18 On-hand Vegetarian Essentials

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The myriad of salads and stir-fry combos available are endless!

So, why don’t I eat more veggies?

If you’re like me you would love to eat more veggies, but it takes so long to prep them! Washing and chopping, not having all of the ingredients I need, etc!

There are few things more frustrating than being half way through cooking a delicious meal, only to find an essential ingredient missing!

Run out of garlic? Only have half a serving of rice? Missing that essential egg or carrot?

While it is never a good idea to overstock on perishables, since that leads to waste, it is a good idea to stock up on staples that we use regularly. This also helps us save money as we can take advantage of bulk discounts or buy products when they are on sale.

As a vegetarian cook, what are the things that every vegetarian should always have on hand in the kitchen?

Read on to see the top 18 must-have cupboard reserves!

18 On-hand Vegetarian Essentials

There are few things more frustrating than finding out that a few essential ingredients are missing from the cupboard when half way through cooking a meal. While it is never a good idea to overstock on perishable foods, since this leads to food waste, there are a few staples, long life foods that are always useful to have on hand.

This list of 18 essentials are what any vegetarian cook should always have in our cupboard. Not only are they called for in many recipes, they are useful substitutes when we find that we are missing something else.

  1. Rice

Rice goes well with almost everything and is an expensive way to ensure that our meal has sufficient carbohydrates and calories to keep us feeling full and energized. There are so many different types of rice out there that there is something for everyone’s taste. It is long life, so can be stored it for a while, and bought in bulk when discounts come up.

  1. Oats

As well as making a great winter breakfast, they can be added to other dishes to bulk them out and give them texture. I like to add oats to some of my chili recipes to make them a bit more robust. They are also a great source of protein for vegetarians, with 13 grams of protein per 100 grams.

  1. Dry or Canned Beans

Beans are another great source of protein for vegetarians, with 22 grams of protein per 100 grams. Bought dried or canned, they have a long life and can be added to casseroles, chilis, curries and other dishes.

  1. Potatoes

If potatoes are stored correctly, they should have a relatively long life of around three months. Never store potatoes in bowls on counters or in the refrigerator, this will cut their life span significantly. Store them in a brown paper bag and in a cool, dark place. Again, potatoes are great for thickening up other dishes, and who does not love a baked potato or some sneaky homemade potato chips!

  1. Carrots

Like potatoes, carrots can have a long shelf life is stored correctly in a dry cool place. Carrots can be added to soups, casseroles, curries and stews, and grated carrot is great in any salad or as an extra garnish of flavor for cooked meals.

  1. Frozen Fruit

Frozen fruit can be just as high quality as fresh fruit, as it is usually frozen within minutes of picking, locking in flavor and nutrients. Frozen fruits are great in smoothies and as part of healthy desserts.

  1. Frozen Veggies

Like frozen fruit, frozen veggies are generally as healthy as their fresh counterparts as they are frozen quickly after being harvested. When it comes to salads, we all probably prefer our veggies fresh, but frozen veg can be added to casseroles, soups and stir fries.

  1. Seasonings

If we bought every spice and seasoning listed in every new recipe that we picked up, we would not have room for anything else in the kitchen!

And a lot of them we do not use regularly, and we find that they are out of date when we need them again an astonishing three years later.