Some people are good at sports. Some people are amazing artists. My flex? I’m really good at having 5 tubs of sour cream on hand at all times, and enough butter to spread a thousand rolls. 🤣 Read on for all the items I keep in my fridge, pantry, and freezer, plus a long list of meal ideas you can make cooking just from your cupboards!
Table of Contents
OKAY LISTEN LISTEN GUYS. It’s January and this is your official free pass to ignore all the “new-year-new-you” rhetoric out there. At least that’s the mood I’m in this season, how bout you?? Screw ’em. Eat the cookie 😂
But there is one thing that transcends all the resolution-making everyone is obsessed with right now: FOOD. Specifically, pantry preparedness. Because you know what guys? Sometimes I suck at having a plan for dinner. But I AM good at planning for my future irresponsibleness.
Forgot you need to bring something to the potluck at work tomorrow? Tween told you last minute they signed up for the bake sale? Forget that kids need dinner every 24 hours??
I’m in these situations ALL the time. It’s SO important to have shelf stable (or long-lasting) items on hand for these moments!
I know that pantry item choices can be a little personal. Of course everyone has different palates and flavor preferences. Consider this list a jumping point. If there is an item you know you won’t use or don’t like, obviously skip it! This is just what I like to keep on hand, and what I always feel so offended that my Airbnb is not stocked with 😂
If you are looking for a post with pretty pictures of “decanted” kitchens, move on. That’s not something I value, at all. I would wash my hair, clean a toilet, or perhaps even fork my own eyeball before I would take the time to dump all the Cheerios out of the box into a clear glass jar with a label.
My girl Sarah from Snixy Kitchen helps with editing the photos I take for the blog. When she heard I was doing a pantry post, she texted me:
This ain’t no Pinterest post y’all. 🤣 We’re keepin it real over here.
If you’ve got these ingredients, you’ve already got most of what you need to make a ton of my favorite recipes. After the lists (they are below, divided into categories), I’m sharing a whole bunch of recipes that you can make using these staples.
And guess what. We are getting FANCY today. I’m usually not a printable person, but my team put their heads together and created a cute ONE-PAGE printable that you can tack to the inside of your pantry cupboard door. So fun, right?? Enter your email below and I’ll send it right away:
Now for all the details…LET’S GOOOOO
Baking Basics
Cookies, cake, and pie. Straight from your pantry staples! Come to mama…
Baking Pantry
- All-purpose flour
- Bread flour
- Yellow cornmeal
- Granulated (white) sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Brown sugar. Light or dark are both fine. Real talk: I only ever buy dark.
- Chocolate chips. I love Nestle and Ghirardelli. Semi-sweet chips are a must, and dark chocolate chips are great to have on hand too.
- Cocoa powder. I like Ghirardelli cocoa powder.
- Baking powder. Replace an opened can after 6 months.
- Baking soda. Replace an opened box after 6 months.
- Active dry yeast. After you open a container of yeast, store it in the fridge for up to 4 months (or the freezer for up to 6 months.)
- Cream of tartar. Gotta have cream of tartar for Snickerdoodles!
- Cornstarch
- Creamy peanut butter. Choosy moms choose Jif!
- Rolled oats. Also called old fashioned oats.
- Quick oats. Great for some of my softest, most nostalgic cookies. And everyday oatmeal.
- Shortening. I like to keep butter-flavored shortening on hand for baking cookies and making amazingly flaky pie crust. (Recently, I’ve been using lard instead of shortening in my pie crust. LOVE IT)
- Kosher salt. It’s super important to not use a 1-to-1 amount of regular table salt when a recipe calls for kosher salt. They are not the same! If table salt is all you have, use half as much as the recipe calls for.
- Molasses. Amazing for spice cookies and cake! You can usually find molasses with the pancake syrup at your grocery store.
- Vanilla extract. Buy what you can afford and don’t stress too much about what kind to get, especially if what you are making is being baked in the oven.
- Almond extract – for Almond Roca Bars
- Coconut extract – the only way to get perfect Sugar Cookies
- Peppermint extract – for Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, yes please
- Evaporated milk
- Sweetened condensed milk
Dairy and Eggs
- Butter. I only ever buy salted butter. I know, I know, every chef tells you not to do this. I do it anyway. You do you. There’s about 1/4 teaspoon salt in a stick (1/2 cup) of salted butter.
- Eggs (large). Eggs keep for weeks (and, pro tip: if you’re making hard boiled eggs, weeks-old eggs turn out much better than fresh ones).
- Milk (whole). I know a lot of us went through that weird “low-fat is better” time in the 90s, but I promise, whole milk is what you want for baking, cooking, and dunking your cookies in. Treat yoself
- Sour cream. My toxic trait is that I always think we are out of sour cream and buy an extra tub just in case, only to come home to find literally 4 tubs already in the fridge, in various states of opened-ness. I have a lot of fear about a last minute taco night with no sour cream. NOT ON MY WATCH
- Buttermilk. This is a bonus item, if i had to pick one, I would choose sour cream. But one perk is that you can freeze buttermilk and have it on hand whenever you need some. (And if you’re out, you can make a simple substitute I like to call “cheater buttermilk” with whole milk and white vinegar.)
- Cream. You’d be surprised by how many people don’t know that this ISN’T coffee creamer! Heavy cream, whipping cream, or heavy whipping cream are all the same thing, just with different fat content levels. Most of the time they are interchangeable. The nice thing about cream is that it lasts a LONG time in your fridge, especially before it’s opened. It’s not the same as milk. An unopened carton of cream can last a couple of MONTHS. I always have one tucked away.
Cooking Basics
🎶 A well-stocked pantry keeps the dinnertime panic away 🎶 (or so the saying-I-just-made-up goes).
Pantry
- Oil. I keep two kinds on hand:
- Light flavored olive oil. I use this for any “vegetable oil” called for. Use for baking, searing, and deep frying.
- Extra virgin olive oil. For cooking and sauteing.
- Vinegar.
- White vinegar: I buy it in the giant jugs so I can use it for cleaning too, and it lasts basically forever.
- Apple cider vinegar. An ideal base for a tangy dressing.
- Red wine vinegar. An ideal base for a tangy dressing.
- Worcestershire sauce. Silly to pronounce. Absolutely indispensable. Easy to add for great flavor, especially for anything with beef.
- Liquid smoke. This is technically optional in BBQ recipes, but it adds absolutely incredible smoky flavor (and lasts forever in your pantry).
- Tomato sauce. Just the plain canned kind, not pasta sauce with spices added.
- Diced tomatoes. I love fire-roasted, but regular or petite diced tomatoes are great too.
- Whole peeled tomatoes. Your secret ingredient to start the best tomato soup or homemade red pasta sauce of your life.
- Tomato paste. Never meant to be used on its own, but a huge flavor enhancer when it’s added to sauces, soups, or anything else that needs intense tomato goodness. Buy the squeeze tube if possible so you’re not stuck with part of a can left over!
- Canned Beans. A great source of protein when you don’t have meat.
- Black beans
- Pinto Beans
- White beans
- Panko breadcrumbs. These may be in the Asian section of your grocery store, but they might also be with the rest of the breadcrumbs.
- Pasta. Penne and spaghetti are some of my favorites to have on hand.
- Russet potatoes. Perfect for mashed, baked, au gratin…now I’m hungry.
- Yellow onions. If you prefer a milder flavor, choose white onions.
- Jasmine rice. Once you try Jasmine rice, you’ll never go back to plain old white rice. The aroma while it cooks alone is enough to make you convert.
- Brown rice. If you cook it correctly, brown rice is super good (and obviously, a super healthy grain option).
In the Fridge
- Better than Bouillon Chicken Base. So much better than bouillon cubes, and it takes up much less space than canned or boxed chicken broth.
- Better than Bouillon Beef Base. Same idea as the chicken base. Amazing flavor for crockpot beef or beef-based soups.
- Cream cheese. I buy full fat. Go big or go home!
- Sour cream. Full fat or bust.
- Ketchup. Nothing fancy here! Store brand is totally fine.
- Mustard. The regular stuff in the yellow container works great. I love dijon too.
- Mayonnaise.
- Carrots. They last forever in the fridge or in a cool, dry place.
- Celery. Adds a ton of flavor to soups, casseroles, and other easy dinners.
- Lemons. I like to keep fresh lemons on hand, I use them constantly for salad dressing, freshening up my main dish, making cheater buttermilk, etc.
- Cheddar cheese. Buy it in the block and shred it yourself – it’s so much more delicious that way (and it melts much more smoothly).
- Parmesan cheese. NOT the cheese dust in a green jar! The block kind. I like to buy it from Costco because it’s such a great deal.
Freezer basics
- Butter. Yes, young padawan, butter belongs in your fridge and your freezer at all times.
- Ground beef. The start to so many great, cheap, last minute meals.
- Chicken breasts and thighs. I buy these in the huge bags at Costco and they are just always tucked away.
- Shredded mozzarella. Now you can make last minute Homemade Pizza whenever you want. You’re welcome.
- Bacon. Do I need to explain the why here? Okay fine, BLT’s at the VERY least. I mean if bacon isn’t on your essentials list, I think you seriously need to reset your priorities.
- Frozen peas. Did you know you can make a dinner from a bag of frozen peas? 30 Minute Frozen Pea Soup. Peas are also a great veggie to throw into any last minute carby-ground-beefy meal you happen to be making last minute, to make you feel better about the lack of fresh produce, like this One Skillet Meatballs and Rice recipe.
Spices
All of the spices I regularly use and recommend can be found at your local grocery store.
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cardamom. If you haven’t baked with cardamom before, it’s a unique and very flavorful spice to use in baking and Indian cooking!
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground ginger
- Ground cloves
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Cayenne powder
- Paprika
- Smoked paprika
- Black pepper
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Basil
- Bay leaves
- Dry mustard powder
- Parsley
- Sage
- Poultry seasoning
- Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
Recipes you can make JUST using this list!
Who wants to go to the store when you can just…NOT go to the store. Make the recipes below using mostly the ingredients on this list!
Now, for many of the recipes I share, you might need to buy something specific, like a pork shoulder, or a jar of marshmallow cream. But your grocery list will be that much shorter if you already have most of what you need at home!
BUY AHEAD: My biggest hack for keeping up my pantry is buying ahead. When I have a recipe that calls for black beans, and I already have a can of black beans, I still buy a new can of black beans. I use the old one in the recipe I’m making, and then I still have one tucked away for the next time, on a day when I might be hoping to NOT run to the store.
Dinners and sides
- Easy, Creamy Old-Fashioned Potato Soup
- Easy Chicken Curry Recipe (30 Minutes)
- How to Make Tomato Soup (Quick and Easy)
- Classic Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie
- One Skillet Beef Meatballs with Rice and Peas
- Grandma Georgia’s Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
- Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe with Crispy Cheddar Topping
- Easy Baked Meatballs
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf
- Best Chicken Parmesan Recipe (Ultra Crispy)
- Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Classic Deviled Egg Recipe
- Check out this round up of 10 Meals You Can Make From Your Pantry and Freezer, dated March 13, 2020, when the entire world was LOSING IT’S MIND!! remember?? Such a blast from the past, can you believe it’s been 5 years? so weird!!
Bread, rolls, and more
Breakfast
For cookie cravings
- 30 Minute Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Perfectly Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Thick and Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe (That Holds Its Shape)
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies
- Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Thin and Crispy Sugar Cookies (Grandma Prudy’s Recipe)
- Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (Chocolate Snickerdoodles)
- Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
- Swedish Sour Cream Twists
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chewy Brown Sugar Snickerdoodle Blondies
- Nana’s Famous Fudge Brownies
- Ganache-Stuffed Peanut Butter Bars
- Almond Roca Bars
Cake
- Sour Cream Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
- Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake
- The Best Homemade White Cake from Scratch
- Homemade Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- White Texas Sheet Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake with Ganache
- Brown Sugar Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake
- The Best Chocolate Cake I’ve Ever Had
- Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes
- Almond Sheet Cake
Asian Basics
I love Asian-inspired food! So, so good. If you haven’t made Asian food at home much, don’t worry–you really don’t need that many ingredients for a well-stocked Asian pantry. I can find all of these in the Asian section (or in the spice aisle) at my grocery store; if you can’t, check your local Asian market or order online. You really can make SO many Asian recipes with just this list.
- Soy sauce. Kikkoman and Lee Kum Kum are both popular brands in US grocery stores. If you’d rather use a low-sodium soy sauce, just be aware that your finished dish will taste less salty!
- Fish sauce. Don’t be scared of fish sauce! A little bit adds a lot of amazing umami flavor to Thai-inspired dishes.
- Rice vinegar. Rice vinegar has a noticeably different flavor than regular vinegar. It’s less intensely tangy and has a subtle sweetness.
- Sesame seeds. Toasted or untoasted are both great.
- Sweet chili sauce. Huy Fong and Mae Ploy are common brands you may come across.
- Sesame oil. You can use regular sesame oil or toasted, both work great.
- Oyster sauce. If you’re wondering why your homemade stir fry doesn’t taste like takeout, oyster sauce might be what you’re missing. It’s not fishy at all, it just adds a rich sweet and salty taste to your food.
- Hoisin sauce. A sweet and spicy sauce used in Chinese cuisine.
- Rice wine (Aji-Mirin). Like rice vinegar, but sweeter.
- Chili garlic sauce. I like Sambal Oelek!
- Garam masala. This one may be with the spices rather than in the Asian section.
- Yellow curry powder. You’ll likely find this one with the spices too.
- Turmeric. Easy to find in any spice section. Watch out for white countertops, clothing, and porous dishes. Turmeric is delicious but it can stain things a bright yellow.
- Coconut milk (light or full-fat). Coconut milk won’t give your savory dishes a sweet “coconut” flavor but it will lend them a delectable creaminess.
My favorite Asian recipes
Use those Asian pantry staples (plus some meat and vegetables) to make some of my favorite Asian-inspired meals and sides.
- Asian Seared Chicken with Stir Fried Green Beans
- Asian Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze (Slow Cooker)
- Sheet Pan Asian Salmon with Broccoli, Carrots, and Rice Noodles
- Thai Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce
- P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- Asian Cauliflower “Rice”
- Marinated Asian Cucumber Salad with Rice Vinegar
Printable Pantry List
And that’s it, folks!
Here is the form again, if you would like me to email you a PDF with a one-page printable of this pantry list! Happy cooking, and Happy New Year!
Is it terrible that I feel better about myself because I buy so many of the same brands I see in your pantry pictures? 🤷🏼♀️😂🤣
I was today years old when I learned that I can keep shredded mozzarella cheese in my freezer!
Thank you for making me a better and Happier baker and cook Karen!
Not terrible at all Claire, pat yourself on the back for being a great shopper!! oh and yes, freeze ALL the shredded cheese! I always have tons packed away in the freezer! Life saver for taco and pizza night. Thank you so much for commenting Claire, I’m so happy to hear from you!
This is such an amazing list! I have been making your recipes for years but haven’t commented yet and wanted to say, anytime I need a recipe I always check here first! Secondly, I can totally relate to your sour cream toxic trait LOL it made me laugh to know I’m not alone out here with my irrational fear of a sour cream-less taco night!
Thank you for putting this list together! When I started trying to cook more at home I really struggled to figure out what are the staple items to keep on hand. Over the years I have (sort of) figured out the basics but this is super all inclusive and I love it. Nailed it once again!
Happy 2025!
Kayla, it’s so good to hear from you, thank you for taking the time to comment!! You made my day :) I think we would be great friends, anyone whose sour cream obsession is as strong as mine has to be a kindred spirit 🤣 I’m so glad you’re finding this list helpful! Props to you for cooking more at home!!
I love this post, too! As someone who’s organizationally challenged, it’s really helpful to see how others manage.
I was wondering if you’ve ever used the buttermilk powder that you keep in the refrigerator after opening? My mom swears by it. I’ve used it, but sometimes when I have a baked goods fail, I wonder if that was why. You mix water with it when ready to use, but it doesn’t turn out as thick as regular buttermilk.
Hey Tina! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post! I am also organizationally challenged, see above about 5 tubs of sour cream 🤣 And I totally used to use buttermilk powder! I even have some old (old) posts that recommend it. But I don’t use it anymore. I always have milk on hand, and usually a lemon (and definitely some vinegar) to make cheater buttermilk (1 Tablespoon adic + 1 cup milk). I don’t know that the powdered stuff would cause baked goods to fail necessarily, but it definitely has less fat than using a milk product, which could impact the recipe. Essentially it’s tangy powdered milk, so not the same as a dairy product. Pro tip: did you know you can freeze milk?? I got this tip from my sister. She always takes whatever milk is in her fridge before she goes on vacation and sticks it in the freezer, then takes it out the moment she gets home. to thaw. It TOTALLY WORKS! Game changer. So my point is, you could always keep frozen milk on hand, then make cheater buttermilk. WAIT! Or you could just freeze buttermilk 😂 and thaw as needed. Hope this helps!!
You are a girl after my own heart. ❤️ I LOVE this post. And I love having ALL the food in my pantry and freezers! More is better!! I hate running to the grocery store so the more stuff I can have at home the less time running to the store!
Kris, you are my pantry queen idol. I can only aspire to your level. I wish I had taken pictures of YOUR pantry for this post! Seriously folks, it’s like a grocery store in her cellar. Amazing!