11 Items Needed In Your Pantry
Today, I’m sharing 11 items needed in your pantry. Sometimes we need to see lists over and over before we say, “oh my gosh, I forgot that one.” Knowing which items to buy can come in handy if you’d like to stock your pantry with the essentials. However, if you’re not sure what to put in your pantry, check out this list of the 11 essentials that you can put to good use when preparing different meals for yourself and your loved ones.
11 Items Needed In Your Pantry
1. Pasta
Always have pasta in your pantry because you don’t know when you might need it to make a full lunch or dinner meal, or even a quick pasta salad. You can buy different types of pasta, including spaghetti, fettuccine, macaroni, rotini, and more. It’s always good to have a versatile selection of pasta in the pantry. Don’t forget that you can also make homemade soups and add pasta to them with meat, veggies, and seasonings.
2. Seasonings
Be sure to get a whole variety of seasonings that will add flavor to your food. Some of the best herbs include pepper, garlic powder, seasoning salt, cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning, and garlic salt. Then, of course, you can grab what you like to use on your favorite foods. Even if you’re on a budget, you can find most spices at low prices if you check store ads and are willing to try your favorite store’s brand name. Another place to check for special deals is at the dollar store.
3. Chicken, Beef and Vegetable Bouillon Cubes
Buy some chicken bouillon cubes and have them in the pantry for different meals. For example, you can toss them in a pot of boiling water to prepare the chicken broth for soups and other meals. Put them in a pot with rice to give your rice more flavor, and use them in other meals to take the flavor to the next level.
Once you start using chicken bouillon cubes in your cooking, you won’t want to go back to those old bland meals of times past. Chicken Bouillon Cubes.
And don’t forget beef and vegetable bouillon cubes. They add so much flavor to so many meals.
4. Canned Vegetables
Collect canned vegetables while they’re on sale and then keep them in the pantry. Then, you can serve heated canned vegetables as a side dish with some of your favorite foods, including chicken, pork chops, turkey breast, and meatloaf. The last few times I’ve been to a number of local grocery stores they’ve all had case goods sales in full swing. Take advantage of them NOW.
While canned vegetables don’t have that fresh taste that fresh vegetables have, they’re still delicious and nutritious. So, if you want to make sure you have something healthy and flavorful to put on your plate, get canned peas, carrots, beets, green beans, and more.
In case you missed this post, Canned Foods I Highly Recommend You Store
5. Boxed Cake Mix
It’s always beneficial to buy boxed cake mixes while on sale and have them in your pantry because you don’t know when you might need to make a cake in a hurry. If your kids are in the mood for something sweet or someone’s birthday is approaching, you have the cake mix and can prepare a delicious dessert easily by following the box instructions.
However, you can also make the boxed cake mix with minimal ingredients, such as one can of your favorite soda. It comes out tasting good and is perfect to use in a pinch when you don’t have eggs or milk available for the batter.
The month of October typically has my favorite Duncan Hines brand of cake mixes on sale 2 for $2.00. They only do it once a year, so I like to buy 12 boxes to get me through months of special holidays, birthdays, or other events calling for a cake.
6. Beans
Start buying different types of beans for your pantry, such as black beans, pinto beans, and even red kidney beans. You can make side dishes with them, add them to rice, and use them in different recipes, such as slow cooker meals and casseroles. Beans are good for you, containing essential vitamins and nutrients that can improve health. Most varieties of beans are a great source of protein too.
7. Peanut Butter
As long as no one in the household has a peanut allergy, it’s a good thing to have a container of peanut butter in the pantry. It’s great for making quick peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but you can also use it in many different recipes.
For example, peanut butter is a great ingredient to have when you’re making homemade cookies or cake and want to add that peanut butter taste to those baked treats. It’s also great to spread on crackers or serve with fruit and veggies.
Who doesn’t love peanut butter and jelly/jam sandwiches, right?
8. Canned Tomatoes
Don’t forget about canned tomatoes! The canned tomatoes are fantastic to have in the pantry because you can put them in soups and stews to add more flavor. There are different variations of canned tomatoes, including stewed and diced options. In addition, canned tomatoes typically don’t cost much money.
9. Hot Sauce/Salsa
If you like a little spice in your food, be sure to buy your favorite hot sauce or salsa and keep it stocked in the pantry. Then, you can add it to nearly anything, such as fried chicken, rice, tacos, and other flavorful foods, to easily enhance the flavor and the “heat” that your food will have.
10. Brown Rice
Be sure to buy brown rice and store it in a container in your pantry. You can make traditional brown rice, or prepare different variations of it by adding ingredients and spices to it, such as vegetables, soy sauce, garlic powder, and more.
Brown rice is a great side dish to serve with vegetables and meat or fish, such as chicken, salmon, flounder, and pork. But, of course, you don’t need to eat meat with it. You can even add it to homemade burritos to make them more fulfilling, if you’d like.
Keep in mind, brown rice doesn’t have a very long shelf-life because of the oil in the bran layer, it only stays good for about 6 months.
11. Flour
Finally, one of the most important staples of all time to have in your pantry is flour. You can do so much with flour, such as preparing pancakes, making waffles, coating chicken before frying it, making a cake from scratch, and so much more.
It’s a valuable ingredient to have when you want to make homemade gravy or thicken up some of your favorite soups, too. Because many recipes call for a bit of flour, you can’t go wrong with having it in your house.
Final Word
When you’re planning to stock up on the essentials and add them to your pantry, these are the 11 items you need to have. Of course, you don’t have to rush out to the store and buy them all at once, but consider getting these items when you can find them on sale to get them at the best price.
When you have these staples in your closet, you have what you need to make all kinds of meals for yourself and your loved ones. In addition, you’re more than likely to have what you need when following different recipes. May God Bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Spaghetti and Rice Depositphotos_216187588_s-2019
Linda, this is a good list! I don’t keep brown rice on hand as it doesn’t last as long as white rice, but I do prefer it’s taste. With beans and rice, a little seasonings, you can make some really good foods. Yum. We keep Suddenly Salad on hand. I buy it up when it’s on sale. Last time, it was $1 a box. I do add some chopped onion to it. You can make it from scratch. It’s easy. The original, I use pasta, and Italian dressing. Add some chopped onion and olives and it’s so good. Of course you can add whatever you want to it. I like chopped broccoli in mine. And have used Finley grated carrots.
I keep garlic powder, not salt, on hand, as well as dehydrated onion. I also like to keep beef bouillon cubes in my pantry.
Hi Deborah, oh my gosh, I forgot you told me about Suddenly Salad. I used to buy that and loved it! Thanks for the reminder! I like beef bouillon cubes as well. We can cook just about anything, anytime, anywhere. Life is so good! Linda
Yes, we can cook almost anything we want. And add ins is just a bonus. I have the spices that I need to make Taco seasoning as well as a few others. I do like making my own mixes. Easy and I know what’s in them.
Hi Deborah, that is so true. It’s so easy to make them and yes, indeed, we know what’s in them! Linda
I always have garlic powder and showed a person just last week how to make bread for spaghetti I fixed when you have no bread.
Loaf bread, butter, and garlic powder.
I just treat it like toast. Delicious..better than garlic bread; lots cheaper.
HI JayJay, great tip! I love making garlic bread with regular bread! I even cut the bread into slices so my kids could dip the bread in the spaghetti sauce! Now I want to make some!! Linda
Hi Linda:
I don’t keep bouillon cubes because they have too much salt. I also don’t keep Hot Sauce or Picante Sauce I can make my own Picante Sauce that tastes better then store bought and my family likes it better. When I make it I buy 2 #10 cans of tomatoes, cilantro, Garlic and some chilli peppers that I buy locally. I also don’t like Garlic Powder or Garlic Salt. I use Granulated Garlic and Granulated Onion. They really do taste better than Garlic Powder and Garlic Salt. One funny thing about my Picante Sauce is that I never had a recipe. My daughter brought some home one time and I read the ingredients and I put so much of this and that and it turned out great. Now my family won’t eat store bought picante sauce. Of course I use New Mexican Chili’s
Hi Jackie, oh my gosh, homemade Picante would always be better!!! Now my mouth is watering, I love Picante Sauce!! Great comment! Linda
I love this list- added some things to shop for! I know you have a connection to amazon but do you know of any small/family businesses that sell similar items that you can post a link to? Amazon is unfairly crushing these small stores & they are really struggling, I’d like to help them out too! Appreciate your articles/newsletter so much!
Hi Suzanne, that’s a great idea. When I know the companies and have used their products, I would love to use their links. Great idea! Linda
Suzanne:
I don’t know where you live but we have a Albertsons, a Lows Grocery Store, and a store called Smokies near where we live in New Mexico. I used to go to Smokies all the time but they grew and stopped selling their Anistazi beans so we don’t go there anymore.
Linda,
I’m with Deborah on the brown rice. I only use white rice for long term storage–in mylar bags with O2 absorbers.
I have vacuum sealed pasta but have found simply putting it in glass jars with O2 absorbers keeps it from getting buggy during long term storage.
I’d add beef bouillon cubes to the list–if you can find them. They are completely out of stock at our stores.
Oh I got a surpirse when I was out fertilizing my Asparagus beds today. New spears are coming up. Looks like I’ll be getting a second asparagus crop this year.
Hi Ray, yes, I only buy a small bag of brown rice every few years because it goes bad so quickly. You know, I’m glad you mentioned the beef bouillon, I had a hard time finding any bouillon when I started making my soups in a jar. Oh, man, a second asparagus crop! Squeal! I love it! Linda
Linda,
When you get to your new place plant a Purple Passion Asparagus bed. You won’t be sorry.
Hi Ray, oh, I will check with you for sure on which ones to plant. I tried asparagus here and it did fairly well. I will try the type you mentions. Thank you, my friend, Linda
I wonder if brown rice would last longer in the freezer??
H JayJay, yes it would last longer in the freezer. It’s like nuts, I keep them in the freezer because of their oil content. Linda
Why only chicken bouillon cubes?
I buy containers of loose or powdered bouillon. I also use beef bouillon and vegetable bouillon.
Hi Madeline, I added beef to the post. I should add vegetable bouillon now, thank you. Sometimes, it’s 2:00 am in the morning and I’m trying to beat the clock before it goes live at 5:00 am. Thanks for the reminder. Linda
I’ve got to add #12 and #13: oils and sweeteners. Oils can be olive, vegetable, lard, shortening or spray , etc. Sweeteners can be white or brown sugar, honey, stevia, even artificial sweeteners. I’d faint (lol) if I went to cook almost anything and needed one of these to find I was out. Loved your list as you listed a lot of types of each category.
Hi Wendy, yes we need oils and sweeteners for sure!!! I love it!! I have a sweet tooth and I love to bake so you nailed it! Linda
Linda,
I forgot to mention I’d add Old Fashioned Oatmeal–the kind you cook. I’m not much for steel cut oats touted by many others but regular oatmeal stored in jars with O2 absorbers lasts a very long time without going bad.
Hi Ray, I have stored both types of oatmeal, but I’m with you, I love the regular old-fashioned oats! Love it! Linda
I am in south Ky, central. I have never found a store here that has case sales.
That peanut butter stores well in the freezer–I am eating generic BB 2015 right now.
I have so many canned tomatoes, I didn’t can any this summer…I could eat spag. type pasta with tomatoes every day.
My flour is White Lily and if you weren’t aware, this makes real southern biscuits. When the covid scare began in 2020 with stores being crazy with their restrictions, I bought several bags at Walmart, put two in the freezer and vacuum sealed the others in pint canning jars-the right size for two, but now I don’t need for two. Lasts longer for me now.
Enjoy the great fall weather.
Hi JayJay, oh I need to look for some White Lily flour, thanks for the tip!! I like your tip on putting peanut butter in the freezer!!!! I love pasta with tomatoes, sounds so good right now! I think the case lot sales are more out here in the west. Unless the stores see a need for them they will not order case lot sale products. I have bought them in Utah for over 50 years, so there is a need here for sure. And the bonus, is they are name brands typically 1/2 price. Linda
Chocolate! Must have chocolate in my pantry!
Hi Robbie, YEAH!! Lol! We must have chocolate!! I love it! Linda