Four Ingredients For Your Empty Belly Emergency

Most everybody has reached the point where there is more month than money. Sometimes, that coincides with a severe lack of food in the pantry. Now, borrowing a little to get you through to payday can salvage a terrible situation, but you may not be able to reach someone for some help financially. So what do you do when you, or if there is more of you than just you, are hungry? What are some tricks to making something out of seemingly nothing?

Prep the pantry

In times of plenty put away. I know that sounds simple and like something Jiminy Cricket might say, but it’s true. I’m not talking about a world war 3 level, nuclear winter survival, sort of storage.  I’m just talking about having some basic staples tucked away in the case of emergency. Now they may not sound super appetizing at first brush, but we are talking about real hunger, not the eight PM, I’ve got the munchies, so I’m gonna be grazing the fridge hungries.

Rice

500 Billion people worldwide (maybe an exaggeration) can’t be wrong, so rice has got to be right. Plain old white rice is a super simple basic staple to have on hand. Steaming it only requires a pot and some water, and a quick google to show you how, and in 20 minutes you have the basics of a meal. Throw on some soy sauce, (you know you have a packet or two left over from some take out somewhere in your house) and you have the basics of a meal.

Tuna

We’re not talking sashimi; we are talking canned, dolphin free white albacore. Tuna is the high protein, go to staple of the temporary and not so temporary poor. If you look in your cabinet now, you probably have a can or two dating back to Reagan’s presidency. Tuna can be good straight outta the can, but it’s better if you have it on some inexpensive pasta or on the rice you just made. Some salt and pepper, olive oil, tuna, and pasta make an excellent, cheap, simple meal.

Pasta

A box or bag or two of pasta, sealed up so bugs can’t get it, can be a long term life saver. Added to a can of cream of something soup, a pack of pasta can be stretched out to feed a family. If you have some leftover frozen burgers, you can break those up and add those to the mix. Add some seasonings and “Hellooo!!” dinners on!

Soup

Your basic, store brand soups cost a dollar and a quarter per can. If you are savvy though and keep your eyes open, you can find deals on soups for much less. I just recently bought a case of Progresso soups for a dollar and nine cents per 16oz can. Those are going to save our bacon one day when we are standing stone-faced and growling bellied in front of our empty cabinets.

So, with a little prep, and a little imagination you can get some food in your bellies and get through a pretty tough time. Get cookin’ and don’t forget the coffee!

Emilia
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