what to stock your pantry with

• Parchment paper (or baking pan liners)
• Foil
• Plastic wrap (or reusable, eco-friendly option like beeswax wraps)
• Reusable bags (like Stasher — for storing produce / leftovers)
• Glass jars / containers (for storing produce / leftovers)
• Label maker (for organizing pantry)

Full Answer

How to stock a pantry on a budget?

Packaged goods for your kitchen pantry: Biscuit Mix Brownie Mix Cake Mix Cereal Cereal Bars Chips Coffee Crackers Gelatin Granola Bars Hot Chocolate Mix Instant Mashed Potatoes Instant Oatmeal Instant Pudding Macaroni and Cheese Microwave Popcorn Muffin Mix Nuts Pancake Mix Salsa Stuffing Mix Taco ...

What should I have in my pantry?

brown sugar (I normally go with dark) all purpose flour baking powder baking soda cocoa powder vanilla extract (My favorite is Nielsen-Massey - so good!) cornstarch instant oats cornmeal These items will be the basis of all your doughs, cakes, cookies and pastries.

How to stock your pantry for any emergency?

Jan 18, 2021 · Canned canned tomatoes tomato sauce canned fruit pickles canned beans (black beans, baked beans, others) chicken broth olives

How to stock a Healthy Pantry?

Nov 04, 2019 · Chia Seeds (optional) Coconut Flakes Flaxseed Hemp Seeds Pumpkin Seeds (raw) Sesame Seeds Sunflower Seeds (raw and unsalted)

What should I stock up on a food shortage?

Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and a can opener.Protein or fruit bars.Dry cereal or granola.Peanut butter.Dried fruit.Canned juices.Non-perishable pasteurized milk.High-energy foods.More items...

What are the best foods to stockpile?

Healthy Food to Stockpile for Pandemic Flu Extended Home StayStock up on canned foods that contain liquid.Dry goods like rice, pasta, grains, beans, and oats.Frozen peas, carrots, spinach, berries, and the like.Ready to eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups.Protein or fruit bars.Dry cereal or granola.More items...

How do I stock my pantry for the first time?

How to Stock a Pantry for the First Time on a Budget:Don't Buy Everything at Once. Buy just what you actually need for the next couple weeks. ... Buy in Bulk. ... Buy on Sale. ... Store Brands. ... Shop at Cheaper Stores. ... Accept Food From Others. ... Keep Food Simple. ... Use Substitutes.More items...•Aug 11, 2020

What should I stock up for 2021?

Stocking up on a year's supply of something just to have it go bad in a couple of weeks would be a waste of money....Following are some of the best options if you're looking to add to your stockpile.Cleaning supplies. ... Soap. ... Peanut butter. ... White rice. ... Prescription medications. ... Dried beans and lentils. ... Candy. ... Pasta.More items...

What does a 3 month supply of food look like?

A three month supply would require 90 breakfast bags, 90 lunch bags (if desired), and 90 dinner bags. It's that easy. Gather your favorite quick and simple recipes and make copies of them. One copy for each time you would like to eat that meal.

How can I stock my pantry for cheap?

How to stock a pantry for the first time without spending too much money? Set a weekly budget. ... Create a menu plan or a meal plan! ... Make a shopping list. ... Do not buy everything at once. ... Order your groceries online. ... Shop at cheaper stores. ... Only buy food that you enjoy and regularly eat. ... Buy store brands.More items...•Mar 3, 2021

How do I stock a healthy pantry?

Pantry OrganizationTop Shelf: Bulk Dry Goods, Nuts + Seeds.2nd Shelf: Baking Goods (Flours), Teas, Snacks + Chips.3rd Shelf: Oils, Vinegars, Condiments + Crackers.4th Shelf: Grains, Pastas, Rice + Cereals.5th Shelf: Canned Goods, Nut Butters + Sauces.Bottom Shelf: Superfoods, Sweeteners + Sweet Treats.

Is there a food shortage coming in 2022?

"All food prices are now predicted to increase," the USDA's Food Prices Outlook for 2022 March report said. The increases are the highest in decades as grocery prices got more expensive and rose nearly 9% for the year.Apr 5, 2022

The Pantry

Dried or Canned Beans: Beans and legumes are shelf-stable and pack protein and fiber, which keep you full. Fill your cart with canned beans like black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans, which you can use to make a bean salad, chili, or vegetable quesadillas.

The Freezer

Frozen Vegetables: Without grocery store access, you can still prepare for a well-rounded diet with plenty of vegetables by taking advantage of the frozen food aisle.

The Fridge

Cheese: When properly wrapped, hard and aged cheeses like Parmesan, Cheddar and Swiss will last a good while in your fridge, as will cured meats like ham, bacon, and salami.

The Rest of the House

Medicines: Sure, not part of your pantry, but worth reiterating so you don’t forget it. You should ensure that you have a two-week supply of any medications or supplements that you take on a regular basis.

Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

Oils, vinegars and condiments are the backbone of many recipes. They're necessary for quick marinades, salad dressings, pan sauces and more. For a cook with an eye toward healthy ingredients, this collection of pantry staples helps you swap out convenience foods that are often filled with too much sodium, sugar and other unnecessary ingredients.

Seasonings

A seasonings cabinet or drawer can quickly begin to burst at the seams. Unique spice mixes you used just once sit stale beside the cumin and coriander, which do get a fair share of use in a variety of recipes, from Mexican and Southeast Asian dishes to beef stews and more.

Canned & Bottled Goods

While your first inclination may say otherwise, some canned foods are indispensable in healthy cooking. Canned tomatoes, for example, can be used in soups and stews, but they're also a boon to many quick and healthy skillet meals and one-pot pastas.

Grains & Legumes

Beans, rice, whole grains and lentils can be added to a plethora of dishes for instant protein and filling fiber. They also store well, so you can keep them on hand for a considerable time, and they go from season to season-in soups and stews in the winter and in light grain sides in spring and summer.

Nuts, Seeds & Fruits

You may think these kitchen pantry staples are best suited for snacks and trail mixes, but a cook with an eye toward healthy eating knows they can be used in everything from salads and grain bowls to muffins, quick breads and quick coatings for proteins (like this Walnut-Rosemary Crusted Salmon ).

Refrigerator Basics

We use the term kitchen pantry to refer to your cold storage, as well as dry storage. These ingredients should be kept stocked in your fridge, as they can quickly and easily be used for many fast dinners. Yogurt, for example, is a great snack, but it can be a dipping sauce for fish or pork. or turn into a dressing for falafel or shawarma.

Freezer Basics

Yes, the freezer counts as part of you kitchen pantry too. You can use this chilly storage option to keep a number of foods good longer, which gives you more time-and more options-for using them up. A stash of frozen vegetables promises you'll have a healthy, crisp side in the bleak mid-winter months.

Keep everything you need for quick dinners and easy snacks with our favorite pantry staples

Keeping the pantry stocked with everything you might need is a daunting task. One of our favorite secrets for maintaining a well-stocked pantry is to keep it simple. Look for versatile pantry staples that can double as dinners or snacks. We’ve rounded up our favorite healthy and inexpensive foods to have on hand for easy meals.

Ambrosia Salad

During last-minute menu planning, I often include this classic ambrosia salad recipe because I keep the ingredients on hand. —Judi Bringegar, Liberty, North Carolina

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Now a freelance health and food writer, Carrie worked as a nurse for over a decade. When she isn't hunched over her laptop with a baby in hand, you will find her cooking her grandmother’s recipes, lacing up her running shoes or sipping coffee in the bathroom to hide from her three young children.

Step 1: Fridge Basics

Salted and unsalted! Salted can be used for pretty much everything but baking.

Step 2: Freezer Basics

I like to keep broccoli, peas and corn in the freezer. Frozen is often better than canned - they taste nicer and you avoid the large amounts of sodium.

Step 4: Herbs, Spices and Seasonings

This depends entirely on what you'd like to cook! I've written up a larger instructable on this, so I suggest checking that out:

Step 5: Canned & Jarred Goods

I normally keep tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and whole tomatoes on hand. You can make all sorts of lovely things with tomatoes - pasta sauces, soups, chilis, etc.

Step 6: Grains and Pasta

Really just whatever you like, honestly! I try to keep 3-4 boxes on hand.

Why a pantry makes sense

You already have a pantry, in a sense, whether you realize it or not. There are multiple ingredients in your kitchen that you always have. You see it in a recipe and you don’t need to go shopping for it. At the very minimum, salt. When you run low on salt, you buy it. It’s always there.

Start with your recipes

This is how we reverse-engineer a pantry that will actual work for you. The goal here is stock up on foods you are actually going to eat, not to stuff a bunch of things on a shelf to gather dust.

Buying the ingredients

If you have a membership to a warehouse club, filling a new pantry is a great time to make use of it.

How to stock your pantry on a budget

Feel like all this sounds great, but your grocery bill is already high and you just can’t afford to buy extras of everything? I get it.

Grab your free pantry stocking guide

This is a resource to help you make a list tailored around your meals, a plan for buying the food you need, and more.

Making use of all this work

Believe it or not, many people never eat the food they put in their pantry. Hopefully we have avoided this by using our recipes and being realistic. But the next step is that you have to consume this stuff. When you sit down to work on your meal plan and shopping list for the week, don’t forget about what you’ve already stored!

How a pantry saves you money

Once you’ve stocked up on things, you are in control. You can (and should) add to your stash before you run out, but you have the luxury of time. You can wait for a sale or a great coupon deal, and replenish ingredients when they are at their lowest price.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Are you the type of person who likes to jump all in and stock everything you’ll need at once? Go for it! Below you’ll find the resources you need to start nerding out and stocking your kitchen with the tools you’ll need.

How to Get Organized

Early in my cooking journey I would buy random bags of lentils, flours, and grains and use them frantically throughout the week. By Friday I’d open up my pantry and ingredients would be falling all over each other like an unorganized mess.

Downloads

Ready to stock your pantry? Jump all in with our Complete Pantry List below. Or, for beginners and those with limited space, our Only the Essentials list is the way to go. Enjoy!

How to Stock a Pantry on a Budget

Stocking up your pantry? Yep, you need to add it to your budget. If you know you want to stock up on dry goods the next time you hit the grocery store, then figure out how much you want to spend on that.

Get a FREE Customized Plan for Your Money!

Answer a few questions, and we'll create a plan tailored just for you. It only takes three minutes!

Learn to Stock Up on Food That Lasts

Linnea Covington has been writing about food for over a decade. From farmers' markets to award-winning restaurants, if the eats prove good, she's there, often trailed by her two young boys.

Make a List

Don't join the hordes of people lined up at the grocery store without a list. Print and use our helpful list above as a guide to stock your pantry to last for at least two weeks.

Figure Out How Much You Need

Before making the shopping list, figure out just how many people will be eating and the number of meals, including snacks, that everyone needs each day. It is likely that if you are self-isolating, you will be making all of your own meals.

Jarred and Canned Foods

Some canned vegetables are tastier than others. For example, canned tomatoes taste like a ripe tomato, where most canned peas can be mushy and lack flavor. Canned corn or green beans work well when thrown into a casserole or stew, but the carrot version may be too soft for even cooked applications.

Carbs

Keep carbs handy. Many of them store well. Not only does this type of food last for a long time. You should have enough all-purpose and other flours for bread and baked goods. Pasta is easy to stock up on and different noodle types such as spaghetti, farfalle, shells, rigatoni, and so on keep meals interesting.

Pantry Proteins

While canned beans are fine, dried beans actually last longer when stored in a cool, dry spot. Stock up on various types of these legumes and get ready to make chili, stews, dips, and cassoulet while hunkering down in the house. Keep a can or jar of tahini with those dried chickpeas so protein-rich hummus can be made on demand.

Don't Forget Fresh Foods

Fresh foods are still available and, when stored properly, can last weeks or even months. Look around in your store: the vegetables that are not refrigerated are the ones to lean on here. Mainly we're talking about root vegetables, potatoes, onions, garlic, hard squashes, lemons and apples. All these foods keep well in a cool, dry, dark place.