Easy Kitchen Pantry Staples To Make At Home

Do you ever find yourself buying the same few items every time you’re in a grocery store? For me, it’s always a tub of hummus, some extra oat milk and some cheese, because those are the groceries that we consume the fastest. 

Having access to your favorite snacks, spreads and treats is even better when you figure out how to make them yourself. Not only does cooking at home mean that you’re cutting down on packaging and waste, but you also have more control over the ingredients and nutrients that go into your body. Plus, a lot of these kitchen and pantry staples are pretty simple to make at home, and then you get the extra satisfaction of enjoying your handiwork!

Here are a few easy kitchen staples that you can make at home. You may find that you already have everything you need to make these easy recipes, so have fun!

Easy kitchen staples to make at home

Kombucha

These fizzy bottles of paradise can get pretty pricey when consuming them often. However, making kombucha at home is a super easy process that requires just a little bit of TLC. 

Kombucha is made by fermenting black tea with a bit of sugar and an activated yeast culture called a SCOBY. All you need to get started is some black tea, a large glass jar, some sugar and a SCOBY (which you can easily buy online). 

Check out our super-handy article on how you can make kombucha at home!

Marinara sauce

For all the pizza and pasta lovers out there, your dishes should never be limited by the availability of your marinara sauce. Making your own marinara sauce means you can create any flavor you’d like, from creamy garlic and herb to veggie-loaded goodness. 

The main base for any homemade marinara sauce is canned tomatoes and olive oil, both of which are easy to stock in your pantry en masse. Here is an easy recipe for homemade marinara sauce that you can adjust to make your own!

Salad dressing

Freshly made salad dressing can turn any simple salad or veggie platter into a burst of flavor. 

Common salad dressing bases include mustard, honey, olive oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, and yogurt, just to name a few. Adding fresh herbs and spices to the liquid bases extracts more flavor than using dried herbs, so keep that in mind as you make your dressings. Play around with the flavors, textures and thicknesses of your dressings to find a combination that you really love. 

Because they are made with fresh ingredients, these salad dressings won’t last quite as long as the store-bought ones will. Make sure to store your dressings in an airtight jar or bottle in the fridge so you can get the most out of your delicious homemade dressings!

Try these easy homemade dressings next time you make a salad, and you might be surprised with how much more flavorful they can be compared to plain ol’ store bought dressings.

Crackers

Baking your own crackers is something that’s easy for everyone, whether you’ve got a knack for baking or haven’t baked a day in your life. Not only can you customize the flavors and quantities, but you can control the ingredients that you use to make them. This is a great way to substitute healthier crackers without breaking the bank. 

Making crackers is as easy as 1-2-3, seriously. Just make a dough, roll it out, cut it into small squares, then bake until ready! Boom! You can customize the crackers with seeds, cheese and herbs as you like, making these perfect for both parties and stay-at-home snacks.

Here’s a great recipe for homemade crackers that takes less than 30 minutes to make!

Bread

Okay, yes, baking bread can be an extremely complicated process that involves multiple rising times, precise kneading and exact ingredient measurements. While that is certainly true, there are also a few extremely simple techniques for making your own homemade bread. 

One of the easiest methods for making homemade bread is to use the no-knead method popularized by New York City baker Jim Lahey. With this method, all you need to do is combine the ingredients in a bowl, let it rest overnight and then bake it the next day. Easy peasy! In fact, as I write this article, I’ve got a loaf of this bread in the oven, and it smells absolutely divine. 

Chai tea latte mix

Buying a chai tea latte from a coffee shop or grocery store can sometimes get a little pricey. However, once you learn to make your own chai tea latte mix, you’ll never want to pay $5 for a chai tea ever again! 

What gives chai tea that warm, cozy, spicy flavor, you ask? Well, the essence of chai tea is a mixture of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and sugar. This easy chai tea latte mix recipe shows you exactly how much of each spice to create that perfect combination of chai.

Keep a jar of this mix within easy reach so that you can satisfy that chai tea craving whenever you want. Mmmmmmmm… yum!

While you may not make, use or like every single one of these easy kitchen staples, hopefully you leave knowing that it’s possible to make your own favorite foods, spreads and snacks right at home! It can be fun, affordable and extremely satisfying! 

Enjoy!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/fancycrave1