Walk down the grocery aisle and you’ll see shelves filled with boxed dinners promising quick meals in minutes. Most of them contain little more than pasta, rice, and a seasoning packet. The good news is that you can easily make these same convenience meals at home with simple pantry ingredients.
That’s where homemade pantry mixes shine. By keeping a few versatile mixes in jars, you can create quick skillet dinners, flavorful rice dishes, creamy soups, and easy pasta salads without relying on store-bought packets.
Here on This Old Baker, pantry mixes are a kitchen staple. With just a few base mixes, you can transform everyday ingredients into comforting meals that come together quickly.
If you enjoy scratch cooking but still appreciate convenience, these homemade copycat style mixes can replace many of the boxed dinners in your pantry.
Homemade Pantry Mixes in This Guide
If you’re looking for homemade alternatives to boxed dinners, start with these pantry mixes from the This Old Baker kitchen:
• Copycat Hamburger Helper Base Mix – A pantry mix that turns ground beef and pasta into several creamy skillet dinners.
• Homemade Rice-A-Roni Style Mixes – Flavorful rice dishes made with herbs, toasted pasta, and pantry staples.
• Pasta Salad Seasoning Mix – The perfect blend of herbs and spices for quick homemade pasta salads.
• Creamy Chowder Base Mix – A rich soup starter for corn chowder, potato chowder, clam chowder, and more.
These mixes store well, save money, and make weeknight cooking much easier.
Copycat Hamburger Helper Base Mix (7 Dinner Variations)
For many families, Hamburger Helper was the classic weeknight dinner. With just a pound of ground beef and a box from the pantry, dinner was on the table quickly.
This Copycat Hamburger Helper Base Mix, developed here at This Old Baker, replaces boxed skillet dinners with a simple pantry mix that can be used in several different recipes. It takes simple pantry ingredients like milk powder, bouillon, herbs, and seasonings to create a creamy sauce base. When combined with pasta and ground beef, it creates the same comforting skillet meals many people remember from childhood.
The real beauty of this mix is that one jar can become multiple dinners.
Some of the most popular variations include:
• Copycat Cheesy Beef Pasta
• Copycat Taco Mac Skillet
• Copycat Creamy Tomato Basil
• Copycat Chili Mac
• Copycat Cheddar Bacon Ranch
• Copycat Stroganoff Style
• Copycat Pizza Pasta Skillet
• Copycat Breakfast Farmhouse Hashbrowns
Each variation starts with the Copycat Hamburger Helper Base Mix, making it one of the most versatile pantry mixes to keep on hand.
👉 Explore all the Hamburger Helper variations here.
Copycat Tuna Helper Base Mix (6 Easy Variations)
Just like Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper has been a pantry staple for years. It’s quick, comforting, and turns a simple can of tuna into a full meal in minutes. The good news is that you can easily make your own Copycat Tuna Helper Base Mix at home using pantry ingredients.
This Copycat Tuna Helper Base Mix was originally developed here in the This Old Baker kitchen as a pantry-friendly way to replace boxed skillet dinners with the creamy sauce base that coats the pasta and tuna, giving you the same cozy skillet dinners without relying on store-bought packets. Once the mix is made, all you need is pasta, tuna, and a few simple ingredients to pull dinner together quickly.
The base mix also makes it easy to create several different variations depending on what you’re in the mood for.
Some delicious ways to use the mix include:
• Classic Cheddar Tuna
• Creamy Mushroom Tuna
• Southwest Cheesy Tuna
• Garlic Herb Tuna
• Lemon Parmesan Tuna
• Tuscan Herb Tuna
Each variation starts with the Copycat Tuna Helper Base Mix, making it a convenient pantry staple for quick weeknight meals.
👉 Explore the Tuna Helper base mix and 6 variations here:
https://thisoldbaker.com/copycat-tuna-helper-base-mix/
Homemade Rice-A-Roni & Zatarain Style Mixes
Instead of buying boxed rice sides like Rice-A-Roni or Zatarain’s rice mixes, you can keep a simple homemade pantry mix on hand and create the same flavorful dishes from ingredients already in your kitchen.
A homemade copycat rice mix is surprisingly simple to make using rice, toasted pasta, bouillon, and herbs. Once prepared, the mix cooks up into a fluffy, savory side dish that pairs well with chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetables.
Making your own also allows you to experiment with different flavors depending on what you’re serving.
Popular homemade versions include:
• Copycat Chicken Rice-A-Roni
• Spanish Rice
• Copycat Herb & Butter
• Copycat Broccoli Cheddar
• Copycat Cheesy Taco Rice
• Copycat Dirty Rice
• Copycat Jambalaya
• Copycat Red Beans & Rice
• Copycat Taco Rice
• Copycat Dirty Rice
These rice mixes store beautifully in jars and make quick side dishes for busy weeknights.
Pasta Salad Seasoning Mix
Pasta salad is a favorite for potlucks, picnics, backyard cookouts, and quick summer meals. Having a pasta salad seasoning mix in your pantry makes it easy to create flavorful salads without needing store-bought packets.
This simple seasoning blend combines herbs, spices, and pantry staples that create a balanced dressing base. Just add oil and vinegar, toss with cooked pasta and vegetables, and your pasta salad comes together in minutes.
Once you have the seasoning mix ready, you can easily create different variations such as:
• Classic Italian pasta salad
• Bacon ranch pasta salad
• Mediterranean pasta salad
• Garden vegetable pasta salad
It’s one of those small pantry staples that can make meal prep much easier during warmer months.
👉 Get the pasta salad seasoning mix recipe here:
https://thisoldbaker.com/pasta-salad-seasoning-mix-the-pantry-hero/
Creamy Chowder Base Mix
Chowders are some of the most comforting soups you can make, but they often require several ingredients and time on the stove.
A homemade chowder base mix simplifies the process by creating a creamy soup foundation you can keep ready in the pantry.
This Homemade Chowder Base Mix was originally developed here in the This Old Baker kitchen, uses milk powder, seasonings, and thickening ingredients to create a rich base that works with many different soups.
With the base prepared, you can quickly turn it into hearty meals such as:
• Corn chowder
• Potato chowder
• Seafood chowder
• Chicken chowder
Keeping this mix on hand makes it easy to prepare warm, comforting soups whenever the weather calls for it.
👉 See the chowder base mix recipe here:
https://thisoldbaker.com/base-chowder-mix/
Why Homemade Pantry Mixes Are So Helpful
Homemade pantry mixes have become popular with home cooks for good reason. They offer the same convenience as boxed products while allowing you to control the ingredients and flavor.
Many people appreciate that homemade mixes:
• Save money
• Reduce reliance on packaged foods
• Avoid unnecessary additives
• Simplify weeknight cooking
• Help stretch pantry ingredients further
With a few well-stocked jars, you can quickly turn basic ingredients into satisfying meals.
Build Your Own Pantry Mix Collection
Once you start using homemade pantry mixes, it’s easy to see how helpful they are. A jar of base mix here and a seasoning blend there can simplify many everyday meals.
Whether you’re preparing creamy skillet pasta, flavorful rice dishes, fresh pasta salads, or comforting soups, these mixes bring the convenience of boxed dinners with the flavor of scratch cooking.
And best of all, they’re always waiting in your pantry.
More Pantry Mixes From This Old Baker
If you enjoy cooking from pantry staples, you may also like exploring more homemade mixes created here on This Old Baker, where simple ingredients turn into reliable, family-friendly meals.
Leave a Reply