The Perfect Pantry Starts with a List

I have had so many requests to share a list of items I keep on hand at all times for cooking.  Of course those would include staples such as milk, butter, eggs, flour, sugar, salt etc.  However we enjoy a wide variety of different cuisines and I like to keep a number of different ingredients on hand so that I can make what we like at any given time.  I am one of those people who absoultely hates to run out of things.  If I am sitting in my kitchen and decide that I want to make chocolate chip muffins and then gather all my ingredients together only to find that I am out of chocolate chips, I am starting the day in a bad mood.  

Being prepared is always best.  I like to buy groceries when they are on sale and I usually stock up when the price is right.  That being said, I always look at this like a hedge against inflation as well because if I purchased chocolate chips during the holiday baking sales and I am eating them six months later then I am most likely saving money because it is very unlikely that chocolate chips are going on sale in June like they do in December.  I like to "go shopping" in my pantry and this is something I pride myself on.  Today I want to focus on a back to basics mindset of what I always have on hand to be able to make basic meals and treats on the fly.  So here is a basic list of what I like to always keep on hand.
 

Oils, Vinegars and Condiments

Oils:  sunflower oil, coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, sesame oil & toasted sesame
Vinegars: balsamic, cider, distilled white, white wine, red wine, rice
Ketchup (Simply Heinz)
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Yellow mustard
Spicy brown mustard
Soy sauce
Chili paste
Hot sauce
Worcestershire
Thai sweet chili sauce
Fish sauce
Sambal
Sriracha
Sweet Relish
 

Seasonings

Kosher salt
Himalayan pink salt (used in place of table salt)
Tri peppercorn blend for my pepper grinder

Dried herbs and spices: garlic powder, onion powder, marjoram, thyme, dried basil, bay leaves, dried rosemary,  cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika, rosemary, thyme leaves, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, nutmeg,
 
Spice blends: several Szeged rubs for chicken, steak, fish and ribs as well as their amazing pizza seasoning,  chili powder, Montreal steak seasoning, Italian seasoning
Vanilla extract, almond extract, Fiore Di Sicilla extract
 

                   Canned Goods and Bottled Items

Canned beans: black, cannellini, chickpeas, kidney

Capers
Olives calamata and spanish
Peanut butter
Preserves or jelly
Low-sodium stock or broth
Canned tomatoes
Tomatoes, canned and paste
Organic canned mushrooms
Evaporated milk
Sweetened condensed milk
Coconut milk
Canned pumpkin
Salsa
Tuna fish
Canned salmon
Canned clams
Home canned chicken, beef and pork shoulder
Roasted red peppers
Chopped green chilies
Pickled jalapenos
Chipoltle chilies
Anchovies
Canned fruit such as peaches, pears or mandarin oranges
Bottled pasta sauce
 

Grains and Legumes

Breadcrumbs: regular, Panko
Couscous
Quinoa
Pasta: long and short cut

Egg noodles
Par-cooked rice 
long grain rice
wild rice
Rolled oats
Barley
Granola
Popcorn
Dried beans,
Split peas
lentils
pinto
black
small red
dark red kidney
lima
garbanzo
navy
 

Baking Products

Baking powder
Baking soda
Dutch process cocoa powder

Powdered sugar
Brown sugar
Cornstarch
Tapioca starch
All-purpose flour
Bread Flour
Granulated sugar
Honey
Lyle's Golden Syrup
Saf instant yeast
Dried milk powder
Instant potato flakes (for baking)
Vanilla beans
 

Refrigerator Basics

Butter
Cheese: 

sharp cheddar, 

Parmesan, 

mozzarella Deli ham
Deli sliced chicken
Deli American cheese
Muenster cheese
Large egg

Milk
Heavy cream
Buttermilk
Vanilla yogurt
Flour tortillas in soft taco and burrito size
Chopped garlic or garlic paste
Lemongrass paste
Ginger Paste
Chili Paste
Dill Pickles
Italian dressing
Grated Horseradish
Better Than Bullion, beef, chicken, vegetable and mushroom
 

Freezer Basics

Ground and whole bean coffee

Chocolate chips
Frozen fruit:

pineapple chunks, 

blueberries, 

strawberries
Frozen vegetables: 

broccoli, 

califlower, 

corn, 

green and wax beans, 

peas, 

spinach
Pierogies
Grass fed ground beef
Ground Pork
Chicken breasts
Pork tenderloin
Tilapia filets
Salmon filiets
Local shrimp
 

Long Storage Produce
Garlic
Yellow or Vidalia onions depending on the season
Potatoes, red, Yukon gold and/or russets
Dried fruit: raisins, apples, apricots, cranberries
Nuts or seeds: almonds, peanuts,  walnuts, pecans,sunflower, chia and hemp seeds
 

Don't let the list intimidate you.  These are things that I always have on hand to make a quick meal, or some bread.  This is a time saver and a security blanket for me during times when there is harsh weather like a freak snow storm or a hurricane watch.  When the kids are home from school and everyone else is scurrying around like a chicken with their head cut off trying to get what they don't have on hand, I don't have to worry about going to the store because I have everything I need to throw together a great breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert.
 
You need to pick and choose what you use the most.  Staples, like flour, sugar, salt, pepper,

eggs, butter, and milk are things everyone should have on hand.  Those things alone will help you to have a good source of protein and you can make at least six different things from those alone.  Add some cheese and you get even more.  We love Asian/Thai as well as Italian and Mexican food so we are heavy on the things we need for those flavor profiles in our pantry and kitchen.  If you like something different, you can absolutely adjust accordingly.  Everyone's "staple" list is going to vary depending on what they enjoy most. 
 
I hope this gives you some idea of what we love to keep on hand.  Also keep in mind that we make cooking videos for our YouTube channel on a nearly daily basis so while our list may be long, we have a reason for that.  This should give you a starting point if you want to get a better grasp on what to put in your pantry.
 
I hope that you enjoyed this little rundown and I hope it helps you!

Till next time, I'll see ya!