Have you ever come home from work full of intention and motivation to cook dinner at home, only to find an empty pantry and nothing to work with? Sometimes cooking at home sounds totally do-able, but making that extra stop at the grocery on the way home is where I lose steam. Making sure you have a few pantry staples can be that make-or-break factor between whipping up something homemade or grabbing your phone to order from Postmates, yet again.
Stock Your Kitchen: Pantry Staples
This list of pantry staples are the items that I like to keep on hand to help me whip up meals on the fly. They’re basic, versatile ingredients that are used frequently, are usually fairly inexpensive, and have a long shelf life (pantry, refrigerator, or freezer). Your personal list will take shape as you begin to cook regularly and develop favorite recipes or flavors. In the mean time, use this list as a guide for slowly building up your pantry over time. You don’t have to buy everything at once! Buy one or two items, as needed, but always check if you need to restock on these items before you do your weekly shop.
Need ideas for what to make with your pantry staples? Check out these 19 Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinners, designed specifically to use pantry staples and require little planning ahead!
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Dry Goods
Dry goods are usually the least expensive and most versatile ingredients in your kitchen. I like to buy these items from bulk bins, if possible, to cut down on packaging, and because I can buy any quantity needed. If you don’t have fancy containers to store your dry goods, don’t fret. A heavy duty zip top food storage bag will do the job. Just make sure they stay dry, cool, and away from sunlight because flavors and freshness don’t last forever.
- Flour: all-purpose, whole wheat
- Sugar: white, brown, confectioners (powdered)
- Rolled Oats
- Rice: long-grain white, brown, or jasmine rice
- Cornmeal
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Cornstarch
- Dry Beans: black, white (cannellini, navy), kidney, garbanzo
- Lentils
- Pasta
Oils, Vinegars, and Sauces
Oils, vinegars, and sauces are essential to giving life to your food. They add flavor, zing, and can be used to make a million different dressings and sauces that will liven up even the most boring meals. Again, these items are pretty basic and inexpensive, and most have an extremely long shelf life. Don’t worry yourself over buying top quality when you’re just starting out. Until you become more experienced in the kitchen and your taste develop, you may not be able to tell the difference between generic and high end. Stick to what you can afford and I promise you’ll still be able to make good food!
- Oils: vegetable or canola, extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, non-stick spray
- Vinegar: apple cider, red wine, rice, balsamic
- Soy Sauce*
- Worcestershire Sauce*
- Sriracha*
- Honey
- Mustard*: yellow, Dijon
- Mayonnaise*
- Hoisin Sauce*
- Peanut Butter*
*Refrigerate after opening
Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices are my arsenal in the kitchen. They can turn boring, flavorless food into a drool-worthy creation. Spices have a fairly long shelf life, especially if kept in an air-tight container, away from heat and sunlight. There is no exact expiration date for herbs and spices, but a good way to determine their potency is to give them a sniff. If you can’t smell your spices, you won’t likely be able to taste them in your recipe, either. For super fresh and affordable spices, look for spices sold in bulk (this is becoming more popular in grocery stores) and check international grocery stores.
This list is highly personalized and will differ greatly depending on what kind of cuisine you like.
- Salt (fine sea salt and coarse kosher salt)
- Whole Peppercorns (with grinder – see photo above, far right)
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Cumin
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Smoked Paprika
- Cinnamon
- Curry Powder
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cocoa Powder
- Vanilla Extract
- Turmeric
Refrigerated Items
Obviously these ingredients don’t have as long of a shelf life as dry goods, but it’s good to keep them on hand.
- Milk: dairy or non-dairy
- Eggs (large)
- Butter
- Plain Yogurt
- Grated Parmesan
- Mayonnaise, Mustard (also listed under sauces)
- Shredded Cheese (can be kept in the freezer for long term storage)
- Tortillas (almost anything can be made into a quesadilla for a quick meal!)
Frozen Items
In lieu of trying to keep a variety of fresh vegetables on hand (keep dreamin’, Beth) I like to keep a variety of frozen vegetables on hand. Frozen vegetables are the next best thing to fresh because they don’t have any extra salt or preservatives added (make sure you’re not getting the kind that come with a sauce). They’re always there ready and waiting to be tossed into a soup, casserole, pasta dish, or even tossed onto pizza, without worry that they’ll go limp and begin to stink up the fridge.
- Spinach
- Broccoli Florets
- Fruit: blueberries, strawberries, peaches
- Shelled Edamame
- Corn Kernels
I also like to make sure I have a little meat stashed in my fridge for quick meals. When I encounter meat sales, I stock up and stash the goods in my freezer for later.
Canned Goods
I don’t use canned goods often, but they’re extremely convenient and usually fairly inexpensive, so they can certainly be a life saver. I try to stick to canned goods with as little additives as possible.
- Tomatoes: paste, diced, sauce, crushed/puréed
- Beans: black, kidney, white, garbanzo
- Pumpkin Purée
- Pasta Sauce (for when there’s no time to make your own)
- Coconut Milk
- Soup Base: I used Better Than Bouillon, chicken, beef, and vegetable. Refrigerate after opening.
So there you have it—my most valuable pantry staples that I rely on to get me through busy days and last minute meal requests. What about you? What have I forgotten? What ingredient can you not live without having on hand at all times?
Share yours in the comments below!
Post originally published 11-19-14, updated 7-5-18.
Great list! I make so many of your recipes so often that I have most of these on hand!
Other items I’m always relying on:
– Tuna (pouch or can): Easy way to add protein to almost anything (rice, pasta, salads, quesadillas)
– Minced Garlic (in a jar with liquid): Not as flavorful as freshly chopped, but excellent for saving time mincing and you can buy huge jars that last for ages.
– Coconut milk (can): mostly because your coconut rice is pretty quick considering how delicious it is and I make it all the time
– Chourizo/Spiced Sausage: Throw it in the freezer and it keeps a long time. It thaws quickly, cooks quickly, and you can use it to add a lot of flavor and substance to a dish.
Great list. I would also have some nuts and/or seeds. Good for snacks, or in stir fries. Beth — I love your site and your step by step photos even though I have been cooking for decades. You cook the way I like to eat.
Hi Beth!
I agree with all your choices – I also love to have at least one can of coconut milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk on hand always for different baking needs that pop up. I made your Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread last night from the cookbook and it might be one of my fave bread recipes ever. Great job!
Definitely peanut butter, Udon or plain Ramen noodles and yellow onions!
Chicken/vegetable broth!!
Excellent idea and excellent list. The items I would add to even my most basic list are:
Dried rosemary
Nutmeg (whole, with a grater, or ground)
Canned tuna
Ketchup
Kate: Cost Plus World Market has a wide variety of spice jars/containers at inexpensive prices – usually starting at around $1 each. It’s where I get mine. If you don’t have a store near you, you can purchase online. Although, in store you can buy them one at a time. Here’s the website: http://www.worldmarket.com/category/kitchen-entertaining/kitchen-storage/storage-containers.do?c=6.100168.100303&productType=Spice+Jars+%26+Containers&pp=47&sortby=ourPicksAscend&cx=0
Beth: I am a dedicated fan. Your style is straightforward and your recipes are delicious and practical. I constantly refer friends (and sometimes strangers!) to your site. And I eagerly anticipate getting your cookbook. I always look forward to seeing more from you!
Is there a substitute for evaporated milk that is non-dairy?
Not always for dinner purposes (although sometimes, as with chicken!), but I’d add peanut butter.
Your list is just about identical to mine but I don’t see dry mustard anywhere. I find it can help to “brighten” some soups and are wonderful in rubs for roasts or chicken.
I second lemon/lime juice! My husband and I don’t really buy “drinks” (except milk…and alcohol.) We drink ice water with a splash of lemon, lime, or both, almost every day. Super refreshing and also good for you!
This list is great. We are currently obsessed with Coconut oil (which can be a great substitute for butter and other oils) and Himalayan Sea Salt from Trader Joes.
Chia seeds, quinoa and almond butter are additional staples that I always have on hand.
i like to keep a jar of orange marmalade on hand. it’s very nice to add to a stir-fry sauce, for a bit of bite and sweet, and i can also make a quick sauce for fish using marmalade, mustard, and herbs. of course, it turns plain toast into something presentable with a cup of tea, too. or stir it into a toddy with some whiskey and hot water for a sore throat.
another staple for me is noodles–the squiggly ones, that look like ramen but without a ‘flavor’ pack. it’s so fast and easy to turn a few veggies into a dynamite noodle dish, which would take much longer if you had to make rice.
thanks for the pantry post!
You’ve convinced me about the marmalade! I love orange marmalade, but never thought to use it in all those other ways. :D
…just my two cents worth but orange marmalade and soy sauce make a great glaze when your in a pinch too…sweet & sour pork,chicken or just veggies makes a bright sauce… I cook for one and use it all the time..it is great on toast tho like she said…hooked on ginger tea w/ Apricot jam toast if no marmalade …. but you should always have a jar of something jammy sweet in the door to work with…
Hello, word to the wise! Recently I was shocked to learn most canned goods have BPA in their plastic liners. Since learning this I buy only dry beans.
I have always used Libby’s pumpkin in the past but called this year and confirmed that their cans do have BPA liners. They expect to correct this by mid 2015.
I was able to find pumpkin purée in non BPA cans at Whole Foods.
Perhaps others have been aware of this but it was news to me.
I tend to buy my dry goods in the bulk aisle and store them in various sized mason jars. It saves me so much money and I also feel a little better about not using so much plastic.
Thanks for this comprehensive list, Beth. A few things I would add are Mexican hot sauce, wasabi paste, cream of tartar, yeast, sour cream, and cream cheese. Thanks, again.