Most of us rushed to buy groceries online in Karachi during the first wave of the pandemic, thinking about stocking them up in anticipation of future uncertainties.

Grocery stores are still struggling with streamlining their supply chain in the midst of ceaseless lockdowns and most consumers continue to fill up their pantries with piles of their favorite foods and staples. The situation is uncanny which is why we call it the “new normal”. Food in general and dining out in particular has its own unique emanation in our socio-cultural spheres as an activity. Some people pride themselves in being “foodies” and collecting experiences through food while a few others consider dining out as their go-to leisure activity. Whether you used to live to eat or eat to live before the pandemic hit us, attitudes and norms have also begun to evolve in this new world order. Restaurants are beginning to allow dining in, if only sporadically, but the market is not responding like it used to. If you are also one of those people who are not comfortable going out for food and are growing tired of eating the same stuff cyclically, we are here to lend a hand. The best part, you won’t even have to spend anything extra but most of the ingredients will be right there in your pantry.

There’s more to eating from the pantry than you might think

The concept of eating from the larder is quite constrained for some of us who are in the habit of only taking out the munchies, chips and pre-packaged foods as late night snacks. But there are ways of using the food from your pantry to make healthy meals with a few basic staples. Many people think the only food options using staples from your buttery are rice, beans or other canned foods. That is so not the case because this is exactly where you get to be creative and surprise everyone with your novel creations.

Don’t be afraid to try...this amazing stir fry!

You can try a quick stir fry with a few basic ingredients at home. Start by defrosting a pack of chicken breasts, then slice them in half and use some salt and pepper for seasoning. Sear them in a pan till they are completely cooked and then cut them into small pieces on a cutting board. Saute some diced onion in the same pan with a tablespoon of sesame oil until it changes color and then add veggies of your choice along with some chopped garlic. Once you have heated it through, add the chicken pieces in the pan and some coconut aminos or soy sauce along with half a teaspoon powdered ginger. Once the sauce begins to simmer, take it off the stove and serve it hot over rice. If you don’t have any of those ingredients don’t fret, just place an order to any online grocery delivery in Karachi and get applauded for your efforts by the entire family.

Pizza or pasta- an impossible choice

You can also try a new pasta dish like chickpea or lentil pasta, the online recipes are a dime a dozen and you can spice them up using a few extra ingredients. Once prepared just add some marinara sauce, some nutritional yeast and spinach. Voila! Your exotic pasta variant is ready to flabbergast the audience. You can also try a simple pizza using a few tortillas and spreading the same marinara sauce over them while topping up with some veggies and meat. After that just sprinkle some shredded cheese and bake these simple mini pizzas for 15 mins at 375 degrees F.

Raise the bar on snacking

Most people in Pakistan have dates lying around in their storerooms all year round and this next recipe will not just give them a new energy booster but also a tasty snack to munch on. You can use the dates in the pantry to make energy bites that are simple to prepare and a delight to consume. Just put some seeds, nuts, spices, nut butter and dates in the food processor and let them crumble in one homogenous looking mixture. You can make energy bars out of them by shaping them into squares or make smaller balls for the kids to enjoy. Serve them after refrigerating for a while.

When you can’t make the effort or think of anything else just take some microwave popcorn and add some flavorful twists after preparing them. You can add some coconut or olive oil, salt and nutritional yeast and shake them a little for an upgraded version. You can also do the same but topping the prepared popcorn with caramel sauce if the kids like them sweet.