The storecupboard staples you need in your life

Dried fruit and nuts

Nuts, especially almonds, are a brilliant ‘good fat’ snack food. I’ll always keep a bag of whole, unsalted, unsugared almonds in the cupboard. I’m also a huge fan of ground almonds, which make a superb replacement for wheat flour in baking. Sealed packets of almond-meal lasts for ages, and once opened I store them in the fridge. Chopped dates are another favourite – they replace butter and sugar brilliantly in baking and offer an easy snack option if you have a sweet tooth.