Pantry Staples for the Busy Woman

Make cooking a breeze-add flavor to everyday dishes, and turn leftovers into warm and satisfying meals. Stock up on these pantry staples, and nearly everything you need will always be within reach.

Annatto (Atsuete) : Small dark red seed used as coloring. It is usually soaked in water or hot oil to extract the red-orange color. Also available as a liquid extract or in powdered form.

Butter : Butter is made exclusively from milk, cream, or both and is used in cooking to provide a creamy texture as well as to naturally enhance flavor.

Cheese : A dairy product with many varieties suitable for eating as is, or as ingredient for different recipes. The most common varieties are cheddar (a sharp, medium-soft cheese); edam, (a hard cheese popularly known as queso de bola); kesong puti (a native cheese variety made from goat’s milk) and parmesan cheese.

Chili Pepper (Siling Labuyo) : Small, very hot chilis used to spice up dipping sauces.

Cornstarch : A fine, white, powder used for primarily to thicken sauces. It is diluted in an equal amount of water, then added to the sauce and stirred constantly until the sauce thickens.

Egg : A delicious side dish when fried or boiled. Also works as leavener in baked products, base for dressings, thickener for sauces and coating for breaded fried foods.

Fermented Shrimp Paste (Bagoong) : Commonly used as seasoning or dip.

Finger Chili (Siling Haba) : Used to add only a mild hotness to food, it is commonly added to dishes like sinigang and dinuguan.

Fish Sauce (Patis) : Thin, salty sauce made from salted and fermented fish. It is uses as a salt substitute in many Asian recipes.

Flour : A fine powdery ingredient primarily used as base for bread and baked goods. Also use as thickener for sauces, or coating for fried food.

Garlic : A bulb usually minced or crashed to give food a distinctive pungent flavor. Usually measured by the cloves, garlic is a basic ingredient for sautéing.

Ginger : Gnarled root used in dishes for its spicy aroma and its peppery and slightly sweet flavor. Ginger should be stored in a cool place where it can be kept for several weeks.

Margarine : A less flavorful butter substitute made from vegetable oils.

Noodles : Made from rice or wheat flour, noodles come in all shapes and sizes. Common examples are bihon (thin rice noodles), canton (yellow flour and egg noodles), sotanghon (Glass mung bean noodles), misua ( thin wheat noodles) and pasta ( noodles made from durum or wheat flour and water).

Oil : Extracted from plants or animals fat, oil is used to fry food or as a base for dressings. Common types are vegetable oil (for frying), olive oil (for dressings ), and sesame oil (as flavoring in Asian dishes).

Onion : Edible bulb prized for its pungent flavor. Onions come in many varieties, among them the juicy sweet white onion, the more pungent red onion, and the strong-flavored shallot.

Pandan Leaf : Type of grass that adds a unique fragrance to steamed rice and a leafy green color to cakes and desserts.

Philippine Lemon (Calamansi) : Small native lime, used to add a sour taste to food. Can be used as a substitute for lemon.

Pepper : A spicy dry seasoning that can be bought either as a whole peppercorns or ground. The white variety is less pungent than the black.

Soy Sauce : A dark, salty sauce made from fermented boiled soybeans.

Stock : A clear liquid used as a base for soups, sauces or braised dishes. Chicken and beef are the most common flavors. This can be made by either boiling meat and seasonings or by dissolving powdered or cubed bouillons in water.

Vinegar (Suka) : Made from a wide variety of materials including native palm (nipa), coconut or sugar cane. Use to preserve food or to add a sour taste to certain dishes.

Tamarind : Unripe pod usually used as souring agent for soups. Ripe pods can be eaten as a snack or used to make candies. Tamarind powders are also convenient substitutes.

Soy Bean Curd (Tofu and Tokwa) : Soft white tofu is commonly added to soups, while the hard squares or tokwa are usually deep fried.

Salt : A seasoning and preservative that is indispensable in practically all recipes. It can be finely ground (table salt) or it can come in the form of crystals (rock salts). Both can be used for cooking or as a table condiment.



To complete your list of cooking basics. Add these Del Monte products. They’re guaranteed to add flavor to your everyday meals!

Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple (Sliced, Chunks, Tidbits & Crushed)
Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail
Del Monte Fruit Salad Cream
Del Monte Tomato Sauce
Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce
Del Monte Classic Recipe Sauce
Del Monte Pizza Sauce
Del Monte Tomato Paste
Del Monte Pasta (Spaghetti, Salad Macaroni, Elbow Macaroni and Shell Macaroni)
Del Monte Ketchup
Del Monte Chili Pepper Sauce
Del Monte Sweet Chili Sauce
Del Monte Sweet and Sour Sauce
Del Monte Steak Sauce
Del Monte Instant Marinade
Del Monte Vinegar (Red Cane, White)
Del Monte 100% Pineapple Juice
Del Monte Juice Drinks.