Pantry Twenty recipes are based on a carefully selected list of minimally processed plant-based staple ingredients.

Stock the pantry with 20 items in 4 categories: 1) legumes, nuts & seeds; 2) grains, flours & pastas; 3) baking & miscellaneous; 4) dried herbs & spices. Always have on hand enough ingredients to create a variety of meals.

Use the Pantry Twenty recipes to create well-rounded meals using pantry staples you already have, plus fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Make the most of locally-grown produce, or what's growing in the garden, or whatever fruits and vegetables need to be used up. Create wholesome and tasty meals at home using produce that’s in season.

Simplify the process of getting food on the table by using what you already have in the kitchen, instead of trying to figure out which ingredients you’ll need to get for which meals.

It will be less overwhelming when you limit your choices to mainly pantry staples and whatever produce is in season.

Do less grocery shopping by maintaining a well-stocked pantry, knowing exactly what’s in it and when things need to be replenished.

Save money by using economical ingredients that you can mix and match to create lots of different meals.

Reduce food waste by using ingredients you already have and only buying what you need. Food that’s not eaten means wasted resources. Food waste in landfill produces large amounts of the greenhouse gas, methane.

Choose to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. Produce that’s grown out of its natural season uses up a lot more energy for artificial lighting and heating, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Use ingredients that are free from plastic packaging. Plastic is harmful to marine ecosystems, takes a very long time to decompose, relies on fossil fuel production and is difficult to recycle.