A well-stocked staples cupboard is the heart of any kitchen. Whether you have one cabinet or an entire pantry, it’s where you keep the go-to ingredients that show up in most of your meals. Whatever you’re cooking, chances are you’ll reach for a favorite jar, tin, or seasoning to give the dish that extra flavor boost.
That’s why we’re firm believers that these three super ingredients deserve a permanent spot in your staples cupboard. They’re nutritious, packed with flavor, and versatile enough to enhance just about any dish.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the healthiest kinds of oil to use when cooking, and beats other vegetable oils in almost every category!

Of course, olive oil can get a bit pricey, but a large bottle can last many months before it needs to be replaced. And when you buy a bottle of high polyphenol olive oil, you can get a good hit of antioxidants whenever you use it in a meal.

Drizzle it on before roasting vegetables, use it as a base for any sauces you’re making, or add it to dips before you eat for an extra bit of flavor.

Almonds

If you have a nut allergy, this one’s obviously a no-go — but for everyone else, almonds are a powerhouse ingredient worth adding to your staples. Packed with protein and healthy fats, they’re a great way to boost nutrition if your meals are missing either.

Almonds are incredibly versatile: snack on them straight from the bag, or toss them into main dishes for added texture and depth. They’re especially handy for bulking up a recipe — try blending them into soups or sauces to thicken things up without overpowering your flavors. Sometimes, they’re just the “something extra” a dish needs.

Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes are probably the most versatile ingredient of the three on this list. They can be easily added to a lot of dishes for a healthy kick, you don’t have to worry about them going bad, and it’s not all that expensive to buy a few tins whenever you go to the store.

Tomatoes in general are a great anti-inflammatory, and they’re packed with vitamins and fiber. They’re great for all your organs, but in particular they work well for the heart and help it keep pumping strong over the years.

You can incorporate canned tomatoes very easily into your recipes by blending them down into a sauce, chopping them up and adding to a variety of dishes, or even just plating them as a side dish.

Is your food cupboard missing a few super ingredients? The three above are great for all kinds of meals, especially if you want to focus on healthy fats, protein, and getting more vitamins.