Thinking of what to cook for dinner? Think rice.

Whether you enjoy trying new recipes or are still learning the fundamentals of cooking, rice is the pantry staple for all walks of life. After all, rice is easy to find, affordable, nutritionally beneficial, versatile, and grown sustainably by dedicated farmers in the U.S. What’s not to love?

Today we're going grain-ular and looking into why rice is so nice, featuring some of our favourite rice-based dishes.

Affordable

Let’s be real — groceries aren’t getting any less expensive. Fortunately, rice has always been a friend of affordability. Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding the family, rice is an inexpensive household staple perfect for recipes that stretch a budget without sacrificing taste and nutrition.

Plus, it’s so easy to cook with your leftovers, giving you even more value! Egg Fried Rice can be made in a pinch with three simple ingredients, or you can repurpose your other leftovers into a soup, like Leftover Turkey and Rice Tortilla Soup.

Easy to cook

If you have rice in your pantry, then you have the foundation for an endless amount of easy, quick, and budget-friendly recipes. Even if you’re a self-proclaimed kitchen disaster, it’s pretty difficult to mess up cooking rice.

It’s the prime ingredient for exploring new dishes that celebrate global cuisines and flavours. I especially love an affordable and well-rounded Arroz con Pollo, a simplified Shortcut Spiced Chicken Biryani, and a savoury Japanese Rice Pancake with Sauerkraut. It's also ideal for prepping a whole week of meals!

Nutritious 

In case you need the reminder: Carbs are not your enemy! Rice is made up of more than 15 essential vitamins and minerals and provides long-lasting energy to fuel your day thanks to its slow-burning complex carbohydrates. Plus, all types of rice are naturally free of sodium and gluten, are virtually fat-free, and low in calories.

Whip up some Carrot Tumeric Rice Soup for a colourful (and healthy) way to ward off winter blues, or eat clean with the zero-waste Mediterranean Rice & Vegetable Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing.

Is your stomach rumbling yet? If so, time to get cooking! Take a look through your fridge and cupboards — we bet you already have the ingredients necessary for a delicious rice-based dish.

Visit the U.S. Rice Canada website for a full list of recipe ideas, and to learn more about how U.S. rice is grown. Bon appétit!