Healthy eating habits/Creating Quick and Easy Meals using Common Pantry Items

Benefits of proper food storage
It can help you:
 * Preserve food quality, including nutrients, mouth-feel and flavour;
 * Make the most of your dollar by preventing food spoilage; and
 * Prevent food borne illness caused by harmful bacteria.





General guidelines and tips
Pantry
 * Storage conditions should be dry, cool and dark
 * Always store foods in the coolest cabinets away from the oven, water heater, dishwasher or any hot pipes
 * Despite long shelf life and advertised special prices, buy only what you expect to use within the recommended storage times. Excess foods may become waste
 * To prevent deterioration of foods that are removed from their original packaging, store in appropriate metal, glass or plastic containers
 * Check the expiration date of foods. Always throw out damaged cans, without tasting the food first
 * Keep containers and can foods clean and free of dust
 * Treat storage areas for pests and clean the pantry periodically to remove food particles
 * Follow the "first in, first out" policy, meaning that you rotate items so that older items are used first

Refrigerator
 * Always store meats, poultry, eggs, fish and dairy products in the coldest section
 * Do not overload the refrigerator
 * Clean the refrigerator to remove spills and spoilt food
 * Store foods in airtight wraps or containers to prevent food from drying out and maintain quality
 * Avoid using containers and plastic bags not made for storage
 * Do not reuse plastic bags originally contaminated with raw meats, poultry or fish
 * When storing raw meats, wrap securely and place on a plate to prevent juices from dripping and contaminating other food
 * Always rotate frozen foods; use the oldest first for best flavour and quality
 * More refrigerator information, click here

Benefits of cooking your own meals & choosing healthier alternatives

 * Saves you money and time
 * You know exactly what is in your food
 * Consume less trans fat, saturated fat, salt and cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease
 * Maintain a healthy weight



Examples of meals and snacks (using the pantry list)
Meal ideas
 * Pasta Bolognese
 * Shepherd’s pie
 * Pizza bread
 * Tuna rice bake
 * Lentil soup (with pasta)

Snack ideas
 * Peanut butter sandwich
 * Omelet

Use the internet for recipe ideas
Type the words “Quick and easy meals using common pantry staples” in the search engine. Or visit www.recipematcher.com to find recipes by ingredients that you have at home.

Cook Once, eat all week
Prepare a large batch of your favorite/ chosen recipe (e.g. double/ triple the recipe). Refrigerate or freeze foods in covered shallow (less than 3 inch deep) containers. Label food storage container with the date so that foods can be used within a safe time frame.

Get creative
Make a second meal/ side dish using left overs by adding items you already have at home, and by doing so, stretch your dollar. For example, use leftover pasta Bolognese sauce to create shepherd’s pie or pizza bread; and use left over pasta to add a delicious body to soup.