Snowed in? Don't worry. You can make tasty dishes with store-cupboard foods like tinned tuna and baked beans, plus long-life items like carrots, eggs and frozen veg. Bread, milk and cheese can all be frozen too.
If the snow is falling and you’re starting to panic about what you have in your cupboard it’s time to pop to the shops and stock up on these all important foods.
From mince to chopped tomatoes, we’ve rounded up 20 must-have foods to stock up on in the snow.
Tins or packets of food will become your new best friend when it comes to snow days.
From oats to sweetcorn, from peas to eggs, click through to see the most important foods on your shopping list when the snow is falling outside…
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Canned tuna
Canned tuna is so versatile. Use it in sandwiches or jacket potatoes or make these warming dishes below. Hot or cold, tuna is the perfect filling food that the whole family can enjoy when its cold outside.
Recipes to try using canned tuna:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Baked beans
Beans on toast is great in emergencies but if you want something more filling and warming too try adding them to casseroles, serving with jacket potatoes or adding them to your favourite chilli recipe to bulk it up.
Recipes to try using baked beans:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Tinned tomatoes
Chopped or tinned tomatoes are ideal for stocking up on in the snow. They’ll last for quite some time and are perfect for whipping up healthy soups, creating pasta sauces or even bulking up a chilli con carne.
Recipes to try using tinned tomatoes:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Tinned sweetcorn
Tinned sweetcorn is great for adding to all sorts of recipes. Pop on top of pizza bases, toss in tuna pasta or give your macaroni cheese a new lease of life. Sweetcorn is cheap to buy and one tin will stretch pretty far.
Recipes to try using tinned sweetcorn:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Mince
Mince is easy to freeze and a great winter warmer too. From beef mince to turkey mince, you can feed a whole family of four, with leftovers when it comes to a pack of mince. Store in the freezer, defrost in the fridge and get cooking. Turn your mince into spaghetti Bolognese, chilli con carne and other meals.
Recipes to try using mince:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Tinned chickpeas
Healthy, filling and versatile, chickpeas are great in curries and stews. They don’t take long to cook and are a great way of bulking up a variety of dishes.
Recipes to try using chickpeas:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Oats
Oats are a must-have in any store cupboard. You can jazz them up in the morning to make porridge, treat yourself to an oat based cake or use them to make a crumble topping for both sweet and savoury dishes. They last ages in the cupboard if stored properly and a great source of energy.
Recipes to try using oats:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Frozen peas
Frozen peas are one of the best vegetables to keep in the freezer as they’re a tasty addition to many recipes and will last quite some time in storage. They can be added to a variety of meals including pasta dishes like lasagne, spaghetti Bolognese or other dishes like risotto or a side for your roast dinner – the possibilities are endless.
Recipes to try using frozen peas:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Eggs
Eggs have a long shelf life and can be used in everything from omelettes to cakes. Eggs are a great source of protein and will keep you fuller for longer when hunger strikes. Whip up some dippy eggs with soldiers for a warming snack or even scrambled egg on toast.
Recipes to try using eggs:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Bananas
Stocking up on bananas is a great idea – when they go brown, they’re perfect for baking so there’s no need to chuck them away.
Recipes to try using bananas:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Lentils
Dried and tinned lentils always come in handy and they’re packed with protein. Cook them up with bacon, tinned tomatoes and stock to make a warming family meal.
Recipes to try using lentils:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Pesto
Pesto can be a lifesaver. Use it to make lots of tasty dishes including pasta, risotto or even jazz up your lasagne with a spoonful.
Recipes to try using pesto:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Tinned soups
Apart from the obvious, tinned soups also make great sauces for pastas and casseroles. A creamy mushroom soup would work wonders as an alternative sauce in your pie, a tomato based soup would make a delicious pasta sauce. Tinned soups are cheap to buy and have a good shelf life too.
Recipes to try using tinned soup:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Frozen spinach
Frozen spinach works in lots of dishes from omelettes to curries and can be found in most supermarkets. If you can’t find it in the shops, just buy a bag of fresh spinach and freeze in portions instead. Add to large dishes like spag Bol, risotto and lasagne.
Recipes to try using frozen spinach:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is not only a tasty and healthy snack, it’s great in cakes, flapjacks and muffins too and has a great shelf life lasting longer than fresh fruit. It’s ideal if you haven’t managed to get your regular amount of fruit due to the snow. Just add a handful to your breakfast or add to your favourite cake mix.
Recipes to try using dried fruit:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Ready-made meals
We’re not that keen on ready-made meals but if you’re stuck for options the easy stuff like fish fingers, chicken nuggets and frozen chicken grills can be lifesavers. Of course if you serve them with something healthy like a fresh bowl of pasta with homemade sauce or a filling salad you can balance them out a bit.
Recipes to try using ready-made foods:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Rice and risotto
Like pasta, rice is very versatile. From risotto rice to basmati, rice is a must-have in the cupboard when the snow arrives. You can whip up plenty of dishes and only a small portion of rice will go a long way. Rice is also one of those foods that is better bought in bulk.
Recipes to try using rice:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Apples
Apples are long-lasting and very versatile. Make a big batch of apple crumble with only a handful of apples. You can make cake or you could even bake the apple so they’re warm and serve with custard for a warming dessert in the snow.
Recipes to try using apples:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Sliced bread
Bread freezes really well – make sure it’s sliced so you only need to take out what you need. You can whip up plenty of treats with this tasty carb; try bread and butter pudding, French toast or even simply beans on toast.
Recipes to try using sliced bread:
Click or tap to zoom into this image
Corned beef
Love corned beef? Well it’s definitely one to have on standby in the cupboard when you’re low on food. You can make plenty of delicious meals using a tin of corned beef – its a cheap, quick and easy way of feeding a lot of people in one go.
Recipes to try using corned beef:
Where to next?
Top recipes for the month
50 recipes everyone should know how to cook
More recipes