Eight middle-class stockpile meals to make with your tinned food – by a food editor

Have you started your stockpile yet? When I started to consider the meals that I could make from my – currently fairly meagre – stockpile of food, I immediately saw that I need to diversify if I want to eat well during an emergency. New Government guidance, via the Be Ready campaign, advises Brits to fill cupboards with at least three days’ worth of food, which should be long-life or non-perishable, as well as three litres of drinking water per person per day. The warning is due to a variety of potential threats, including adverse weather events, power outages and cybercrime. Shorts My current stash is more impressive than a few cans of baked beans. I’ve focused on tinned tomatoes and pulses, pasta and peanut butter, but when I began to consider what we’d actually make from these ingredients, I realised I’d soon get bored. So I’m adding in a few tins of green veg, peas and beans, along with sachets of pre-cooked grains, cartons and cans of long-life milk, cream and custard. Beans and lentils are obvious tinned goods to keep for an emergency because they are cheap, filling and nutritious – you can’t survive on beans alone, but they will feature heavily in any stockpile supper. I’ve also given in to some tinned potatoes, even though they might be my least favourite of all tinned veg. I’m also storing a few packets of silken tofu. In the event of food shortages caused by a disrupted supply chain, we may have power but empty supermarket shelves, or we may need to cook without electricity. I’m therefore including a selection of cooked and no-cook meals here, as suggestions for how to make the most of your stockpiled goods. I’m assuming a few key dried spices are already in your kitchen. If not, buy ground garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and flakes, along with some dried herbs such as oregano and thyme and plenty of salt and black pepper. When we talk about essentials, I think joy should get a look-in. If we’re panicking about world events, much better we’re well fed first. So I’ve focused on flavour and fun, as well as simplicity, for these stockpile suppers, and am starting off with an idea for a deliciously sweet breakfast. Mince pie overnight oats For one or two people, use 50g of oats and 100-150ml of any kind of long-life milk. If you have a jar of mincemeat in the cupboard, stir in a tablespoon or two, portion into pots and cover. If you don’t have mincemeat, add your favourite flavours from a mince pie, such as a teaspoon each of raisins, golden sultanas and mixed citrus peel, along with cinnamon, ginger and allspice. A tablespoon of chia seeds will add 4-5g fibre. Store in the fridge or a cool place overnight and your festive breakfast will be ready the next morning. Spicy soy mackerel and cannellini bean rice bowl For two people, mix two small tins of mackerel in oil (125g) with a tin of drained cannellini beans, using the oil from the fish to soften the beans, smushing them a little as you combine. Add one tablespoon of light soy sauce and one teaspoon of chilli oil and combine. Add this to a base of pre-cooked brown rice from a sachet; many supermarkets, including M&S and Waitrose, do own-brand ready-to-eat rice and grains. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a glug of sesame oil. If I had an open jar of kimchi, I would add a few tablespoons of that, too. Black bean chilli Serves 4 Crush two or three large cloves of garlic and sizzle in two tablespoons of oil, any kind, without letting the garlic burn. Add one tablespoon of cumin, ground or seeds, one tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of tomato paste, substituting one tablespoon of garlic powder if you don’t have any cloves. Stir to combine and cook for a minute. Add two tins of chopped tomatoes or more if you’re making a bigger chilli. Add one tablespoon of sweet paprika, such as La Chinata, followed by another tablespoon of something hot, if you want to. I tend to use the sweet, smoked paprika to build depth and warmth, then add the hot paprika or chilli powder for spicy heat, depending on who’s dining. Dried ancho chillies also add a wonderfully smoky flavour to any chilli. You can of course use any beans in this chilli, but I love the rich earthiness of black beans, which are complemented well by chickpeas or some drained corn kernels added near the end. I use the same number of tins of beans as tomatoes. Save water by opening a carton of pre-cooked quinoa to eat with this, such as Merchant Gourmet Red & White Quinoa or 5 Glorious Grains. Some wraps and flatbreads have long shelf lives of a few months, so these can be handy to keep in your stockpile and eat with bean chilli. Just remember to note the expiry date, and eat and replace when necessary. Slow-cooked green beans with tomatoes Two tins, one pan and a bit of patience can transform plain green beans into a memorable veg dish. Empty a tin of whole green beans (including the water) and one tin of tomatoes into a wide frying pan with a tablespoon of oil, one teaspoon of garlic powder and half a teaspoon of paprika. Season well. Stir together for a few moments, making sure the beans are submerged in the sauce. Add half a can of water if you need to. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat. Let the beans and tomatoes bubble slowly for 15-20 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if necessary. The beans will end up very soft and flavoursome in their rich and sweet tomato sauce. Add a splash of red wine vinegar at the end and stir. This dish goes really well with tinned tuna, whether you want to add it on the side or stir through at the end to warm the fish up. Butter bean, pea and pesto stew The beauty of this one is that it can work hot or cold. Take a can or jar of butter beans. Drain if in water. Mix with half a tin of peas, drained, and three or four tablespoons of pesto. Add one or two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to make the pesto more saucy. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of sherry or red wine vinegar to bring the salad together. If you are making this dish warm, follow the same steps but while heating over a medium-low heat. Cheaper tinned beans taste better warmed up if you have the option, while the more expensive jarred butter beans are brilliant in salads. Silken tofu with spinach and artichoke Silken tofu is one of my favourite speedy meals and it typically comes in Tetrapak packaging that can be kept with your other tins and jars for months at a time, but do set reminders for when you need to check and refresh your stockpile. Take one can of spinach and one of drained artichoke hearts and warm together in a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Store-cupboard trifle I’m a great believer in eating trifle as often as possible. To speed things up, we often skip the jelly layer in our house. It’s easy to make if you keep a packet of sponge fingers, a carton of custard and a can of squirty cream among your other essentials. Arrange your sponge fingers across the bottom of a dish; glass is pretty but not essential. Douse these in sherry. Top with tinned fruit; if you don’t want to use alcohol, though I can’t recommend this, the syrup from canned fruit will do the job of softening the sponge fingers. Add a blanket of custard and as much cream as the dish will take. Decorate with flaked almonds or vermicelli. Chocolate cherry custard tarts Even if you’re not facing down an apocalypse, ready-made sweet pastry tarts are a great cheat and can keep for up to 12 months, depending on the product. Fill with custard from a carton, top with a spoonful of jarred cherries in syrup (Luxardo or Amarena), and cover in a generous shower of grated dark chocolate.