How to fill the pantry and freezer for many days

These days, when it is recommended to stay at home and go out only to do the necessary shopping, it is convenient take advantage of the trip and fill the pantry and freezer well with long shelf life products. But I am not referring to fried and ultra-processed potatoes, but to basic ingredients that will help you prepare healthy dishes even if you don’t leave home.

1. Fresh fruit and vegetables

It is what deteriorates the fastest, but there are some that last longer And they are the ones that should be bought now. With this list you can enjoy a couple of weeks of fresh vegetables and fruit.

apples: they last up to 2 months, the ideal is to store them in a cool place; yes we can, in the fridgeOranges: They keep up to 4 weeks in the fridge.Potatoes: they last up to 5 weeks, they need a dark and cool place (otherwise they germinate)Whole pumpkin (no cut pieces): lasts up to 3 monthsOnions: They last up to 2 months stored in a cool and dark place, separated from the potatoes.sweet potatoes: last up to 5 weeksbeets: We cut the green part and keep them in the fridge, they last a couple of weeksCabbage and collard greens: They keep up to 2 months in the fridge.Carrots: We cut the green part (which we can take advantage of at the moment to prepare a pesto, make broth or add to a smoothie, for example) and store them for up to 1 month in the fridgeLeeks: They keep up to 1 month in the fridge.Celery: up to 2 weeks in the fridgeLemons: last up to 1 monthGarlic: the essential of Mediterranean cuisine, it lasts up to 2 months in a cool and dark place.

2. Fill the freezer

In the freezer, the food lasts from 3 months to a year. We can freeze all kinds of ready-made food such as legumes and cooked cereals, stews, stews, vegetable burgers, broth, meatballs, muffins, energy bars…

However, at this time we stay at home more and it is most likely that we will have time to cook, and also the space in the freezer is usually limited, so it is recommended fill it with basic ingredients and cook fresh food daily.

Fresh bread: if we can buy fresh wholemeal sourdough bread, it is convenient to buy a few extra loaves and bars and freeze them. The bread freezes well and keeps for about 3 months. The ideal is freeze it already cut and thus we can remove only the necessary slices.Vegetable: Broccoli, pods, cauliflower, spinach, peas, kale, corn, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc. All these vegetables freeze well and it is a good idea to have a few bags in the freezer. we can buy already frozen or fresh and freeze them ourselves.

So that they last longer (8-10 months) and its texture, color and flavor are better maintained, we can scald before. In this case, all you need to do is cook the cleaned and chopped vegetables in water for 1-2 minutes, then transfer them to a bowl with ice cold water, dry them well and freeze them. Later we can add it to stews and stews, vegetable creams, soups, stews or saute it.

There are some vegetables that are better to freeze raw like, for example, the peppers and the onion, which we will cut before.

Also we can freeze tomatoes. However, when frozen they change their texture and cannot be enjoyed in salads, but they are suitable for preparing tomato sauce or adding to casseroles and casseroles. After taking them out of the freezer, we run them through hot water and peel them (the skin almost falls off) and prepare the sauce as usual. Another option is to cook the sauce ahead of time and freeze it.

Fruit: Fruit such as berries, mango, pineapple, cherries, peaches or nectarines can be found already frozen or frozen (raw and chopped).

In the freezer, its texture changes and it is not useful for us to eat as it is, but we can use to prepare compotes, jams, shakes or in pastries.

The bananas They have a special place in the freezer, since they are used for many preparations such as shakes or ice creams and, above all, we can use them to make pastries. We simply have to peel, cut and freeze bananas that are very ripe.

In smoothies, we add the frozen banana directly, but in pastries, such as banana bread or sponge cake, it is thawed first.

Herbs and Spices: To season our dishes we can freeze fresh herbs such as parsley, basil or coriander. It is best to freeze them in cubes to make ice with a little water. Also can we freeze ginger and, when using it, grate it directly on our plates.Tofu, tempeh: We can freeze vegetable proteins, although they usually last a few weeks in the fridge. In the case of tofu, the texture is a little different when frozen, since it dries out and is more rubbery, but the advantage is that it absorbs the mashes better afterwards. And we can prepare it baked, sautéed or grilled.

To freeze the tofu, First you have to dry it well. The ideal is to wrap it in kitchen towels, put a weight on top and leave it for about 15 minutes. Then we dry it, cut it (or leave it as is) and freeze it. We can also freeze silken tofu to prepare a delicious mayonnaise or cheesecake, for example.

He tempeh It freezes very well and we can put it in the freezer in its original container.

3. The basics for the pantry

Whole grain cereals and their derivatives: rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, rolled oats, couscous, bulgur, polenta, pasta and breadcrumbs. Cereals provide us with vitamins, minerals and fiber and last a long time. With them we can prepare all kinds of dishes such as salads, Buddha bowlsburgers, risottosporridge… and they should not be missing in our pantry.Whole wheat flours: Depending on our style of eating, it is convenient to have whole wheat flour, spelt, rice, chickpeas, buckwheat, oats, almonds on hand to prepare crepes, muffins, breads, pancakes, etc.Dried and canned legumes: all varieties of legumes are essential as a source of protein. Apart from having dried legumes to cook, it is also a good idea to get some jars of cooked legumes in case we don’t feel like cooking or are in a hurry.

Nuts and seeds: They are another indispensable in our healthy pantry. They provide us with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals (especially selenium and zinc, which are important for the immune system) and have endless uses in the kitchen. It is convenient to have a variety: almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, sesame, sunflower or pumpkin seeds; in addition to seeds rich in omega 3 such as chia, hemp or flax.

In the event that we have a craving for sweets or to prepare a dessert, we can have different dried fruits such as dates, raisins, figs, dried apricots…

Nut creams: tahini, peanut butter, almond, cashew, hazelnut… There is a wide variety and they are very helpful. We can add them to porridge breakfast or yogurt; They are also used to make vinaigrettes, creamy sauces, vegetable pates and cookies; or simply accompanied with fruit for a quick and healthy snack.

Another option is to crush a tablespoon of white almond, cashew or coconut butter cream with water to make a quick vegetable drink.

healthy sweeteners: coconut sugar; brown sugar; maple, coconut or date syrup; stevia; natural jams; etc Depending on our eating style, it is convenient to have some sweetener to prepare homemade dessertssince we are going to spend a lot of time at home and food, apart from nourishing us, also has an important role of comfort and pleasure.Long lasting bread: German bread, pita, mold, crackerspancakes, wholemeal sticks, bases pizza, wraps… This type of bread can last for weeks and Can you help us prepare a quick snack, breakfast or dinner?. It is not ideal to live based on them, but it is convenient to have some for the necessary moments.healthy sweets: staying at home can be psychologically a bit difficult and the ideal is to take it easy. We can have healthy sweets on hand such as dark chocolate, dried fruit, wholemeal cookies, energy bars… for some special moment.Seasonings: seasonings are essential to prepare a rich vegetable meal. The basics are tamari (or other soy sauce), mustard, misonutritional yeast and different spices such as pepper, curry, cumin, paprika, Provencal herbs, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric…Oil: without oil you cannot cook. The basic for all salty preparations, cold and hot, is the extra virgin olive oil. It can also be useful to extra virgin coconut oil for pastry dishes, stir-fries, exotic curry-type dishes and even for cosmetic use to moisturize the skin, make hair masks, etc.

Vinegar: It is another basic and indispensable in the kitchen. It is a good idea to have a few bottles of raw apple cider vinegar that we can use both for salads and to season dishes, but also as a digestive tonic. Other interesting vinegars are Modena, wine or coconut.Vegetable milks: The best thing, both for our planet and for our health, is to prepare them at home, but it is always a good idea to have some cartons ready. There is a lot of variety (almond, rice, oats, cashew, hemp, coconut…), so everyone can find the one they like best. We just have to look closely at the ingredients to make sure they do not contain added sugars.

We can also have vegetable cream in the pantry (almond, cashew, oatmeal or rice) to cook.

Coffee, tea and infusions: depending on our diet, it is convenient to have a few packets of coffee, cereal coffee or tea and also some infusions that can help us with digestion (chamomile, fennel, mint), stress and insomnia (lavender, passion flower) or simply to enjoy (rooibosfruit infusions…).Pastry ingredients: if we like to bake, we have children or we just want take advantage of this time to do experiments in the kitchenIt is convenient to have basic ingredients at home to prepare healthy homemade desserts. Apart from the flour, some sweetener and the oil that we have already mentioned, we may need baking powder or baking soda, cocoa or carob powder, vanilla, chips chocolate, cocoa butter…

If we are alone, it is most likely that we will have more time to cook than before. But if we have children, we can find ourselves in the situation that, since the children cannot go out, even though we are at home, we actually have less time because we are going to take care of the children, the house and, also, work.

That is why it is also convenient to have some Basic preserves to prepare quick dishes. The essentials are:

Crushed tomato to make tomato sauces, stews and casseroles. It is convenient to have several boats at home.Coconut milk canned with which we can make a curry in a few minutes or add to pastry dishes, vegetable creams…Several jars of pesto with “clean” ingredients to serve with pasta, but also to add to salads, baked vegetables or to season tofu. When buying pesto, the ideal is to check if it contains virgin olive oil…