Ever wondered what A-list chefs like Giada De Laurentiis or Anne Burrell pick up for everyday snacking, meal prep, and feeding last-minute guests? We chatted with a few famous chefs at the 2020 South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami, Florida. They shared which items they always reach for along the aisles of their local supermarkets. Some of them are tiny, others are indulgent, and some are just plain necessary. To lessen the blow, Bertinelli suggests getting the entire week’s meal prep out of the way in one fell swoop, if possible. “Cut all your veggies, so they’re ready to go,” she told Real Simple. “I have glass containers in my fridge, so when I’m hungry or when I need to make dinner, everything is already there.” In addition to being prepared for weeknight dinners, it’s important to Bertinelli to be prepared for drop-in guests and sudden hunger cravings. “I always have cheese and crackers on hand in case anybody just stops by,” the Valerie’s Home Cooking author said. “Milton’s brand has these gluten-free crackers that I absolutely love.” Her final shopping cart must-have is small but mighty. “Philly cream cheese, the chive and onion,” Bertinelli added. “It goes with everything—including those crackers!” RELATED: 10 Healthy Pantry Essentials You Should Always Have on Hand, According to RDs “I always have hummus, cherry tomatoes, and little Persian cucumbers because I like to snack on those,” Burrell said. “I always have a few varieties of cheese—I love Boursin cheese. My number one cracker is Triscuits; I do the reduced-fat [kind], but the original flavor.” RELATED: These Are the Best Foods to Stockpile for an Emergency “I get the big bags of kale that are pre-washed. I force myself to go through them before the expiration date by putting them into smoothies and making kale chips,” Yeh told Real Simple, adding that she’s much more likely to incorporate these dark, leafy greens into her diet if she can see it in her refrigerator. “It’s how I feel less bad about eating so much cake all the time.” The first and most versatile is cashews. “I blend them to make everything, like cheese, cream sauce, dessert creams—it’s my go-to for everything,” Coscarelli said. “Sometimes I’ll buy [cashews] in bulk.” RELATED: Plant-Based Pantry Staples to Create Endless Vegan Meals Speaking of items for making vegan cheese, Coscarelli also makes sure to pick up nutritional yeast. If you haven’t tried this, it looks like a seasoning salt and it’s delicious. Plus, it has several health benefits. “I put nutritional yeast on everything,” she said. She sprinkles it on popcorn, transforms it into vegan cheese, uses it to add umami to sauces, and so much more. Vegan or not, it’s an amazing flavor booster to pick up at the grocery store next time you’re shopping. “You can put it on popcorn, you can make cheese with it, you can make sauces.” RELATED: 22 Easy Vegan Recipes That Taste Delicious
