Don’t Have an Empty Kitchen! Read Here to Find The All-Inclusive Pantry Essentials Checklist So You Never Miss a Beat in the Kitchen

After buying your new home, you’ll want to have a well-stocked pantry. There are basic cooking supplies known as the “staples” that you’ll want to always have on hand. You’ll at some point need to quickly put together a last minute dinner for friends, or a family meal. Of course, you’ll have to choose what you can and can’t live without. For example, if you’re trying to eliminate meat from your diet, you’ll want to forego the chicken breast in the freezer. If you don’t like almond butter, you’ll need to buy peanut butter.

The point is to make sure you have enough protein and vegetables that will be able to pull together any meal, and a variety of condiments and seasonings. The point in having a well-stocked cabinet, is that you don’t want to make spaghetti one night only to discover you’re missing tomato sauce. This article provides a great checklist to stock your first pantry, when you’re starting from scratch.

The basics

You’ll want to have kosher salt, fine salt, black peppercorns, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic or sherry vinegar, and rice vinegar (unseasoned)

Baking necessities 

For baking, you’ll need flour: all purpose, whole wheat or pastry, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, cocoa powder (unsweetened), chocolate: chips or bar, evaporated milk, pure vanilla extract, sweeteners, granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, and agave syrup

Rice and grains

These include long-grain white rice, brown rice, grains: bulgur, quinoa, couscous or farro, pasta: standard, whole grain, rice noodles or egg noodles, polenta, and breadcrumbs: either plain or panko

Snacks and cereals

Crackers, tortillas, cookies or biscuits, pretzels, marshmallows, popcorn kernels, dried fruit: raisins, apricots or cherries, seeds: sunflower, flax, chia or hemp, peanut butter or almond butter, applesauce, breakfast cereal, old-fashioned rolled oats

Canned goods

Chicken broth, beans: cannellini, navy, chickpeas or black, vegetables: hominy, corn or green beans, olives or capers, chiles: chipotles in adobo or pickled jalapenos, salsa, tomatoes, tomato paste, roasted red peppers, tuna, anchovy fillets or paste

Refrigerator necessities 

Dairy and eggs, milk, plain yogurt: regular or Greek, unsalted butter, cheddar or mozzarella, goat cheese, parmesan (wedge), and eggs

Freezer necessities 

Ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, bacon

Fresh produce

Avocados, carrots, celery, tomatoes: grape, cherry or seasonal beefsteak, broccoli or cauliflower, bell peppers

Leafy greens

Spinach, kale or chard, lettuce: romaine, Boston or mixed greens, flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, thyme, scallions, gingerroot, potatoes: sweet, white or new, onions, garlic, lemons, limes, apples, bananas

Condiments

Jelly, jam or preserves, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard: dijon or whole grain, pickles, hot sauce: tabasco, sriracha or sambal, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce or tamari, Asian fish sauce, toasted sesame oil

Dried herbs and spices

Bay leaves
Cajun seasoning
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder
Crushed red pepper
Curry powder
Fennel or dill seed
Granulated garlic
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Ground cumin
Ground ginger
Oregano
Paprika: sweet and smoked
Rosemary
Sesame seeds
Thyme
Whole nutmeg

Miscellaneous

Bread: baguette or sandwich bread
Vegetables: peas, chopped spinach or corn
Fruit: berries, peaches or mangos
Nuts: almonds, walnuts or pecans
Dough: pizza, pie or puff pastry
Ice cream: sorbet