Pantry
A well stocked pantry is essential...Let me show you how to organize yours!
Let me just start by saying that every pantry in a bit different, depending on what kind of food you often make. I started cooking ramen noodles in college and by the time I met my husband, I was cooking pasta dishes and I could order pizza like nobody’s business! I think my first dish I made Lou was shepherd’s pie? I tried making lasagna and I had NO idea what curry powder was. Lou’s first dish he made for me was linguini with clam sauce and it was my first time trying that dish. Delish! Anyway … let’s just say that Lou helped me understand how to cook over the years and the Perugini family is happier for it!
So what kind of dishes do you make a lot? Italian? Are you a big soup person? Maybe you like salads or maybe you just don’t have time for the big dishes. Is pasta your quick go-to? What does your family like? Your pantry really needs to center around what you make the most. Do you buy in bulk? You can buy protein in bulk, but you can also buy pantry items in bulk. Figure out what meals you make the most often, what new meals you want to try and start making lists of pantry items you need, you already have, and what you need to get.
Do you have extra shelf space? In your kitchen? In an extra room? In your basement? I have a cupboards in my kitchen, along with having shelves in my basement. I keep my most-used spices and such in a kitchen cupboard (except for open items that need refrigeration) and I have a good supply of items on the shelves in my basement. I try to keep track of my “inventory” in my freezer (we buy protein in bulk) and on my shelves. Good for the budget!
But here is something that is one of the most important things about a pantry: you need to know what you have. Organization is key. Keep a list somewhere (on your computer, in a notebook) and keep all your items organized on your shelves so you don’t end up buying 10 bottles of the same thing. Update your list weekly, so you know what you need to add to your grocery shopping list.
Have you figured out what meals you make a lot? Let’s start with a good short list of items you will most likely use often:
THE SHORT PANTRY LIST
Salt: Sea Salt, Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Vegetable Oil (or any other neutral oil for high heat cooking, like peanut oil or canola oil)
Cooking Spray: Very Convenient to quickly grease pans and cooking sheets
Vinegars: balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar
Sauces: ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce like Franks, honey
Flavor additions: fruits and veggies: onions, shallots, garlic (fresh and minced in a jar), lemons, limes, capers, mustard, anchovies
Dried herbs: basil, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme, dill, fennel
Spices: bay leaf, cayenne, cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, ginger, granulated garlic, granulated onion, nutmeg, paprika, rosemary
(I’m not a big fan of powdered onion or powdered garlic – I prefer to cook with the granulated variety if I need to use the dry form)
*fresh herbs: basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary & thyme (don’t buy these until you know you will use them soon. Fresh herbs won’t last forever!) “Dry” versions of herbs are recommended for dishes that simmer longer.
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Sugar: Granulated and brown
This list is a great place to start.
Now let’s dig deeper into my pantry. Let’s get you thinking about what you can add to YOUR shelves!
MY ESSENTIAL SPICE RACK:
This is my essential list, but you may not need some of these, depending on what you make often. The rule when it comes to most things in the Perugini house? If you need it, buy it. Sometimes you should wait to buy some of these spices and such until you need them. Stick with a basic list (the short pantry list above) to start with and add items as you cook!
allspice, basil leaves, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, chili powder, chives, cinnamon, cloves, coriander powder, crushed red pepper, cumin, curry powder, dill, fennel, garam masala, ginger, granulated garlic, granulated onion,ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, old bay seasoning, oregano, paprika, parsley, rosemary, saffron, salt – kosher salt, sea salt, star anise, thyme, turmeric,vanilla extract
CANNED GOODS:
BEANS:
I make my life easier and cook with canned beans. Of course you can use uncooked beans but you need extra time to soak them overnight. Up to you. I use canned black beans, kidney beans, cannellini (white beans), pinto beans & chick peas. Most canned beans can be found at regular grocery stores. You can also find some of these beans by the flat at big stores like Costco and BJs. Buy canned beans in bulk if you use them a lot. They also have a long shelf life. I also keep uncooked beans on hand, like lentils & split peas.
CANNED TOMATOES: whole, plum, crushed
You can create many types of meals with canned tomatoes. Sometimes I love making my own red sauce using canned tomatoes instead of using the jarred sauce.
SOUPS: Great for quick meals and they have a long shelf life.
MARINARA SAUCE: (I like Raos but you can choose what brand you like!)
STOCK/BROTH: chicken, beef, vegetable. Boxed is fine. Better than Bouillon is a good alternative, which comes in many different flavors. Great for creating your own homemade soups. You can also make your own stock.
CANNED FISH: tuna or salmon in cans are great to add to recipes when you are tight on time
CONDIMENTS:
BBQ sauce, mayo, mustard, peanut butter, jarred salsa, maple syrup, salad dressing, teriyaki sauce, sweet and sour sauce, sesame oil, canned coconut milk, capers, black olives, jellies/jams
DRY GOODS:
Bisquick, cornmeal, bread crumbs, crackers, nuts, bread
GRAINS: white rice, brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats
DRIED PASTA: spaghetti, macaroni; whatever kind of pasta you like
OTHER STAPLES:
yellow onions, garlic, shallots
And let’s not forget…
REFRIGERATED ITEMS:
milk, eggs, unsalted butter, grated cheese: Parmesan and/or Romano, shredded cheddar cheese, plain or Greek yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream
Again, you want your pantry, freezer and refrigerator to be well-stocked so you can be prepared to make meals without having to go to the store to buy ingredients every other day. We’ll talk about meal plans, budgeting and buying smart in future posts. In the meantime, start organizing your pantry ideas, start writing down what you think you have and what you think you need and go from there. I’m happy to help you!
One Response
I HAVE to make a grocery list or I buy all the wrong things and forget important items. UGH. I’m getting better at making a growing list. So glad you find my pantry list helpful, that’s for sure!