On nights my mom was away, we always had Kraft Dinner for supper. Even though my father was a great cook with a respectable repertoire of kid-approved meals, more often than not, he broke out that iconic blue and yellow box we all know and love.
But Dad always added real cheese to our KD, adamant that it made the treat healthier. It was also a treat for him, except he tossed in a tin of tuna and some canned peas, turning it into tuna surprise. Let’s just say that was not kid-approved.
It turns out my dad was ahead of his time. Fast-forward 20 years and everyone is thundering to the grocery store to buy copious amounts of KD and tinned tuna.
According to a recent Dalhousie University study, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in the way Canadians eat. The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dal says more people are buying pantry staples, online grocery shopping and are cooking more. Instead of shopping several times a week, people are going less often, and stocking up on pantry staples like it's doomsday.
But pantry staples like KD or instant ramen don’t just come together to make your mother’s tuna casserole, they can make any weekday pandemic night delicious.
Take the box of mac and cheese. Think of this classic comfort food as a canvas; you can make a boring (but lovable) bowl of mac into something that looks like it belongs in a restaurant. The basic rule of thumb? More cheese! More real cheese.
Maybe you add in a handful of walnuts, some diced pear and funky gorgonzola for a classic Italian vibe, or perhaps you put together a pot filled with goat cheese, cherry tomatoes and basil. How about some parmesan and cracked pepper? Hello, cacio e pepe KD!
Want to take the pantry staple fanaticism to a whole other level? Swap the fresh milk for a can of evaporated for an even creamier KD, or add that can of tuna, chopped zucchini and crunchy bread crumbs for an updated tuna surprise.
Or how about instant ramen? What once was a college staple in North America has always been a way of life in Asia and there’s nothing short of a million ways to amp up those instant noodles.
My favourite way to jazz up a bowl of instant ramen is simple: make according to directions, then add a spoonful of peanut butter and a generous squirt of sriracha. Trust me, it will blow your mind. Other easy add-ins could include a spoonful of miso paste, a dash of fish sauce, a handful of toasted sesame seeds or some Thai curry paste.
For a Korean twist to the dish, add your favourite kimchi with a soft-boiled egg and some chili sauce, or buy a carton of pho stock to swap out the broth and pile it high with Thai basil, mint and chilis for a Vietnamese kick.
Or simply use the noodles for stir fry — my favourite way is to cook the noodles, then make a sauce with sesame oil, peanut butter, soya sauce and red pepper flakes to make a sort-of sesame noodle salad.
And don’t forget, there’s always tuna surprise.
