I think stocking your pantry is all about balance. We like to have enough that we don’t have to run to the grocery every time we want to cook something. It definitely helps to plan your menu each week and go to the grocery once a week with your list, but it’s nice to keep on hand some of the basics so you’re not having to spend lots every week. This may seem like a pretty big list, but this includes the essentials we keep on hand for many of the basic recipes that we like to cook on a major basis.
Herbs and Spices – In the summer, we always have an herb garden in our backyard with basil, Italian flat leaf parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, thyme, sage and oregano. All of these are super easy to grow and are sooooooo much better than the dried version. Plus they grow great in raised beds, containers, in the ground or pretty much anywhere they get plenty of sun, good soil and a good supply of water all summer. But for those months that I don’t have a fresh supply of herbs, here’s what I keep on hand.
- Salt (kosher, iodized, flaked)
- Peppercorns
- Dried Basil
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Rosemary
- Dried Parsley
- Dried Mustard
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Cayenne Pepper Ground
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cloves
- Cumin
- Bay Leaves
- Dill Weed
- Chili Powder
- Ginger Powder
- Onion Powder
- Nutmeg whole (grate on a microplane grater)
- Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Greek Seasoning
- Taco Seasoning
Oils – Having several types of oil is important for different types of cooking. Each of them has a different flavor that it imparts to the food you’re cooking. I like to buy organic olive oil in bulk and then store in a smaller bottle on my cabinet so it’s easy to access. I always use expeller pressed canola oil for baking (can be found at Whole Foods or Trader Joes.) Coconut oil has many uses, but it does give a subtle coconut flavor to whatever it’s added to, so don’t use it unless you like coconut. And last but not least, sesame oil is one of our favorites. We love to add just a little of this to many of our asian dishes. It has such an amazing flavor and a little goes a long way! The truffle oil may seem a bit extravagant, but we absolutely love it on popcorn, mac and cheese, pizza, and potatoes. The list goes on and on.
- Olive Oil (cheap olive oil for cooking and a more expensive olive oil for dipping and garnish)
- Expeller Pressed Canola Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Sesame Oil
- Truffle Oil
Vinegars – Having a variety of vinegars is just as important as oils. These also give a different flavor to whatever you’re cooking, so it’s important to have a variety.
- White Wine Vinegar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Mirin (sweet rice wine, but we’re putting it with the vinegars)
Condiments – These are the essential condiments. Using these, you can create a variety of sauces, dressings, etc. And always keep Tahini on hand to whip up the most amazing hummus in no time. And making your own leaves out all of the preservatives you’ll find in what you buy at the grocery.
- Tahini sauce
- Dijon Mustard
- Stone Ground Mustard
- Yellow Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- A1 Steak Sauce
- Country Bob’s Steak Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
Dressings/Marinades: We typically make our own homemade salad dressings because they are so easy and so much better than bottled. But, when you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to make something, it’s always good to have a few basics on hand. Newman’s is seriously the best caesar salad dressing anywhere, short of making it from scratch. And Hidden Valley is the best ranch you can buy. I’m not a huge fan of Kraft Zesty Italian on salad, but it sure does make for a great steak marinade when mixed equal parts with Dale’s sauce.
- Newman’s Own Classic Creamy Caesar Dressing
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
- Kraft Zesty Italian (for marinade)
- Dales marinade
Pasta/Rice/Grains: It’s always great to keep plenty of flour on hand. I think King Arthur’s is the best brand you can buy. I like to keep all purpose flour in bulk, which you will go through quickly if you like to bake. I also keep a small bag of whole wheat flour, which I don’t use as often. I have several friends that are gluten free, so I like to keep a bag of gluten free flour blend which can often be used interchangeably for all purpose flour to create gluten free recipes. Rolled oats are great for overnight oats, but I prefer steel cut oats if I’m going to make a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal. It takes a little longer to cook but is oh so worth it. I like to make it in my instant pot and then freeze in individual silicon muffin tins. Once it’s frozen, I take them out of the tin and put them into gallon size ziplocs, then microwave one at a time when I want a quick breakfast on a cold morning. And of course, we use rice and pasta on a regular basis. Just having a variety of your favorites will make sure you have them on hand when you need them.
- All purpose flour
- Whole wheat flour (small bag)
- Gluten Free Flour Blend
- Cornstarch
- Organic Rolled Oats
- Steel Cut Oats
- Oat Groats
- Brown Rice
- White Rice
- Rice Noodles
- Fettuccine or Linguine Noodles
- Elbow Macaroni Noodles
Dried Fruit, Nuts and Seeds: These are great to have on hand for snacking, to make a batch of homemade granola or for use in a variety of recipes. I always buy whole unsalted nuts so I can toast or season the way I want to rather than having it done for me.
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Sesame Seeds
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Sunflower Seeds
- Dried Cranberries
- Dried Cherries
Hot Sauces / Spicy Things – Not everyone loves spicy foods, but my family does. A lot. I can eat things that would make a grown man cry, and eating a whole glob of wasabi is one of my favorite party tricks. Anyways, if you’re not a spicy loving kind of person, feel free to exclude these. But these are the spicy things we keep in the pantry to always give our food the right kind of kick. We actually tried to make our own hot sauce line once called Saucin’ Boston, but after we realized we needed a commercial kitchen to make it we decided otherwise. We still might one way, though. We’ll see.
- Sriracha
- Sambal Oelek
- Gochujang
- Cholula
- Tabasco
- Louisiana Hot Sauce
- Tiger Sauce
- Buffalo Sauce (great for quick buffalo chicken dip made with rotisserie chicken)
Baking: All of these are great to have on hand to whip up a quick batch of cookies, pies or cakes.
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Powdered Sugar
- Chocolate Chips
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Yeast
- Vanilla
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
Canned: I don’t really keep a lot of canned goods on hand since we prefer to use fresh or frozen, but there are a few that I keep on when I don’t have time to make them from scratch or when tomatoes aren’t in season.
- Black beans
- Chickpeas / garbanzo beans
- Canned Tomatoes (crushed, diced, fire roasted)
- Tomato Paste
Quick Tips for storage:
Use 1 gallon kombucha jars with screw-on lid to store flour and sugar to keep the bugs out. Use canning jars with plastic screw tops for storage of other items from the bulk section, such as rice, beans, pasta, etc.
Keep foods in boxes or plastic packages (think chocolate chips, ramen noodles, crackers, etc.) stored in clear storage totes at the bottom of your pantry to keep mice away.
Buy glass jars for spices and install a pantry door spice rack. Then buy them from the bulk section to refill.
Did we miss anything? Comment below!