Pantry Power: Stretch Your Food Budget with Pantry Staples

Host: Mindy McCulley, MS Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension, University of Kentucky  

Guest: Heather Norman-Burgdolf, PhD, Associate Extension Professor for Nutrition and Health

Season 8, Episode 21

Join Mindy McCulley and Dr. Heather Norman-Burgdolf as they explore how everyday pantry staples can stretch your food budget while keeping meals nutritious and satisfying. This episode of Talking FACS covers practical, research-based ideas focusing on making your pantry work for you.

Topics include:

• creative uses for pasta (try a spaghetti stir-fry),
• split pea and rice bowls,
• using dried beans for tacos and soups to stretch servings, and
• versatile uses for powdered (dry) milk in baking and breakfasts.

They discuss cost-saving tips like buying canned and dried goods in bulk, simple meal-building techniques, and the nutritional benefits of legumes and whole-grain or legume-based pastas.

Key takeaways: assemble meals from pantry basics, add small twists to avoid meal ruts, and use Extension resources  for recipes and step-by-step guides to save money and feed your family well.

For recipe ideas, visit:

Plate it up! Kentucky Proud 

Plan Eat Move

Daily Meal Ideas (30 days of meal ideas using pantry staples)

Connect with FCS Extension through any of the links below for more information about any of the topics discussed on Talking FACS.

Kentucky Extension Offices

UK FCS Extension

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