Read this article and take an inventory of your pantry before your next grocery trip to stock up on pantry staples!

I think we have all faced the question: "What should I eat for dinner tonight?"

It can be hard enough to choose a recipe with the seemingly infinite number of recipes out there. Not to mention, once I start getting hungry, the last thing I want to do is wander around the grocery store to find a million items for the recipe I finally chose.

Update your next grocery list to help your future self

It's ultra-convenient to have a well-stocked pantry with pantry staples that can be used in a majority of recipes you want to cook. This will not only save you time from needing to buy groceries every time you are ready to cook dinner, but can also provide inspiration for creating something new based on what you have on hand!

10 of my favorite pantry staples

Oil, Stock, and Vinegar

1. Oil

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I have been loving Graza olive oils lately! This duo pack comes with one oil for cooking and one for drizzling as a finishing oil on dishes. (Get $5 off with the code CAROLBEECOOKS by the way)
• Avocado Oil - Avocado Oil is great for cooking at higher heat
• Sesame Oil - great for Asian dishes, dressings, and sauces
• Chili Oil

2. Better Than Bouillon Bases - love having these bases on hand rather than cans or cartons of broth/stock. One jar lasts for months, is more economically friendly, takes up less room, and tastes great.

• Chicken - I use chicken the most personally
• Beef
• Vegetable

3. Vinegar

• Balsamic Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Rice Vinegar
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Black Vinegar - great for Asian noodle dishes, dipping sauce for dumplings, or poured over soup dumplings

Canned/Jarred Items

4. Tomatoes

• San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes - these are my favorite tomatoes! I use them to make pasta sauce, pizza sauce, dipping sauce, etc. I prefer these over diced tomatoes because they are higher quality and you can crush them into any size you need
• Crushed Tomatoes - I love keeping a can of Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes on hand for cooking
• Pasta Sauce - Rao's is my favorite jarred sauce. I like making homemade pasta sauce, but it's super convenient to have some jarred sauce on hand for quicker dinners.
• Tomato Paste
• Sun-Dried tomatoes

5. Beans

• Black Beans
• Chickpeas
• Cannellini Beans
• Refried Beans

6. Condiments

• Dijon Mustard
• Soy Sauce
• Fish Sauce
• Hot Sauce
• Honey
• Ketchup
• Miso Paste
• Gochujang Paste

Dry Ingredients

7. Grains

• Pasta
  • I like keeping at least one long shape on hand such as spaghetti or linguine
  • I like having at least one short shape on hand such as rigatoni or bowties
  • If you follow my account, you know I always have orzo on hand!
• Rice
  • Jasmine
  • Basmati
  • Short Grain such as Arborio
• Couscous - I love Pearl Couscous
• Oats - great for breakfast or baking

8. Spices - I will write another post with all of the spices that I keep on hand, but here are a few staples that I use the most

• Kosher Salt
• Flaky Salt
• Whole Black Peppercorns to grind
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Garlic Powder
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Basil
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Cinnamon

9. Nuts - I recommend buying nuts at Trader Joe's. I have found they are cheaper than most stores and great quality

• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Pistachios
• Walnuts
• Pine Nuts
• Nut Butters
• Sesame Seeds

10. Baking Ingredients

• AP Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Dark Brown Sugar
• Powdered Sugar
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Cornstarch
• Vanilla Extract

Time to take an inventory of your pantry and go shopping

Before your next shopping trip, go through your pantry and see what staple items you're missing or getting low on. Your future self will thank you when you have the ingredients on hand needed to make a delicious meal. Then you will just need to buy fresh ingredients such as protein and vegetables rather than a long list of ingredients to make your next dinner.

Leave a Review!

Did this list of 10 pantry staples help you? What did I miss? Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!