A major part of quarantining is staying in place for as long as you can. You should only be going out to get the absolute essentials and only when you absolutely must. This means that you should have some stuff on hand to substitute your favorite ingredients. Here are 5 ingredients we all use a lot and the substitutes to make them last longer.

Michelada Mix

Everyone has their favorite michelada mix. There are so many of them out on the market. A lot of the recipes available online call for Clamato if you are trying to make yours from home. But you don’t need the Clamato or pre-made mix.

Tomato juice and hot sauce work just fine.

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You can make your own tomato juice at home if you have the time, tomatoes, and equipment to make the juice. All you need is to mix your tomato juice with that hot sauce and add it to your beer. If you have some Tajin lying around, go ahead and add it for a little more kick.

Crema Mexicana

This cream is quintessential in any Mexican kitchen. It has so many uses in several different dishes or you can add it on top of anything you make. Who doesn’t enjoy their chilaquiles with a little bit of crema Mexicana added on top. Don’t fret if you run out of your precious cream.

Milk and Sour Cream

If you don’t care about the texture and liquid state of crema Mexicana, you can just use some sour cream. The flavor is there and the way it blends with the Mexican palette is delicious. However, if you want something you can drizzle on your food, combine 1 cup of sour cream with 1/2 cup of milk. That will leave it thick enough to drizzle but not run.

Mojo Criollo

No Cuban pantry is complete without this tangy and savory marinade. You can marinate your chicken, steak, pork, literally anything with this nectar from the gods. It can be hard to find depending on where you live so it might not be something easily attainable, but we got you covered.

Garlic, orange juice, and lemon juice will do just fine.

All you have to do is take your garlic, juices, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil and run it through a blender. It is that easy. You will not regret learning how to make this and keeping it around long after this quarantine is done…in 2021.

Mexican Chorizo

Chorizo is something that everyone loves. The Mexican sausage is delicious red-tinted meat that delivers some real sabor for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We all know it. We all love it. We all need it. It is something that has transcended Mexico and has been embraced the world over. Yet, if you run out and don’t feel safe running out, here is how you can substitute it.

Ground Pork and Spices

All you need to make some homemade chorizo is ground pork, cumin, garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if you want it spicy). Mix the sausage together with the spices and you have a perfectly reasonable substitution for Mexican chorizo. If you have the equipment to put it into a casing, go for it. If not, just cook it up like you would any other ground meat and enjoy your own special chorizo.

READ: The Brief And Surprising History Of Tex-Mex Food That You’ve Never Heard