Bonfire Night is almost upon us, and there's nothing quite like the 5th of November — sparklers fizzing, the smell of woodsmoke in the air, and a proper spread of warming food to see off the autumn chill. Whether you're hosting a garden gathering or heading to a local display, a well-stocked pantry will make the evening far easier.

The Bonfire Night Pantry Essentials

The backbone of any great Bonfire Night spread is warming, hands-on food that can be eaten outdoors without much fuss. Here's what to have in stock:

  • Jacket potatoes — keep a bag of floury spuds ready; they go straight into the oven while you gather outside
  • Canned baked beans — a classic jacket topping, ready in minutes
  • Coconut or oat cream — for a dairy-free alternative to soured cream on those loaded potatoes
  • Lentils and split peas — the base of a hearty soup that can simmer all afternoon
  • Butternut squash purée or tinned tomatoes — ready for a quick blitz into warming soup
  • Dark treacle and porridge oats — to make a traditional northern parkin, the sticky spiced oat cake that belongs at every bonfire
  • Warming spices — ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, and smoked paprika

Use Pantrist to check what you already have before you shop — no need to buy a second jar of treacle if there's one in the back of the cupboard.

Jacket Potatoes Done Right

A jacket potato is the unofficial dish of Bonfire Night. Start them in the oven at 200°C about an hour before the fireworks, and they'll be perfectly fluffy by the time everyone gathers inside. Set up a topping station with:

  • Baked beans (warm through with a little smoked paprika)
  • Caramelised onions
  • Hummus and roasted red peppers
  • Chives, fresh or frozen

Pantrist's stock tracker means you can prep the toppings ahead and know exactly what needs using up — great for cutting down waste after the event.

A Big Pot of Warming Soup

Nothing beats a flask of soup at a fireworks display. Try a spiced red lentil and tomato soup: fry onion and garlic, add a tin of tomatoes, a cup of red lentils, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, and a litre of vegetable stock. Simmer for 25 minutes, blend, and you're done. It keeps in the fridge for three days and freezes beautifully.

Keeping a variety of lentils and dried pulses in your pantry means you're never far from a warming meal. Pantrist can send you low-stock alerts so you're never caught short on a chilly November evening.

Parkin: The Bonfire Cake

Traditional parkin is a dense, sticky oat-and-treacle cake from Yorkshire and Lancashire, and it's naturally very easy to make plant-based. Replace butter with a vegan block and you'll notice almost no difference. Make it a few days ahead — parkin actually improves as it sits, becoming stickier and richer:

  • 200g porridge oats
  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 150g dark treacle
  • 100g golden syrup
  • 100g vegan block butter
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Melt the wet ingredients together, stir in the dry, bake at 160°C for 40–45 minutes. Wrap in foil and leave for two days before cutting.

Drinks to Warm the Crowd

Hot mulled apple juice is the perfect non-alcoholic drink for all ages:

  • Warm apple juice with a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, a star anise, and a strip of orange peel
  • Sweeten with a splash of maple syrup if needed
  • Keep a flask topped up throughout the evening

Add a tin of coconut cream and some good-quality cocoa powder to your shopping list for a rich hot chocolate back indoors after the display.

A great Bonfire Night doesn't need much — just good food, good company, and a pantry that's ready for it. Pantrist helps you log what you've stocked, build your shopping list, and make sure nothing goes to waste after the celebrations.