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Pantry-powered Holiday Side Dishes 

With the holidays quickly approaching, the stress of managing a tight budget can be even more difficult. When the food budget is tight, there are resources for filling in the gaps. You can find food pantries in your area and their hours of operation by going to Food Assistance Locator – The Idaho Foodbank if you are struggling to make ends meet. 

Try these simple steps to decrease the stress of enjoying holiday treats and managing your food budget: 

1. Make a grocery list. Don’t forget to check what you have on hand. Write it down and take it with you. Here is a great resource from www.myplate.gov. 

2. Visit a food pantry. Take your list and cross off any items that you received from the food pantry. For the items you receive that are not on your list, you can research recipes for those food items here. If you find some of the items at the food pantry, you could remove one or two items to your grocery list. 

3. Take your updated list to the store. Remember to stick to the list and try not to shop for food while you are very hungry. Check out any mark down areas or items, first. Buy store brands over name brands.  

Holiday side dishes do not need to be expensive and elaborate to be delicious. Food pantries provide many staple foods that can be turned into a delicious, crowd-pleasing dish. 

Carrot Soufflé 

Prep time: 10 minutes  

Cook time: 70 minutes 

Servings: 8 

Ingredients  
  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced into ½ inch rounds 
  • Salt, for salting cooking water 
  • 1 cup milk 
  • 1 cup saltine crackers 
  • ¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated 
  • 1/3 cup onion, minced 
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne 
  • ¼ tsp black pepper 
  • 3 large eggs 
Directions  
  1. Wash hands! 
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  1. Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with an inch of water. Add about 1 tsp of salt to the water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Strain the carrots and puree in a food processor, blender, or smash with a fork. 
  1. Place carrot puree in a large bowl. Slowly add in the milk, a little at a time, whisking after each addition so the mixture stays as smooth as possible. Mix in the saltine cracker crumbs, the grated cheese, onion, butter, Kosher salt, and cayenne, and black pepper. 
  1. In a separate bowl, whip up the eggs until frothy. Then whisk them into the carrot puree mixture. 
  1. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until puffed up a bit and lightly golden.  

Total Calories  175 

Total Fat  9 g   

Saturated Fat  4 g   

Sodium  235 mg   

Carbohydrates  18 g   

Dietary Fiber  4 g  

Protein  7 g 

Dietitian Note: This recipe has been modified from the original version to decrease the sodium content. 

Easy Homemade Stuffing 

Prep time: 10 minutes  

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Servings: 12 (1 cup) 

Ingredients  
  • 1 cup onion, diced 
  • 1 ½ cup celery, diced 
  • 1/4 cup oil (any kind of cooking oil) 
  • 2 ½ cup chicken broth or chicken stock made from powdered or paste bouillon 
  • 2 Large eggs, beaten 
  • ¼ tsp sage (optional) 
  • ½ tsp garlic powder  
  • 9 cups bread cubes (make your own from leftover bread, recipe here) 
Directions  
  1. Wash hands! 
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9 pan or casserole dish. 
  1. In a saucepan combine butter, celery, and onion. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is soft and clear. 
  1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients included the cooked onion and celery. Mix well. 
  1. Pour contents of bowl into pan or casserole dish. 
  1. Bake for 10-15 minutes, covered. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until stuffing is heated through.  

Total Calories  273 

Total Fat  15 g   

Saturated Fat  3 g   

Sodium  400 mg   

Carbohydrates  22 g   

Dietary Fiber  2 g  

Protein  6 g 

Dietitian Note: This recipe has been modified from the original version to decrease the sodium and saturated fat plus add more flavor. To increase the fiber, use 100% whole wheat bread cubes.  

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes 

Prep time: 20 minutes  

Slow cook time: 3 hrs 30 min 

Servings: 8-10 

Ingredients  
  • 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes (any kind of potato will work for this, even sweet potatoes) 
  • 1 ¾ cups 2% milk  
  • ¼ cup water 
  • 1 stick, unsalted butter, cut into small chunks 
  • 1 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder 
  • Garnish with chopped fresh chives or sprinkle with dried chives (optional) 
Directions  
  1. Wash hands! 
  1. Combine the potatoes, milk, garlic, and water in the slow cooker.  
  1. Stir to coat. Top with butter chunks. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, to taste. Be careful with the salt! 
  1. Cover and cook on high for 3 ½ hours.  
  1. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer.  
  1. Hold potatoes on “warm” or serve right away. 

Total Calories  300 

Total Fat  15 g   

Saturated Fat  10 g   

Sodium  120 mg   

Carbohydrates  50 g   

Dietary Fiber  5 g  

Protein  7 g 

Dietitian Note: This recipe has been modified from the original version to decrease the sodium and saturated fat plus add more flavor. To increase nutrient density and fiber, leave the peel on the potatoes.