How to Stock Your Pantry (Beginner’s Guide!)

Don’t know where to start when it comes to stocking your pantry, or just craving some pantry-stocking and organization tips? You’re in the right place.

A well-stocked pantry is the foundation for cooking at home with ease. Having the tools and ingredients you need on hand lessens resistance to getting meals on the table. Plus, you’ll be more relaxed, less overwhelmed, and cooking more incredible meals at home! Let’s jump in.

Where To Start?

• Simply select 10 or so recipes that you love and study the ingredients. See if you have what you need on hand, if there are common ingredients — like olive oil, sea salt, or turmeric — and begin by purchasing those items as you know they’ll be put to good use.

By simply studying the recipes you plan to make, you can get a pretty good gauge of what you’ll need when it comes time to cook.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Are you the type of person who likes to jump all in and stock everything you’ll need at once? Go for it! Below you’ll find the resources you need to start nerding out and stocking your kitchen with the tools you’ll need.

On the other hand, maybe you’re the type of person who looks at a pantry staple list and every fiber of your being melts with overwhelm and stress. Fret not (that’s how we’ve felt in the past). If this describes you, begin with our 10-recipe starting point (mentioned above) and grow your pantry and kitchen tools one recipe at a time.

How to Get Organized

Early in my cooking journey I would buy random bags of lentils, flours, and grains and use them frantically throughout the week. By Friday I’d open up my pantry and ingredients would be falling all over each other like an unorganized mess. I’d often forget when an ingredient was near empty or if I had a surplus in the back corner of my cabinet I just couldn’t see.

Sound familiar? Disorganization equals stress and overwhelm, which is a roadblock to getting in the kitchen to prepare meals.

The solution? Move as many ingredients as possible from your pantry to glass storage containers — think rice, quinoa, gluten-free flours, beans, nuts and seeds.

It not only looks more beautiful and organized, but also allows you to save money by buying largely in bulk (which reduces plastic consumption!) and know exactly how much of each ingredient you have and need at any given time.

Once your ingredients are at home in their new containers, we recommend labeling anything that may get confused with other items (such as cornstarch and arrowroot starch). Use a label maker (try our first model, or our new go-to option) to create labels to adhere to your jars.

And just like that you have an organized, easy-to-navigate pantry that’s totally Instagram-worthy. Swoon.

3 Simple Steps to a Well-Stocked Pantry

1. Scan your pantry before grocery shopping each week and note the amount needed to top off your jars (especially your go-to staples).
2. Purchase that amount from the bulk bins and add to your jars.
3. Note: For less-frequently used items, start a new jar with the freshest ingredient at the bottom and top it off with the older ingredient on the top (OR wait until the jar is empty before refilling) to prevent spoilage. Be sure to create a new label for your jar if needed.

Equipment

We’ve included an equipment section as your tools are nearly as important as your ingredients.

Below you’ll find a list of our go-to appliances, tools, and cookware to begin stocking up on so you’re always equipped to cook.

NOTE

(*) indicates items we assume you have or will get (these are essential, low-cost items used very frequently) — if you currently have none of these items, buying all of them will cost ~$150

(+) indicates items we strongly recommend you get (these are more expensive items used very frequently)

Small Appliances

• Small blender (such as Nutribullet for sauces / spices, optional)
• Hand mixer (or KitchenAid)
• Immersion blender (for blending soups, sauces, etc., optional)

Large Appliances

• Juicer
• + High-speed blender (see our blender review here)
• Ice cream maker
• + Food processor
• Waffle maker

Small Tools

• * Metal spatula
• * Rubber spatula
• * Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• * Whisk
• * Tongs
• Box grater (or grater attachment on food processor)
• Mandolin (for thinly / uniformly slicing ingredients, optional)
• * Chef knife set (2 large, 1 medium, 1 paring, 1 serrated)
• * Can opener
• Vegetable peeler (for peeling / making vegetable noodles)
• Citrus juicer
• Cookie scoop (for desserts, meatballs, falafel, etc.)
• Microplane grater (for grating spices, fresh ginger, etc., optional)
• Pastry cutter (for crusts, cookies, etc., optional)
• Pastry brush
• Rolling pin (for pie / pizza crusts, biscuits, etc.)
• * Measuring cup set
• * Measuring spoon set
• Ice cube tray (for freezing leftover sauces, optional)
• Potato masher
• Steamer basket
• Tofu press

Large Tools

• + Mixing bowl set (at least 1 large, 1 medium, 1 small)
• Colander (for pasta)
• * Fine mesh strainers (large and small) 
• Cooling racks (that double as cooking racks)
• Large cutting board
• * Small cutting board
• Spiralizer (for making vegetable noodles — or use vegetable peeler)

Cookware

• + Stainless steel cookware set
• Small (10-inch) cast iron skillet (or stainless steel or nonstick — ensure oven friendly)
• Large (12-inch or larger) cast iron skillet (or stainless steel or nonstick — ensure oven friendly)
• Dutch oven
• White saucepan

Bakeware

• Pie pan
• Muffin tin
• Cake pans
• 8×8-inch baking pan
• 9×13-inch baking pan
• Standard loaf pan
• Baking sheets

Storage / Cooking Extras

• Parchment paper (or baking pan liners)
• Foil
• Plastic wrap (or reusable, eco-friendly option like beeswax wraps)
• Reusable bags (like Stasher — for storing produce / leftovers)
• Glass jars / containers (for storing produce / leftovers)
• Label maker (for organizing pantry)

Food

In this section, you’ll see a list of our go-to pantry items so you’re always equipped to cook. Think salt, olive oil, cumin, and quinoa. We’ve also included links and recommendations on homemade recipes and where to buy difficult-to-find items when helpful.

Staple Produce

• Avocados
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Ginger (fresh)
• Gold Potatoes
• Jalapeño Peppers
• Lemons
• Limes
• Onions (red, white, yellow)
• Parsley
• Serrano Peppers
• Shallots
• Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Turmeric (fresh)

Nuts

• Almonds (raw)
• Brazil Nuts
• Cashews (raw)
• Coconut (finely shredded)
• Macadamia Nuts
• Peanuts (roasted)
• Pecans (raw)
• Pine Nuts (for pesto, optional)
• Slivered Almonds
• Walnuts (raw)

Seeds

• Chia Seeds (optional)
• Coconut Flakes
• Flaxseed
• Hemp Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds (raw)
• Sesame Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds (raw and unsalted)

Nut & Seed Butters

• Almond Butter (or our favorite store-bought)
• Cashew Butter (or our favorite store-bought)
• Peanut Butter
• Tahini

Baking Essentials

• Applesauce
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• Raw Cacao Powder 
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips (Enjoy Life)
• Vegan Butter (Miyokos or Earth Balance)
• Vegan Dark Chocolate (DIY)

Flours & Meals (Check out our Guide to Gluten-Free Flours!)

• Almond Flour (Wellbee’s is our favorite, or DIY)
• Almond Meal (DIY)
• Arrowroot Starch
• Brown Rice Flour
• Coconut Flour
• Cornstarch
• Cornmeal (finely ground)
• Garbanzo Flour
• GF Flour Mix (DIY)
• Oat Flour (DIY)
• Potato Starch
• Tapioca Starch
• White Rice Flour

Sweeteners

• Coconut Sugar
• Medjool Dates
• Organic Brown Sugar
• Organic Cane Sugar
• Organic Powdered Sugar
• Pure Maple Syrup
• Stevia Extract

Grains

• Arborio Rice
• Brown Rice
• GF Rolled Oats
• Sprouted White Quinoa (we love TruRoots brand)
• White Rice (Basmati)

Pasta

• GF Brown Rice Quinoa Fusili
• GF Penne or Tagliatelle
• GF Lasagna Noodles (or similar shape)
• Thin Rice Noodles (white or brown — we like Thai Kitchen)
• Spring Roll Skin/Rice Paper (Three Ladies)

Legumes/Pulses

• Black Beans (dry)
• Chana Dal
• Dry Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
• Green Lentils
• Moong Dal
• Mung Beans
• Red Lentils
• Tempeh (organic, non-GMO)
• Extra Firm Tofu (organic, non-GMO)

Herbs/Spices

• Allspice (ground)
• Basil (dried)
• Bay Leaves
• Black Pepper (ground or whole)
• Black Salt
• Cardamom (ground)
• Cardamom (whole pods)
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chili Powder Blend
• Cinnamon (ground)
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Cloves (ground)
• Coriander (ground)
• Coriander Seeds (whole)
• Cumin (ground)
• Cumin Seeds (whole)
• Curry Powder (or DIY)
• Dill (dried)
• Fennel Seeds (whole)
• Garam Masala (ground)
• Garlic Powder
• Ginger (ground)
• Mustard Seed (ground)
• Mustard Seeds (whole)
• Nutmeg (ground)
• Onion Powder
• Oregano (dried)
• Paprika (smoked)
• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Red Pepper Flake(s)
• Sea Salt
• Shawarma Spice Blend (or DIY)
• Turmeric (ground)

Oils

• Avocado Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sesame Oil (toasted or untoasted)

Vinegars

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Rice Vinegar
• White Wine Vinegar

Condiments/Seasonings

• BBQ Sauce (Annie’s Original)
• Panko Breadcrumbs (GF, if needed — like Ian’s brand)
• Chili Garlic Sauce
• Coconut Aminos (or tamari)
• Harissa Paste (DIY)
• Hot Sauce (Tapatio or DIY)
• Hummus (DIY)
• Ketchup (DIY)
• Marinara Sauce (DIY)
• Miso Paste (soy-free if needed)
• Nutritional Yeast 
• Red Curry Paste (Thai Kitchen)
• Green Curry Paste (Thai Kitchen or DIY)
• Sriracha (optional)
• Tamari (or coconut aminos)
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese
• Vegan Worcestershire

Wet/Canned Goods

• Almond Milk (unsweetened plain / or DIY)
• Black Beans
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
• Coconut Cream
• Coconut Milk (full-fat)
• Coconut Milk (light or DIY)
• Crushed Tomatoes
• Diced Tomatoes (plain or fire roasted)
• Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
• Jackfruit (in water or brine)
• Kidney Beans
• Mild Diced Green Chiles
• Pinto Beans
• Tomato Paste
• Tomato Purée
• Tomato Sauce
• Lentils
• Vegetable Broth (Homemade or Imagine Brand)

Superfoods

• Ashwagandha
• Dulse
• Kombu
• Maca
• Matcha
• Moringa
• Spirulina

Downloads

Ready to stock your pantry? Jump all in with our Complete Pantry List below. Or, for beginners and those with limited space, our Only the Essentials list is the way to go. Enjoy!

Complete Pantry List

Beginner’s Guide: Only The Essentials 

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We hope you enjoyed this pantry tour and got inspired to start stocking your own pantry! Have questions or comments? Leave them below. We’d love to help.