Pantry Items

Keeping a variety of foods on hand is key to cooking pantry-gourmet style. Buying food when it's in season and/or on sale will help reduce you food costs. You may also want to start a kitchen garden for foods you use often, like fresh herbs or fruits and vegetables you really love eating. The key to gardening or buying seasonally is preservation... which ensures you've always got something good in the pantry!

Refrigerator/perishable items
  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Orange juice
  • Mayonnaise
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Pickles/Relish
  • Jelly
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Soy sauce
  • Maple syrup (real!)
  • Lemon
  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Potatoes

Freezer
  • Meats (beef, chicken, pork, fish)
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Leftovers or seasonal foods you've preserved

Canned/boxed goods
  • Tomato sauce
  • Crushed tomatoes
  • Tomato paste
  • Corn
  • Beans (black, garbonzo, kidney, chili, canellini, etc.)
  • Stock/broth (chicken, beef, vegetable)
  • Rice
  • Couscous
  • Pasta (linguini, penne, etc.)
  • Other items from your garden you've canned

Baking/Sweets
  • All-purpose flour
  • Corn meal
  • Dried oats
  • Sugar (white, brown and confectioners)
  • Baking soda and baking powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cocoa powder
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Raisins and/or other dried fruit
  • Nuts
  • Peanut butter
  • Honey
  • Dry active yeast

Herbs/Spices
  • Basil (dried and fresh)
  • Parsley (dried and fresh)
  • Thyme (dried and fresh)
  • Rosemary (dried and fresh)
  • Oregano (dried and fresh)
  • Mint (dried and fresh)
  • Cilantro (dried and fresh)
  • Dill
  • Sage
  • Bay leaves
  • Salt (kosher and table)
  • Black pepper
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Cloves
  • Ginger
  • Dried mustard

Misc
  • Canola/Vegetable oil
  • Cooking spray
  • Olive oil (one for cooking and a higher quality one for dressings)
  • Vinegar (balsamic, red wine, white wine, distilled white, apple cider)
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Dry red and white wines