What to cook in March: Budget-friendly meals for uncertain times
Simple, hearty recipes packed with pantry staples
Food prices were already expected to rise in 2025, thanks to a weaker Canadian dollar, climate change–related supply chain disruptions and reduced cattle numbers. But now, a trade war with the U.S. is adding to the pressure.
If you're feeling the pinch at checkout, cooking with pantry staples can help you stretch your budget without sacrificing flavour. Below is a collection of cheap and cheerful, mostly meatless dishes that are packed with pantry MVPs like lentils, rice and chickpeas. And, of course, there's pasta — because keeping a box (or five) on hand just makes life a little easier.
Image | The (Chickpea) Picnic Salad by Rebekah Peppler
Caption: (Photography by Joanne Pai)
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Caramelized onion pasta
Image | Caramelized onion pasta - crop
Caption: (Photography by Amina Al-Saigh)
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One-pot chickpea curry
Image | Chickpea Curry with Spinach
Caption: (Photography by Dhivya Subramanian)
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Image | Tandoori chickpea wraps - Dhivya Subramanian
Caption: (Photography by Dhivya Subramanian)
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Red lentil soup
Image | Lentil soup crop - Amina Al-Saigh
Caption: (Photography by Amina Al-Saigh)
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Rice and peas
Image | Rice and peas - Dwight Smith CROP
Caption: (Photography by Owais Rafique Marketing Inc.; styling by Matthew Chin)
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Master recipe for a pot of beans
Image | Steve Sando's master recipe for a pot of beans (crop)
Caption: (Photography by Ed Anderson)
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Instant tan tan shin ramyun
Image | Instant Tan Tan Shin Ramyun - James Park
Caption: (Photography by Heami Lee)
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French onion soup pasta
Image | French Onion Soup Pasta and Handpies Aviva Wittenberg
Caption: (Photography by Aviva Wittenberg)
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Lentil shepherd's pie
Image | lentil shepherd's pie
Caption: (CBC Life)
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Kunde (black-eyed peas and tomatoes in peanut sauce)
Image | Kunde
Caption: (Photography by Khadija M. Farah & Jennifer May)
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Herby labneh pasta
Image | Herby labneh pasta - Amina Al-Saigh (crop)
Caption: (Photography by Amina Al-Saigh)
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Seaweed brown butter pasta
Image | Seaweed Brown Butter Pasta - Hetty Lui McKinnon
Caption: (Photography by Hetty Lui McKinnon)
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Khichdi
Image | Khichdi
Caption: (Photo: Shayma Owaise Saadat)
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Misir wot
Image | Misir Wot Lentil Stew crop
Caption: (Photography by DL Acken)
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Vegan ragu bolognese
Image | Ragu Bolognese
Caption: (Photography by Lauren Toyota)
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Zucchini dal
Image | Zucchini dal - Dhivya Subramanian
Caption: (Photography by Dhivya Subramanian)
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Skillet lasagna
Image | skillet lasagna
Caption: (Photo: David Bagosy, Styling: Melissa Direnzo)
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Puda (chickpea flour pancakes)
Image | Chickpea pancakes (puda)
Caption: (Photography by Diana Muresan)
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Baby bok choy and rice vermicelli soup
Image | crop Hetty Lui McKinnon's Baby Bok Choy and Rice Vermicelli Soup
Caption: (Photography by Hetty Lui McKinnon)
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Polos ambula (young jackfruit curry)
Image | Polos Ambula (Young Jackfruit Curry)
Caption: (Photography by DL Acken)
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Golu molu (buttered roti)
Image | crop Aman Dosanj's Golu Molu hand-held roti
Caption: (Photography by Dominique Lafond)
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Jeera rice
Image | Jeera Rice Joe Thottungal - My Thali: A Simple Indian Kitchen
Caption: (Photography by Christian Lalonde)
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Breakfast bean ragout
Image | Breakfast Bean Ragout
Caption: (Credit: Matt Basile)
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