Easy Meals Before the Big Christmas Shop

The big day is right around the corner! No, we’re not talking about Christmas – we’re talking about the Christmas shopping. You can’t serve up a phenomenal Christmas dinner without the best ingredients, after all.

You may want to hold back on doing a big shop until nearer Christmas, then. This is a great opportunity to use the overlooked food items you have in your fridge and cupboards, as well as clear out your cupboards in preparation for the big Christmas shop.

Read on for easy meals with ingredients you already have.

Spaghetti Puttanesca

Got capers? Then why not whip up a mouth-watering spaghetti puttanesca? This recipe makes good use of the packaged spaghetti you might already have in your cupboard. You’ll enjoy this fresh, classic sauce made from scratch using tomatoes and anchovy fillets, which all comes together for a no-fuss meal you’re sure to love.

Tuna and Brown Rice Salad

This filling tuna and brown rice salad recipe calls for – you guessed it – canned tuna and brown rice. You’ll also be using kidney beans, sweetcorn and canned peppers for this refreshing recipe.

Red Lentil, Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

This hearty red lentil, sweet potato and coconut soup recipe is by none other than Jamie Oliver, so it has to be good! This is perfect if you have coconut milk, sweet potatoes and lentils you’d like to make good use of. This soup is perfect for warming you up in the winter.

Tuna Pasta Bake

Extremely cheesy and easy to whip up, this tuna pasta bake is bound to be a hit. This recipe combines rigatoni, tuna steak, milk and sweetcorn for a creamy dish you can’t get enough of. Plus, it’s easy to make, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself making this again and again!

Lentil, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

This one-pan lentil, chickpea and spinach curry recipe is as flavourful as it is nutritious. It takes just fifteen minutes to cook up this hearty dish, which utilises ingredients you likely already have in your cupboard and fridge, like tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and onions.

Egg-Fried Rice and Veg Stir-Fry

There’s nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned stir-fry, which is a doddle to make, but produces tasty results. This egg-fried rice and veg stir-fry recipe by Delicious Magazine is no exception. If you have a lot of frozen veg sitting around in your freezer, this is a great recipe to try. Throw in as many extra ingredients as you want.

Chilli Prawn Noodles

This highly customisable chilli prawn noodle recipe calls for pantry ingredients like noodles, garlic and chillies. This dish is both easy to make and incredibly delicious, particularly if you’ve been craving Chinese noodles lately.

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

Get in the festive spirit before the big Christmas shop with this fresh green bean casserole, which makes for a wonderfully creamy side dish. This hearty casserole is chock full of pantry ingredients like breadcrumbs, green beans and cream cheese.

We hope you’ve found some fresh and tasty inspiration for a lovely mid-week meal ahead of Christmas.

Until next time…