuts, cashews etc
Peanut butter
Various other tinned beans*: black beans, black eyed peas, gungo peas, butter beans, borlotti beans, white haricot beans

Tinned beans?

Rookie question. Does that mean canned?

yup

If ya don't know tinned beans mean canned beans.................................................................................................................................
You might be a Redneck.

Thanks Laura.

[Man On Bike.]

In the UK we say 'tins' rather than 'cans' for food, because, the steel cans are lined with... guess what... tin, due to its corrosion-resistant properties.

However, drinks cans are just called cans. Nevertheless, some people do refer to cans of beer as 'tins', despite the fact that they're made of aluminium.