Top 10 store cupboard essentials

You're tired, you're hungry, and you'd like a meal on the table in no more than 30 minutes thank you very much. Combine what's in your fridge-freezer with these staples and – with these recipe suggestions – you'll cook up a satisfying meal in no time.

Other fantastic staples for your cupboard include:

Beans (tinned and dried)
Coconut milk
Couscous
Dried noodles
Honey
Pickled chillies or jalapenos
Stock cubes
Tabasco
Worcestershire sauce
Yeast extract (such as Marmite)

Canned fish

Tuna fishcakes

You can use instant or leftover mash for this quick tuna fishcake dish.

Flour

Perfect pancakes

Quite simply the definitive pancake recipe as we take you by the hand and lead you to loveliness, thanks to this foolproof recipe.

Herbs, spices & condiments

Creamy chicken, chive and mustard gratin

This is a really comforting dish with a flavoursome, creamy filling and a crunchy topping. Perfect if you have some mustard and stale bread to use up.

Oils (such as olive, sesame, featured, and sunflower)

French bean, mangetout, prawn and sesame noodles

This light Asian salad recipe is full of healthy ingredients, and the noodles will leave diners pleasantly full.

Pasta

Tuna and olive pasta bake

The stuffed olives bring an extra tang to this old favourite of tuna pasta bake.

Ready-made sauces and pastes

Sausage, tomato and Parmesan gnocchi

This easy sausage, tomato and Parmesan gnocchi recipe uses a jar of pasta sauce. Ready in just 15 minutes.

Rice (like long grain and risotto rice)

Risotto alla Milanese

This rich rice dish is perfect for vegetarians.

Sugar

Microwaved stewed fruit

Good old-fashioned stewed fruit is a healthy treat. Use any leftovers as a breakfast topping.

Tomatoes (mainly tinned)

Tuna and tomato fry-up

Canned fish, such as tuna or salmon, and canned tomatoes are packed with goodness. You only need four ingredients for this delicious dish, and it tastes just as good served with bread, pasta, rice or potatoes.