Stock up on basics like canned broths, beans, corn, peas, mushrooms and soups. Especially have cream-based soups, including mushroom, chicken and broccoli. They are used in many great casseroles. Also, stock according to a list of family favorites, noting the ingredients it takes to make a favorite soup, casserole or other quick dish. These expand your menu repertoire further.
Canned goods bring convenience and creativity to the table.
Research also has shown they are equal or even more nutritious than their fresh or frozen counterparts when prepared for the table. Be sure to stock some of the newer trendy items, such as dried tomatoes. This culinary shortcut delivers rich, robust tomato flavor and adds a touch of pizzazz to everyday meals. These vine-ripened dried tomatoes were really hot on the restaurant scene a few years ago. Now, they are almost mainstream, available at nearly every supermarket and sold as dried halves or bits.