Winter is coming: Stock the fridge and pantry for cozy, easy weeknight meals with a few brilliant basics

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We may be in for another lockdown, but now we know how to handle it: Fill the cupboards well, and cook with your co-quarantiners. But how do you keep things interesting in the kitchen and still make cooking easy? You stock the fridge and pantry with versatile basics and steal our clever twists below.

We’re not talking anything fancy (no saffron or truffles here). We mean tried-and-true stalwarts with untapped talents: cream cheese, mustard, mac & cheese. These classics can be used in new ways, for endless variety. You won’t catch another duplicate in the rotation until the crocuses start poking through the snow.

Speaking of snow, if you’re feeling way too cozy to leave the house, that’s no problem. Walmart’s new delivery service, Walmart+, makes it easy to get groceries same- or next-day. (Sign up for a free trial here.) With everything, including fresh meats and veggies, available with the click of a button, you’ll be able to toss together fun meals in minutes. Here’s what to stock up on to make dinner delightful.

Fabulous Feta

The tangy, salty goodness of feta improves everything, from beef to lamb to greens. It can upgrade every salad, from a classic combo with olives, onions, tomato and cucumber, to a fresh spin on a Cobb (think feta, spinach, bacon, avocado, corn, and grape tomato).

Fancy up some crostini for an appetizer, snack or lunch with a recipe like this one, featuring beets, walnuts, and feta— but don’t get stuck on the details; you can top the feta with practically any leftovers you happen to have.

Mix feta into chop meat for a deliciously cheesy burger (beef, lamb, or turkey). Sprinkle feta crumbles on a pita sandwich or into a wrap. Toss some on your scrambled eggs. You’ll love having a container of feta in the fridge, and we’d bet you’ll use it daily.

Shop it: Athenos Feta, $4, walmart.com

Making magic with Mac & Cheese

Everyone knows Mac & Cheese is a crowd favorite. For about a dollar a box, this is a staple worth stocking up on. It’s not only a great side dish or lunch, it can be the basis of a nutritious, delicious super-easy no-mess meal. Check out this One Pot Chicken Cacciatore dinner—it feels like something special, but it can be ready in minutes. That’s the kind of cozy winter cooking we love.

More ideas: Saute chopmeat with some stewed tomatoes and seasonings, mix it into this creamy mac, and bake it, for a hearty casserole. Even simpler, toss some broccoli florets, spinach, or asparagus tips into the pot while the macaroni is cooking, then drain and mix the cheese, for a melty, magical pasta primavera.

Shop it: Kraft Mac and Cheese, $1, walmart.com

Mustard as a secret ingredient

Grey Poupon is the condiment you can’t live without. Swipe it on pork chops, chicken, or salmon filets before cooking for a layer of flavor that beats any marinade. Want something special during the holidays? Take a look at this Cheesy Chicken Crescent Roll—where Grey Poupon and shredded cheddar create beautiful music together. Make it, bake it, slice it, enjoy.

Fancy up a Saturday Netflix night by skipping the usual popcorn and instead adding Grey Poupon to cheese fondue, dipping bread, ham, and apple cubes. Busy day? Dinner sandwiches will sing with a dollop of dijon—make them really French by trading in your bread for a buttery croissant.

Shop it: Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard, $3, walmart.com

Tater Tots as a brilliant base

This freezer staple is more than the perfect bite-sized companion to eggs and bacon—and the crispy side to balance out your steak and peas. Tater Tots can serve as the base for an incredibly satisfying meal (or late night snack) all on their own, with the help of the right toppings.

Rethink nachos with Tater Tots instead of chips. Make them devilishly delicious as above (with bacon, Velveeta, and sour cream), or give them a more traditional vibe with beans, salsa, guacamole and cheddar. Even more exciting? Do a twist on Canadian poutine—Tater Tots topped with gravy and cheese.

Shop it: Ore-Ida Tater Tots, $3, walmart.com

Cream cheese, from sauces to dips to desserts

The ability of cream cheese to cross the sweet-savory divide is what makes it a fridge essential. For desserts, cream cheese adds the perfect tang. Case in point: these pretty Honey Lavender Cheesecake Bites. But no need to go with a new recipe. You can simply make your usual cupcakes or cake and mix up cream cheese, butter, and sugar for a sweet and tangy frosting.

When you have cream cheese on hand, you can easily zhush up savory dishes too. You can add a slab to tomato sauce as it heats, to make it creamy; whip together a great dip to slather on bread (instead of butter); or mix it with fresh herbs (any type you can get your hands on), and spread on cucumber rounds for a unique green veggie at dinner.

Shop It: Philadelphia Cream Cheese, $2, walmart.com

Marshmallows for a new take on sugar & spice

Hot chocolate topped with fluffy marshmallows is our reward for enduring cold temperatures. But we’ll do you one better this year, with a spicy treat that wakes up your taste buds. In this Spiced Hot Chocolate recipe, chili powder makes an appearance—tempered by cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. But what really makes the balance work is a marshmallow on top, sweetening the pot, as it were.

Marshmallows are, of course, the quintessential topping for sweet potatoes. And if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can always whip up an Ambrosia salad and travel back in time. But our favorite thing about marshmallows? They’re the meat and potatoes of S’mores. This winter we hope you’ll gather round the fire pit with friends (six feet apart, please), and melt away stress as you watch these beauties brown.

Shop it: Jet Puffed Marshmallows, $2, walmart.com

Instant pudding for instant pie

There’s always milk in the house, and that—plus a box of instant pudding—is all you need to add to create something decadent and delicious. Jell-O pudding mix comes two ways: fast and faster. The traditional mix takes five minutes on the stove (six if you include time spent licking the spoon). And instant requires no cooking at all.

There are endless recipes for utilizing this classic; one of our favorites is No Bake Chocolate Dessert. Just fill your favorite pie shell with pudding, let set, and add fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip right before serving. Another? This Triple-Layer Mudpie, below, which needs no introduction.

Keeping these versatile little boxes on hand means you can cheer up any gray day or celebrate any special occasion—even if that occasion is just “Monday.

But you don’t have to get fancy. Just make the pudding, pour into dessert dishes, let set in the fridge, and you’re good. When you’re ready to dig in, set out sprinkles, marshmallows, cool whip, coconut shavings —and call it a pudding bar. We defy anyone not to smile at that idea.

Shop it: Jell-o Pudding, $1, walmart.com

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