My 21-Day Pantry Meal Plan

It's a great idea to have some meals on-hand that you can make in case of emergency or just in a last-minute hurry, and that's what this blog is dedicated to.  

I'm so excited to share something fantastic with you today!  

This blog began in March as a quest to find great recipes for meals that didn't require shopping trips for fresh ingredients--because in March (hello, COVID-19) it was pretty hard to get much of anything for a while.  (Remember the creepy feeling of the empty shelves in the grocery stores?  It took me 10 weeks to find yeast and another 8 to find it again!)  

Shortly after starting this blog sharing easy pantry-friendly (shelf-stable) recipes, I decided that my own pantry-friendly meal ideas could use an upgrade.  They could use a plan.  So I decided to put together a 21-Day Pantry Meal Plan based on these pantry-friendly recipes my family likes.  I'm really happy to have put it together this way because now I can store exactly what I'll need.  :)  

The meal plan includes recipes I've posted here at this blog plus a few non-recipe meals (like oatmeal for breakfast), and it's enough for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus dessert every 3 days, and will feed 4-6 people for 21 days.  Without any trips to the store!

And I'm going to share my 21-Day Pantry Meal Plan with you!  There's a printable document here with the meal plan which you can use along with all the recipes published here at the blog so far (with a few more coming in upcoming weeks).  Just click here and print.  

Feel free to make notes and adjust this meal plan to your own preferences, too.

I can't tell you how excited I am to have this cookbook--all the recipes from this blog in one place.  These can be go-to recipes in a pinch or in a big emergency.  My next step is to make a big shopping list, then make sure I have all the ingredients on hand.  I'll be set for a whole 21 days!

And stay tuned at the blog, too, for some good snack ideas coming up that can be added to your pantry-friendly meal plan.  These are foods that don't need to be cooked or even heated, so they are certainly good for snacks, but they're also great for a 72-hour emergency kit in case of power outages and such.

I'd love to know what recipes you've tried from the blog so far!  Comment below and tell me what you like.  

Then keep visiting!  I've got 5 more recipes to share in 2020 (wait until you see the elegant cookies coming in December), then in 2021, the recipes will be posted on the first Friday of each month, and will include more recipes, canned food rotation tips, and 8 recipes in a jar!  I love those!  They're SO handy (and they make great gifts, too!)  So keep on visiting Easy Pantry Recipes and find out why.  :)

See you next week!

Share and save this image on Pinterest. 
Check out the share buttons at the left for other social media, too!

Italian Quinoa

This Italian Quinoa is a great dish because it can be served hot or cold, vegetarian or with meat.  Best of all, it's pantry-friendly (shelf-stable), meaning the ingredients can be kept for months in your pantry, just waiting to be used.  I love pantry-friendly recipes like this because they are a great last-minute dish and they can be made even during an emergency.  The flavors in this one are fabulous.

ITALIAN QUINOA

PREP AND COOK TIME:  about 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. quinoa
• 1  3/4 c. water
• 1/4 c. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried spinach (available here and here)
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried sausage (optional; available here -- I use this all the time!  I love not having to cook sausage!)
• 1/4 c. dried onion (I prefer red onion by Litehouse, but regular dried minced onion is fine, too.)
• 1 can petite diced Italian tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 c. black olives, quartered
• a little Italian salad dressing to drizzle, optional

DIRECTIONS

Place quinoa, water, and lemon juice in a medium pan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove briefly from heat to stir in   garlic salt, oregano, parsley, spinach, sausage (optional), and onion.  Place back on the heat, lower heat to low, and cover the pan with a lid.  Cook 15 minutes on low.  Remove from heat and place in a serving bowl.  Stir in tomatoes and olives.  Drizzle with Italian dressing, if desired.  Serve hot or cold.  

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below, or the social media share links at the left.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Hooray!  This blog post was a featured favorite here:

Potato Parmesan Soup

I could eat potato soup about twelve different ways.  Actually, I think I do!   This recipe and the Pantry-Friendly Baked Potato Soup are only two of the many potato soups I love.

This potato soup has a great flavor, and I love what the parmesan brings to it.  With only 6 simple ingredients, it's really quick to put together, too.  You'll never guess where the main seasoning comes from in this soup.  You might even call it Potatoes & Gravy Soup!

POTATO PARMESAN SOUP

PREP AND COOK TIME:  about 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 c. instant potato flakes
• 1 c. powdered creamer
• 1 1-oz. package chicken gravy mix
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp. dried minced onion
• 8 cups boiling water

DIRECTIONS

Bring 8 cups of water to boil in a large soup pot.  As the water comes to a boil, whisk in the gravy mix and the creamer.  Whisk in potato flakes, parsley, onion, and parmesan cheese.  Bring to a boil, then let sit 5 minutes to thicken.  Serve hot.   

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Cracked Wheat Bread (breadmaker or oven)

Most bread recipes are pretty close to pantry-friendly already, and this one was no different.  (Yay!) This recipe uses cracked wheat (remember the health benefits of wheat?), and I really love the convenience of using a breadmaker!  (If you don't have a breadmaker, I'll include directions for oven-baking, too.) 

If you've cracked your own wheat for the "cracked wheat" part of this recipe, you may have a handful of uncracked wheat berries scattered throughout.  If you like breads with seeds and nuts, you'll like the crunchy bits of large, partially-cracked wheat berries in your bread.  If you don't, I suggest making sure you take out any uncracked or large pieces of wheat berries from the 1/2 c. cracked wheat this recipe calls for. 

This is a yummy bread, and I found I liked the texture with the few partially-cracked wheat berries!

CRACKED WHEAT BREAD (BREADMAKER)

PREP TIME:  5-10 minutes
COOK TIME:  about 3 hours, or whatever time is listed for your particular breadmaker for a 1-lb loaf (Note: My breadmaker only has 1.5-lb. and 2-lb. settings, so I used the 1.5-lb. one and it was just fine.)

INGREDIENTS

• 11 oz. water
• 1  1/2 tsp. salt
• 1  1/2 Tbsp. butter flavor Crisco (original recipe:  1  1/2 Tbsp. butter)
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2  1/4 c. white flour or bread flour
• 1  1/4 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. cracked wheat
• 2  1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

DIRECTIONS

Place ingredients in a bread machine and use the 1-lb. loaf setting (or 1.5-lb. if needed).  Alternatively:  mix ingredients well, knead for 2 minutes, and place dough in a greased loaf pan.  Let rise 1 hour, then bake at 400* for 35 minutes.  

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Easy Chicken and Rice Bake

I love the simplicity of this recipe!  You mix everything together in an 8x8 pan and put it in the oven.  There's no cooking or chopping since all the ingredients are pantry-friendly so they're all ready to go.  I feel like it's the crock pot version (dump, dump, dump, cook) of pantry-friendly recipes!  

The flavor is subtle but delicious.  My kids are big kids now, but I think this would make an easy little-kid-friendly dish.  Give it a try and see what you think!

EASY CHICKEN AND RICE BAKE

PREP TIME:  10 minutes
COOK TIME:  45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1  1/4 c. water
• 3/4 c. uncooked regular long-grain rice
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 Tbsp. freeze-dried green onions (I *love* these things!  I never buy fresh green onions any more.)
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried chopped chicken (I love this stuff, too!  It's pantry-friendly, yes, but I *love* not having to cook and chop chicken for recipes!  It tastes just like fresh, cooked chicken, too.  If needed, you can substitute this for a 12.5-oz. can of chicken breast chunks, but the flavor isn't the same.)

DIRECTIONS

In an 8x8 baking dish, stir together the soup and water until well-combined.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Stir before serving.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Hooray!  This blog post was a featured favorite here:

Quick Herbed Corn

I think canned corn is an easy pantry staple to have on hand any time, but I wanted to dress it up a bit so that it's more than, you know, just a can of corn.  I love how this turned out.  I combined a couple of recipes and made a couple of pantry-friendly changes to create:

QUICK HERBED CORN

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  3 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 Tbsp. butter powder (I like this brand; also available here and here.  If you prefer using butter flavor Crisco as your pantry-friendly butter substitute, omit the water and oil from this recipe.)
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 2 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. dill
• 1/4 c. parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together the butter powder, water, oil, parsley, and dill.  When well-combined, stir in the drained corn.  Microwave 3 minutes or until hot.  Stir in parmesan and serve.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Pantry-Friendly Roast Beef and Gravy over Potatoes

There is NO easier way to make potatoes and gravy with roast beef!  I'm not kidding.  You are going to love this.

This is a great recipe to make in a pinch, so let me tell you about my pinch.  The COVID-19 panic buying was in full swing when I was shopping for our Easter dinner meal.  I couldn't get butter, milk, eggs, flour, yeast, pasta, rice, and most meat.  So in order to pinch-hit what was supposed to be a meal for a special occasion, I fell back on this classic favorite.  Being pantry-friendly-minded, I already had the ingredients on hand.  And it was perfect.  

I was introduced to canned roast beef and gravy in a cookbook a few years ago.  (You can see what you're looking for at this amazon.com link, but don't look at the price.  Sheesh.  It's much more affordable at your local grocery store.)  This is cooked roast beef, canned, in gravy.  You can find it in the canned meat section of your grocery store near the tuna and deviled ham and canned chicken breast chunks.

If you aren't able to find it locally, I will give you a suggestion for a substitute at the end of the recipe.  (My go-to- grocery store stopped carrying it, so I have to go to a different store to find it.  I've tried both the original and the substitute.  I like the original better, but the substitute is fine, too.  Options are good!)

PANTRY-FRIENDLY ROAST BEEF AND GRAVY OVER POTATOES

PREP TIME:  10-15 minutes
COOK TIME:  included

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cans roast beef with gravy* (made by Hormel, Hereford, and Armour)
• 6 cups mashed potatoes, made from potato flakes according to package directions

DIRECTIONS

Pour the roast beef and gravy into a saucepan.  Heat through.  Serve over prepared mashed potatoes.

* For this recipe, you want roast beef with gravy, but also available is roast beef in beef broth.  These are not the same.  Roast beef with gravy is ready to eat, while the roast beef in beef broth is just the beef without sauce (similar to a can of tuna).  If you cannot find roast beef with gravy, you can substitute roast beef in beef broth this way:  Drain the cans of roast beef, discarding the liquid.  Make 3 packets of brown gravy, according to package directions.  Stir in the roast beef and heat through.  

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below. 

Hooray!  This post was a featured favorite here:

Tomato Bisque

I'm kind of a tomato soup snob.

I love tomato soup, but it has to be GOOD tomato soup.

This tomato soup recipe is my favorite one, in part because it's ridiculously simple and fast, but mostly because it's delicious.  It's even got some extra hidden vegetables in it, so that's a win-win in my book.  We *love* this soup at my house.

TOMATO BISQUE

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 64-oz. bottle of V-8 juice
• 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 c. powdered creamer (like in the coffee aisle) + 2 c. water (original recipe:  2 c. half-and-half)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk the powdered creamer and water together in a large soup pot.  Stir in juice, tomatoes, and basil.  Heat through to just boiling.  Serve.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Overnight Cracked Wheat Cereal with Mix-Ins

I've said it before, but I'm not much of a breakfast maker.  I like to just get up and eat without much preparation.  This overnight cracked wheat cereal is just the thing, especially on cold mornings when something hot just hits the spot.

If you missed my post about the health benefits of wheat, be sure to check it out there.  You can buy cracked wheat, but if you have whole wheat berries, you can crack the wheat yourself--just follow the easy directions there at the link.

You can go so many directions with the mix-ins for this recipe that you can find something for just about every taste.  The majority of the mix-ins are pantry-friendly, but you'll notice a few that aren't such as fresh fruit).  Any that aren't pantry-friendly can be substituted for those that are (such as canned or dried fruit).  Try your own ideas for mix-ins, too!

OVERNIGHT CRACKED WHEAT CEREAL WITH MIX-INS

pictured:  overnight cracked wheat with peach melba mix-ins

PREP TIME:  5 minutes
COOK TIME:  8-10 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 2 c. cracked wheat
• 6 c. water
• pinch of salt
• mix-ins of choice for individual servings (see below)

DIRECTIONS
Place cracked wheat and water in a crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

MIX-IN OPTIONS (for single servings of about 1 c.)

• any berry:  1-2 tsp. jam and 1/4 c. fresh or frozen berries
• apple cinnamon:  1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 c. applesauce
• cherry almond:  1 Tbsp. slivered almonds and 1/4 c. chopped fresh or dried cherries
• chocolate peanut butter:  2 tsp. cocoa, 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, and 3 tsp. sugar
• cranberry pecan:  1 Tbsp. whole berry cranberry sauce, 1 Tbsp. chopped pecans, 1 tsp. sugar
• German chocolate:  1 Tbsp. dried coconut, 1 Tbsp. chopped pecans, 2 tsp. cocoa, and 2 tsp. sugar
• peach melba:  2-3 tsp. raspberry jam and 1/4 c. chopped peaches

pictured:  overnight cracked wheat with cherry almond mix-ins

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Hooray!  This blog post was a featured favorite here:

Pickles-n-Cheese Macaroni Salad

This recipe came about when I was in a pinch.  I planned to make a macaroni salad to take to a potluck, but it seemed too boring, so I added some ingredients and took some out.  The result was this pickles-n-cheese macaroni salad, which I have been making ever since.  I was a little self-conscious about feeding my made-up salad to friends since I had messed with the recipe, so I was both surprised and relieved when a couple of people searched me out ("Who made this one?") to tell me, "It's so good!"

This yummy macaroni salad only needed one switch to make it pantry-friendly.  So it's always available in a pinch!

I really love this simple salad.  It's my summer go-to with anything from the grill.  

PICKLES-N-CHEESE MACARONI SALAD

PREP TIME:  about 30 minutes, not including cheese rehydration time of 2 hours)
COOK TIME:  included

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c. freeze dried cheddar cheese, rehydrated according to package directions; allow 2 hours (This is my favorite kind of freeze-dried cheese, hands down.)
• 16 oz. elbow macaroni
• about 25 dill pickle slices
• 1 1/4 c. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS

Rehydrate freeze-dried cheese according to package directions, about 2 hours.  In a large pot, cook macaroni in water according to package directions.  Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and salt in a large salad bowl.  Place pickle slices on a paper towel to drain as much as possible, then chop them finely.  Stir the chopped pickles and the rehydrated cheese into the creamy mixture.  When the macaroni is cooked, drain and rinse with cool water to cool it as much as possible.  Once cooled (but not dry), stir it into the creamy mixture.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Pantry-Friendly Corn Bread

This recipe is a simple, pantry-friendly take on corn bread, so that means you can make it any time without needing fresh ingredients.  Handy in a pinch, right?

PANTRY-FRIENDLY CORN BREAD

PREP TIME:  15 minutes
COOK TIME:  20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 c. corn meal
• 1  1/4 c. milk (either shelf-stable or reconstituted from powdered or evaporated; see options here)
• 1  1/2 c. flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 egg equivalent, reconstituted (I like the dehydrated kind here, but you can see other options here)
• 1/4 c. oil

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, mix the corn meal, milk, egg, and oil.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until combined.  Bake in an 8x8 pan sprayed with cooking spray at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  (Alternatively:  makes 31 mini muffins cooked for 15 minutes.)

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

This soup has been a family favorite for years!  So much so that I was a little nervous about making the changes required to make it a pantry-friendly soup.  I left out one of the main ingredients because I don't like the taste of the dried version (carrots), and I was using freeze-dried cauliflower for the first time ever.

But I was nervous for nothing.  I couldn't believe how well this turned out.  So in a pinch, without fresh ingredients, I still can make one of our favorite comfort foods.

And, yes, of course, you can substitute all fresh ingredients instead, if you prefer!

CHEESY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

PREP TIME:  35 minutes
COOK TIME:  15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 c. freeze-dried cauliflower (I used this brand; when I make it with fresh ingredients I use a 16-oz. bag of frozen cauliflower because it's so convenient!)
• 4 c. very hot water
• 2 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 4 Tbsp. butter powder (I used this brand; also available here and here; or just use regular butter)
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1/4 c. flour
• 3  1/2 c. milk (either reconstituted from dried or evaporated, or shelf-stable milk; see options here)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1  1/2 c. freeze-dried cheddar cheese (I like this brand the best)

DIRECTIONS

Put cauliflower, 4 c. very hot water, and chicken bouillon in a bowl with a lid.  Let sit 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After 20 minutes, turn the stove heat to medium-high while combining in a large soup pot the butter powder, 3 Tbsp. water, oil, and flour.  Whisk together until the mixture becomes a thick paste.  Slowly whisk in milk and salt.  Whisk mixture occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom until it comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes while stirring.  Reduce heat to medium.  Stir in cheese, boiling and stirring for 3 minutes.  Do not drain the cauliflower; pour the cauliflower and water into the pot.  Cover and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

To print this recipe, hit the "print" button below.  If you don't see the print button, scroll back up and click on the title of this blog post, then scroll back down and you'll find the button below.

Hooray!  This post was a featured favorite here: