The Pantry Staples You Should Always Have

These are the pantry staples you should always have on hand to prepare quick meals and snacks while staying within your grocery budget.

Of course, everyone’s storage space differs, as does interest in cooking from scratch. So, use this list as a guideline but tailor it to suit your home and family.

One benefit of having a fully-equipped pantry (or, as my grandmother put it, “a well-stocked larder”) is that weekly grocery shopping consists of simply picking up things you’re low on, plus whatever fresh proteins and produce you need for the week.

How to Stock Your Pantry

For the items below that your family uses frequently, consider buying in bulk at stores like Sam’s Club or Costco. You’ll spend more upfront because you’re buying larger quantities, but you’ll save money in the long term since the per-use price is much lower.

You’ll be pleased, too, with how low your weekly grocery bill is when you only have to buy a handful of fresh ingredients.

Tip: Slowly stock your pantry by buying just a few things from the list in bulk each week.

Oils and Vinegars

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Canola oil
• Sesame oil
• Distilled white vinegar
• Red wine vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Rice wine vinegar

Herbs and Spices

• Table salt
• Sea salt
• Kosher salt
• Seasoned salt
• Ground black pepper
• Whole black peppercorns
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dried parsley
• Dried sage
• Dried basil
• Dried thyme
• Dried rosemary
• Ground cumin
• Chile powder
• Dried red chili flakes
• Dried, ground ginger
• Dried oregano
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cayenne
• Bay leaves

Condiments

• Soy sauce
• Ketchup
• Grainy mustard
• Dijon mustard
• Yellow mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Hot sauce
• Worcestershire sauce

Cans and Bottles

• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Tomato paste
• Sliced jalapenos
• Canned tuna
• Canned beans (black, cannellini, kidney, and chickpea)
• Chicken stock or bouillon cubes
• Beef stock or bouillon cubes
• Peanut butter
• Your favorite jams and preserves
• Capers
• Olives
• Salsa

Dry Goods

• Spaghetti noodles
• Penne pasta
• Rolled oats
• Dried bread crumbs
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Ground coffee
• Tea

Be sure to read How to Prevent Pantry Moths!

Baking Needs

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Dutch-process cocoa
• Baking chocolate
• Chocolate chips
• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Cornstarch
• Cornmeal

Refrigerator Staples

• Milk
• Butter
• Eggs
• Cheddar cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• A wedge of Parmesan cheese
• Greek yogurt
• Bacon
• Packet or jar of active dry yeast

Freezer Staples

• Frozen vegetables
• Frozen berries
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. shrimp

Using Pantry Staples to Cook

In theory, you could this list of pantry staples to cover all of your groceries, increasing the amount of refrigerator and freezer staples to suit the size of your family. After all, frozen fruits and vegetables can be even more nutritious than produce picked out of season and shipped long distances.

Pantry Meals You Can Make

Once you’ve stocked your pantry, including your refrigerator and freezer staples, you’re set to create dozens of meals without having to leave the house.

Baked treats: Need to make cupcakes or a cake for your kid’s class at school? You’ve got the ingredients for everything, including the frosting. You can even make homemade pita bread or homemade bagels.

Breakfast: Want pancakes for breakfast? You have everything to make your own pancake mix. Or whip up a batch of homemade chocolate granola. You can even make a cheese-stuffed baked omelet roll for a crowd.

Casseroles: Toss cooked pasta with diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, frozen vegetables, and some cooked meat then top it with grated cheese and bake. Switching the type of pasta, vegetables, and meat from one night to the next can get you through an entire week or two.

Spaghetti: Use the diced tomatoes, olive oil, and spices to make my easy marinara sauce. Add seasoned, cooked ground beef if you like. Spoon it over spaghetti noodles and top it with freshly grated Parmesan.

Soups: With stock or bouillon, frozen vegetables, and seasonings in your pantry, you’ve got the building blocks for a fantastic soup. Add pasta or rice and maybe even some cooked meat.

And more!

More How-Tos:

• Everyone’s Favorite Meatloaf Recipe
• 5 Foods You Should Make and Freeze
• Easy Italian Meatball Soup
• Four Homemade Salad Dressings
• Homemade Mrs. Dash Recipe