A brilliant Facebook page showcasing the food tips every household should know during the coronavirus outbreak has taken the internet by storm, as many rush out to get their hands on the ‘essentials’ we should all have in our pantries.
The founder of Apocalyptic Cooking Sarah Beth, from the US, aims to show that you can ‘stretch your dollars’ during these tough times, and it is possible to eat healthily and well on a stringent budget.
‘Learning to cook on a tight AF [sic] budget has been a lifes kill that I didn’t realise I had quite acquired until now, and I want to share some of my tricks with you,’ Sarah posted recently.
So what are Sarah’s top tips and the six foods you should have handy?
A brilliant Facebook page showcasing the food tips every household should know during the coronavirus outbreak has taken the internet by storm (pictured)
The founder of Apocalyptic Cooking Sarah Beth, from the US, aims to show that you can ‘stretch your dollars’ during these tough times, and it is possible to eat healthily and well on a stringent budget (pictured)
1. Potatoes are your new best friend
The humble potato has always been a staple vegetable, and never more so than during difficult times.
Sarah said it should be an absolute essential in your pantry throughout the coronavirus crisis.
‘Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew,’ she said.
‘Don’t like the skins? Peel them off, save them, fry them later or use them for stock.’
Sarah also said potatoes are useful because they ‘keep forever’ when stored in a cool, dark place, they are cheap and add ‘something to almost everything’.
She recommends always keeping items like onions and pasta around, which help to make delicious, budget meals (pictured)
2. Always have peanut butter in the house
Sarah’s second budget food tip is that you should always have peanut butter in the house – as it can be used in breakfast, lunch and dinner.
‘Add to your oatmeal for extra protein, add to your stir fry or make a peanut sauce for veggies and add calories and protein to fruit treats,’ she said.
It also works wonders in sauces and is a good nutrient-dense snack to have on hand.
Mustard, while slightly more expensive, makes for a great sauce and vinaigrette, while eggs are always good to have on hand and not just for breakfast (pictured)
3. Invest in onions
Like potatoes, onions elevate any dish and go a long way to adding flavour.
Again, Sarah said you can use them in almost anything, and then save the skins for stock and sauces later on.
‘They are easy to grow, so you can start your own vegetable garden,’ Sarah said.
4. Get your hands on pasta
If you can still find some, Sarah said dried pasta is the cheapest meal you can make.
You can also use the leftover pasta water to make a sauce by combining it with butter, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Lastly, you should always add herbs, as they are not only cheap, but also help a variety of dishes (pictured)
5. Use eggs all the time and add mustard
The foodie said you should definitely be adding eggs to your quarantine diet.
Sarah said you shouldn’t just eat them for breakfast, but for ramen, over rice and potatoes and with toast, too.
She also said while a bit more pricey, mustard is another great buy – and it can elevate eggs and potatoes quickly.
6. Always add herbs
Lastly, you should always add herbs, as they are not only cheap, but also help a variety of dishes.
Sarah recommends you store your herbs in a glass of water in the fridge to make them last longer – and make sure you change the water every few days.