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The Flexible Pantry

By: This content is provided by Pillsbury. Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2005-01-31 09:04:18

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This content is provided by Pillsbury.

Even though their kids may no longer be living at home, many consumers say they don't have an "empty nest" they have a "revolving door," because their family and friends often come for meals on short notice. They love having their family join them for dinner, so they keep their pantry, refrigerator and freezer stocked with foods that allow them to easily add more servings to a meal. The Flexible Pantry provides tips on foods to keep on hand for spur-of-the-moment meal time guests.)

Your household may be smaller, but the family keeps growing — in-laws, grandchildren, nieces, nephews. You never know when they will drop in at meal time! Be prepared!

• Bags of frozen vegetables offer lots of flexibility. Just pour out the amount you need to cook. The new frozen vegetables with chips of cheese or butter sauce are especially nice. Again, you just pour out the amount you need. Great if one box of boil-in-bag vegetables with cheese sauce is not enough, and 2 is too much.
• Quick-cooking grains and pastas, like rice, brown rice or couscous, allow you to have dinner on the table in minutes, and you just cook the amount you need.
• If grandkids or other children visit often, keep the variety packs of breakfast cereal on hand. They'll enjoy some of the kid-oriented cereals, while you'll get to enjoy the variety of more adult-style cereals that are included, too.
• If you like oatmeal occasionally, but not every morning, keep individual packets of flavored oatmeal on hand. You can cook 1 serving or many, and the rest will stay fresh.
• If large bags of chips, pretzels and other snacks get stale before they are gone, purchase a variety pack of individual bags of snacks that are used for lunch bags. Each one is a single serving.
• If you don't use fresh eggs often enough to warrant keeping them on hand, but want to have them in case you have company, purchase containers of frozen egg substitute. They thaw quickly in the microwave and are fresh and ready to use in most egg dishes.
• Keep a variety of seasoning mixes on hand to add variety to meals. Cajun, Greek and jerk are just a few that are available. Hamburgers, pork chops and chicken can be seasoned individually — plain for the grandkids and jazzed up for the adults. If you don't use the seasonings in a reasonable length of time, freeze them to preserve freshness. They can be used right from the freezer.
• Pick up a bag of frozen biscuits and dinner rolls from the store and keep a supply in the freezer. You can bake 1, 2, 4 or the whole package, depending on how many are coming for dinner.

For more great tips on Cooking for Two, including how to "Explore the Store" and as well as "Downsize Your Kitchen" and prepare "Two for One Meals", visit Pillsbury.