The Essentials For A Well Stocked Pantry

A well-stocked pantry is one of the things that helps me to quickly plan my meals for the week, or even come up with something quick to eat when I have failed to plan.

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In addition, a well-stocked pantry minimizes the last minute, impulsive trips to the store.  Which essentially ends up saving you time and money.  And I am all about saving money y'all.

A well stocked pantry saves time and money…

As I go through my cupboards and such, I realize that there are just some things that I just keep on hand most times.  And when I run out, I try to ensure that it is on the grocery list for the next weeks’ trip.

So to help you get your pantry stocked with the essentials, I have compiled a list of different things that I pretty much always have on hand.

THE STOCK YOU PANTRY LIKE A PRO LIST

Dry goods

• All-Purpose Flour
• Sugars and sugar alternatives (I use Splenda in my coffee and tea, and hubs prefers Stevia)
  • white, brown, powdered (aka confection)
• Oats (my son eats oatmeal daily, faithfully)
• Grits
• Rice
  • brown, jasmine, long grain
• Cornmeal
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Cocoa Powder
• Cornstarch
• Pasta

Canned goods

• Tomatoes
  • paste, diced, sauce/purée
• Beans
  • black, kidney, baked
• Pumpkin Purée
• Creamed soup
  • Chicken, mushroom, celery
• Pasta Sauce (even though most times, I try to make my own)
• Fruit
• Salmon
• Tuna

Sauces and oils

• Oils
  • canola, olive oil, sesame oil, EVOO, non-stick spray
• Vinegar
  • apple cider, rice, balsamic
• Soy Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Sriracha
• Honey
• Extracts
  • Vanilla, Almond, Lemon
• Peanut butter
• Syrup

Fridge

• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise
• Salad dressing
• Milk
• Coffee Cream
• Eggs (I buy large)
• Butter
• Lime juice
• Lemon juice
• Grated Parmesan
• Mayo ( I like Dukes)
• Shredded Cheese
• Cheese Slices
• Mozzarella, Sharp, Taco Mix
• Grape Jelly

Herbs & Spices

• Seasoning salt
• Salt
• Sea Salt
• Pepper
• Basil
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Cumin
• Crushed Red Pepper
• Paprika
• Cinnamon
• Chili Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Garlic Salt
• Onion powder
• Minced onion
• Broth
  • Chicken, Vegetable
• Bullion Cubes

Now a couple things to keep in mind.

Don’t go out and try to buy all this stuff at once.  Unless of course, your budget will not take a hit for it.  Me personally, I can’t splurge on all of this at once AND get meat, snacks, and stuff like that too…lol. But do what’s best for you.

Some of the things that you find on this list may not be your jam.  So use this list loosely to find those things that are your jam.  And Speaking of jam, I left it off this list, but it is a regular in our fridge, particularly in the summer months.  So yea, find your jam!

And lastly, while this list is called the pantry essentials, think of it more like the kitchen cabinet essentials.  Unless you have a massive pantry like my old house that can actually hold all this stuff in one place (boy do I miss that pantry).  Then, in that case, this is titled appropriately, and you can forget I even mentioned this.

Whether you are just starting to stock your pantry, or you realize you need to make a store run for some of the essentials, you can download your copy of THE PANTRY ESSENTIALS CHECKLIST here.