Is your pantry stocked with everyday items that will help you put together a delicious meal? Let me show you the 10 Essential Pantry Items you should always keep stocked inside your kitchen cupboards. There’s also a great printable for you to use that will help make sure your pantry is always well-stocked.
This post has been updated since it first appeared in 2012 with new photos and information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
I’m sure there are probably more than 10 Essential Pantry Items, but for this post let’s talk about the most important things needed.
Did you know that with a properly stocked pantry, you can make a last minute meal for your family without having to run to the grocery store?
You can also bake a cake, brownies or cookies at the last minute for school bake sales or football dinner. My son was famous for volunteering me to bake cookies for a lot of school events without giving me much notice!
10 Items Everyone Needs in their Pantry
What are the essential items needed for every kitchen pantry?
This list is by no means complete. I’m including 10 Essential Pantry Items that I think are essential to any good organized kitchen.
Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you would include.
Number One:
Dried Goods – flour, white sugar, brown sugar, powder sugar, baking powder, baking soda, oatmeal, baking mix such as Bisquick, cereals and pancake mix.
Also included in dried goods are breadcrumbs.
Number Two:
Dried Spices – basil, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Seasoning salt that you can use for chicken or steak.
Number Three:
Cheese – A variety of cheeses such as American, cheddar, mozzarella. Most cheeses freeze well, which is great.
Number Four:
Canned Goods – Vegetables, Soups, Fruits, Tuna, Beans, Tomatoes
Number Five:
Oils – vegetable, olive oil and non-stick cooking spray. I would also include in this category, solid shortening.
Vinegar – white, red, apple cider vinegar and balsamic.
Number Six:
Condiments – mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, jams, jellies, salad dressing. barbecue sauce, salsa, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce.
Peanut Butter – this is a must in our household!
Number Seven:
Baking supplies – cake mixes, chocolate chips, candy melts, cocoa powder. Make sure you check out my Cake Mix Baking Secrets and Printable for more great cake mix ideas.
Yeast – I like to purchase a “brick” of yeast that lasts a very long time in the freezer.
Number Eight:
Sweeteners – sugar substitute if you use this for coffee or tea, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup.
Number Nine:
Rice and Grains – pasta, brown rice, white rice, rolled oats, barley, dried beans.
Number Ten:
Nuts and Dried Fruits – it helps to store the nuts in the freezer to prolong the shelf life.
Free Pantry List Printable
Here’s a FREE printable to help you make sure your pantry is stocked with everything you need to be able to cook delicious meals for your family.
How to Download and Print
You don’t need to sign up for anything to print this pantry list out. This is my gift to you!
Click on the button below to print. A new window will open where you’ll be able to either download the printable to your computer or phone. Once the printable is downloaded, you’ll be able to print it out using whichever print program you have for your computer.
Make sure you select the “fit to paper” scale in your print program. If you don’t select this setting, the printable will be too big for your printer.
Like this list? Check out these Cooking Tips:
- Kitchen Essentials Tools List – a collection of the kitchen tools I use every day to help me cook dinner for my family.
- Favorite Baking Tools List – here’s what I like to use that help me bake delicious desserts.
- Homemade Spices – help save money by making your own homemade spices.
- Cake Mix Baking Secrets – another FUN printable too!
Hahahaha, I had to laugh when I seen pasta on your list. For Italians, you don't have anything to eat if you don't have pasta in the house.
I think you have pretty well covered everything, Lois, the one thing I am not without in my pantry is coconut oil, I have just recently found this product, and it is healthy and amazing. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Enjoy your day.
Hugs,
Sue
Okay I have everything in your list here at home except cheesecake. lol I think I would have chocolate added to that list. sandie
Someone actually has a pantry that looks like that?? Wow.
My list definitely includes all varieties of tree nuts and peanuts. It's what I go to when I think I'm starving.
Olives: Green, pimiento stuffed, black, kalamata, Moroccan, etc.
Add Feta to the cheese list
Beans. Black Beans, red beans
Gluten-free tortillas. (Food for Life)
Yogurt, non-fat, plain.
You covered it really well, Lois. I am always reaching for my spices and it seems like my soups for cooking (pantry). And for the refrigerator – my shredded cheeses and my eggs!
Tammy
10)Sauces and condiments (including Worcestershire sauce and Soya sauce, fish sauce, bean paste, curry paste, relishes and chutneys)
9)Herbs and spices
8)Dried beans
7)Boxed pasta
6)Rice
5)Baking supplies (flours, sugars, honey, baking soda, baking powder, yeast)
4)Canned salmon and tuna
3)Canned tomatoes
2)Dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt, butter, eggs)
1) Fresh fruit and vegetables
Love you list and love #1~~~ should be a staple in anyone's pantry!
My wife's pantry has a lot of stuff in it. It is a mess. She can stick her hand in that mess and pull out what she needs. I don't know how she does it.
I would love to have a pantry like this one! You have most of the essentials on your list, Lois. I had to laugh at the Cheesecake. I'd put chocolate at #1 on my list! 🙂
I like to bake, so baking powder, baking soda, salt,cocoa,and pan spray.
Must also have eggs on hand at all times, bacon, sausage, pancake mix and syrup.
AND, most importantly, a good cook book,
All Purpose Flour, I also use better for bread flour and tortilla flour a lot too.
Always try and have eggs
in the fridge and also some boneless chicken breasts in the freezer.
Great list ♥
Just a few more staples that I always have on hand are eggs, frozen or canned fruit and veggies, potatoes, rice and chocolate chips.
Fantastic list! I don't know that I could add anything more.
This is a GREAT list. And YES, I dream of having a pantry like this!
For #9, I always try to have butter Pam (for baking) and olive oil Pam for sauteing (sp). I also love garlic Pam, but it sometimes hard to find.
For #8, I always have Old Bay seasoning, traditionally used for seafood but, I also like it on chicken, in soups and in my tuna salad. I also have Goya brand Adobo w/pepper and Sazon Accent, not only because this is a half Latin home but they both have so many useful ingredients that it's like "one stop" shopping.
For #7, Just a note, although buying shredded cheeses can make life easier, I started shredding my own when I realized that they toss the cheese in cellulose (basically saw dust) to keep it from sticking together.
For #6, I love my tomato paste in a tube, it may cost a little more but I have never had a recipe where I needed the whole can.
For #3, Progresso has a panko that is Italian seasoned and I love it!
For #2, I'm with ya Lois, I stock up whenever I can and I keep salted and unsalted in the house. I like to use unsalted whenever I'm baking.
And For my #1, CHOCOLATE! I must always have chocolate in house. Chips & bars. Hope this helps 🙂
Vinegars (white, white wine, red, balsamic), soy sauce, flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, hot sauce, quinoa, a variety of dried beans.
Soup base (beef, chicken, pork), onions,oatmeal,…..I agree with one of the other comments, the list could go on and on…
Crackers, Salad Dressing, Croutons! The list could go on and on and I sure would love a pantry like the first picture 🙂
Vanilla, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup,and lemon juice. Best wishes to your friend as she begins this new adventure!
Great list! trying to think of some more, lots of herbs and spices, condensed milk, coconut milk, there are lots of pantry essential lists online that are worth checking out 🙂