To keep the pizza-delivery boy at bay, keep certain plan-B ingredients available. Real Simple consulted with cookbook authors to determine which staples to stock.

For Italian

Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, author of Lidia's Italian American Kitchen (Knopf, $35, www.amazon.com), recommends:

Canned plum tomatoes

Olive oil

Pasta

Arborio rice

Garlic

Capers

White or balsamic vinegar

Onions

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Pancetta or prosciutto

Chicken broth

Herbs and spices: rosemary, bay leaves, basil, sage, red pepper

What you can make:

Risotto

Pasta with marinara sauce

Pasta with tomato-prosciutto sauce

Pasta with pancetta, tomato, and onion