Never go hungry again if you have these in your fridge! Here’s a list of items you must have for safe keeping:

1. Eggs (at least 12 at one time)

Fridge Life: 6 months

A great source of protein this baby can provide you the perfect pick me up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is my list of egg dishes you must try!

• Eggs with Soldiers: Place 4 eggs in a saucepan of boiling water, then cook over low heat, 4 to 5 minutes; drain. Slice off the tops and season with salt and pepper. Serve with toast strips.
• Basic Scramble: Whisk 2 eggs with 1 to 2 teaspoons milk or heavy cream; season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the eggs and stir until just set.
• Classic Omelet: Beat 2 eggs with salt and pepper. Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add 1/2 tablespoon butter and swirl to melt. Add the eggs and stir briefly with a rubber spatula, then let the bottom set but not brown. Fold like a letter.
• Poached Eggs: Bring a skillet of water with a splash of vinegar to a simmer. Crack eggs into individual cups, slip into the water and poach until the whites set. Remove with a slotted spoon.
• Fried Eggs: Crack 4 eggs into a skillet with 2 teaspoons bacon drippings, butter or oil. Add salt and pepper; cook until the edges are opaque, 2 minutes. Cover and cook 4 to 6 more minutes.

2. Butter (at least 250 grams)

Fridge Life: unopened 2 months, opened 2 weeks

Life is just so much better with butter. Instantly everything taste better when you add a knob of butter. It’s useful to thicken gravy, add flavour to stews and is the best paired with carb related dishes. Here are some of my favourite butter recipes.

• Butter and Sage Pasta: Boil 200g pasta with salted water for 8 minutes, add 50g butter, 1 tablespoon chopped up sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix well
• Rice, Butter, Kicap and Egg: 2 cups of rice cooked until steaming, make a well, crack two eggs in the middle, pour in 6 table spoons of sweet soy sauce and 4 table spoons of butter, crack some black pepper and mix well. Serve with chopped spring onions.
• Creamy Mash Potato: 4 steamed mash potato, peeled and mashed, 1/2 cup hot milk and 50 g butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix well

3. Yogurt (at least 1 pint)

Fridge Life: once open consume in 1 week

Yogurt is possibly the best thing you can have in your fridge because it helps clean up your gut . Also, I use yogurt in a lot of my recipes instead of milk or coconut milk. It’s a perfect alternative to add a layer of creaminess to your dish. Here are my top 3 ways of using yogurt.

• Cucumber and Yogurt dip: 1 cup yogurt, 1/2 cucumber, seed removes and chopped up, 1/2 teaspoon dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mixed well. Serve with tortilla chips
• Yogurt and Honey: 1/2 cup of yogurt, 2 table spoons honey, chopped walnuts and blueberries
• Creamy potatoes: 500g Boiled potatoes cut into 4, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 spring onion chopped, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon English mustard, mix well.

4. Cheese

Fridge Life: 1 -2 months

Can be eaten on its own, can be melted on a bowl of pasta or sandwiched between two slices of bread. Either way its delicious! Here are fun facts about cheese.

• Cheese and Water: When eating cheese never drink water because the cheese may solidify in your stomach which may lead to stomach cramps. Always have a carbonated drink to counter this. That’s why the french eat cheese with wine
• 2000: That’s the amount of cheese varieties  available worldwide, mozzarella is the favourite around the globe, and the most consumed.
• It is good for you: Contrary to popular belief cheese, eaten in moderate quantities, is an excellent source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. It’s saturated fat content is responsible for its bad reputation.

5. Preservatives (Jams, pickles chutney etc.)

Fridge Life: Opened 6 months

It’s good to have a few varieties in your fridge at all times. So I always have a sweet jam, a sour pickle and a savoury acha ikan masin. Now here are two very simple preservative recipes.

• Berry Jam: In a pot add in two cups of berries, one cup of sugar and the juice of half a lemon and bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove hot jam and place in a mason jar and seal with a lid
• Pickled Chilies: in a pan add in 100g  sliced green chilies, 1 cup vinegar, 2 heap table spoon sugar and 1 heap teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer and turn fire off. Remove chilies and vinegar and place it in a mason jar and seal with a lid (You can switch the chilies to carrots, cucumber or even whole baby shallots if you like for this)