Okay, I’m trying something new this week for The Good List, and you can tell me if you like it or not!
Instead of my usual random assortment of favorites, I’m taking things into the kitchen with 5 staples I try to always keep on hand for those “there’s nothing to eat” meals. You know, when the fridge looks empty, no one planned dinner, and somehow people still expect to be fed??
And in keeping with The Good List, I’ve linked some of my favorite brands or varieties of each. Let me know what you think about this kind of list- if you like this, I can sprinkle in more lists like this if it's helpful!
xo,
Sara
On Our Table This Week
Here's a few things that we ate at our house this week if you need some ideas!
Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole - my fam loves this one and I love that I can prep it a few hours before dinner and heat it up when we're ready!
This is maybe the biggest hurdle for people. If there's no meat/protein to plan dinner around, it's sometimes harder to figure it out. (Of course that's NOT to say that every meal needs meat!) I always have pre-cooked proteins at the ready. Some of my go-to's: Kielbasa Sausage, Costco's pulled pork, breaded chicken patties and nuggets, rotisserie chicken I've portioned and bagged, sous vide sliced sirloin (also from costco) and frozen breakfast sausage patties just to name a few.
A good marinara sauce (I love Rao's) is for more than just pasta. I love making chicken parm, a meatball sub, or pizza grilled cheese. With a brand like Rao's who's only ingredients are: Tomatoes, olive oil, onion, salt, garlic, basil, pepper, and oregano, it works great as a shortcut base for soups and stews as well. I'll even add broth and a swig of cream for an amazing 2 minute bisque!
Canned beans can transform so quickly into something so delicious and filling. (Try these White Beans with Rosemary!) In addition to being the star of the show, they're also great for stretching things like ground beef to go even further and making a bare-bones soup or stew feel super hearty. If you've got some kielbasa like I mentioned above, this Skillet Meal is one of my favorite quick and easy dinners.
Quesadillas, breakfast tacos, wraps, quick pizzas, leftover-meat tacos. Seems so basic but especially useful when you have random bits of cheese/meat/vegetables to use. You can put anything in a tortilla! One of my favorite "we've got nothing for dinner" dinners is this Easy Tortilla Egg Bake.
Yes, ramen noodles, but there are so many great varieties available these days! I love keeping a few packages in the pantry for a super quick meal. We’ll zhuzh them up with whatever we have around, like random veggies, leftover meat, a poached egg, green onions, or a drizzle of chili crisp. It’s one of the easiest ways to turn practically nothing into an actual meal.
Some product links may be affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them. That said, nothing on The Good List is ever sponsored or part of a brand partnership - these are all things I buy myself and love enough to share with my friends (that’s you!)
Sara Wells
Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite Recipes, Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Cooking, The Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.
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