How to Stock a Pantry

Yumna Jawad

If you're looking for information on how to stock your pantry, this guide will help you get started with everything I keep regularly stocked for my recipes!

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If you’re looking for a practical and easy way for how to stock a pantry, check out my methods, tips, lists below. It’s important to have a well-stocked pantry to make cooking a breeze and to save money. Below is a list of items I always have stocked in my pantry. Having shelf-stable items that you cook with most often always available on hand keeps you creative in the kitchen and ready to cook or bake in a pinch.

And if you’re looking for other similar posts, be sure to also check out my guides for how to organize your fridge and how to stock your freezer.

How to organize a pantry.

Being in the business of food, I always have a well-stocked pantry, and below you’ll see an example of what I mean by a well-stocked pantry. While I buy specialty items here and there for recipe testing and offering variety to my family, I love keeping the below pantry staples stocked at all times. It gives me the peace of mind that I can whip up breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even dessert without having to run to the store.

Tips for How to Stock Your Pantry

Before diving into the categories and list of items, here are some things to keep in mind as you’re stocking your pantry.

  1. Buy most frequently used items in bulk. If your kids eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day or you make spaghetti once a week, always keep two jars of peanut butter and several packages of pasta on hand. They won’t go to waste.
  2. Keep a running list and check before you go to the store.  Nothing spoils dinner plans like reaching for the EVOO to saute onions and finding half an inch left in the bottle. When the bottle is half empty, buy another. Treat your kitchen like a factory. Stock the parts.
  3. Organize in zones. Use certain shelves and sections for grains and pastas, while keeping sweet and salty snacks in a different section that may be easier to reach for the family. Baskets are also helpful for this so that you can label one for miscellaneous dinner foods (like taco shells and rice paper) and another one for rice and flour.
  4. Think about versatility. A big container of old-fashioned oats can make Overnight Oats for breakfast, Oatmeal Cookies for the class party and topping for a Mixed Berry Crisp. Walnuts go into brownies one night and add protein to a salad the next night.
  5. Bring the flavor. Use store-bought condiments to spice up the everyday. Mix mayo and sriracha for a spicy topping for chicken or fish, a spoonful of sun-dried tomatoes with one pan pasta makes it seem like it’s from your favorite Italian restaurant. Specialty oils, like toasted sunflower oil, can lend a nutty surprise to basic vinaigrettes.
  6. Recycle to organize. A shelf of matching clear containers and baskets is fabulous, but mason jars or recycled glass containers like old pickle or jam jars are perfect for storing odds and ends. I think jars are visually more pleasing than a bunch of half-filled bags and they will also keep pantry pests out. A tip from professional kitchens: label everything including its expiration date.

Categorized Pantry List

Click on this link (How to Stock A Pantry) to print the below PDF check list. And below you can find more information about each category and some extra things to keep in mind when stocking some of these categories.

Picture of a check list for stocking a pantry

Grains and starches

Dress them up or dress them down. These pantry meal heroes combine long shelf life with unlimited versatility. These are the ones I often use in my Mediterranean dishes and overall healthy recipes. Make sure to add the ones your family loves.

  • Long-grain white rice
  • Short-grain white rice
  • Long-grain brown rice
  • Pasta (spaghetti, penne, elbow, orzo, lasagne sheets)
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Quinoa
  • Bulgur
  • Couscous
  • Freekeh and/or farro
  • Boxed Mac n cheese
How to organize a pantry in individual glass storage containers and baskets.

Condiment, Oils and Vinegars

Olive oil is my favorite oil to have on hand for all kinds of meals. It’s versatile to be used for cooking or drizzled fresh on salads, hard boiled eggs or my labneh yogurt. It’s also a great idea to have some neutral oils for sautéing along with vinegars for salads and adding acidity to some cooked dishes.

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Sesame seed oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • Red-wine vinegar
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • White vinegar
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Soy sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Hot sauce
  • Honey
  • Tahini paste
  • Pomegranate molasses
  • Rose water
Two shelves in a pantry with pantry staples for sauces, oils, cereals, tuna, and other dry ingredients.

Cans and Jars

These are some of the longest shelf-life products you can keep in your pantry. So it doesn’t hurt to always have them on hand if you have the space. I prefer to buy my canned goods organic or at least ensure that they are BPA-free. When it comes to jams and jellies, look for ones that are just sugar and fruit or only fruit.

  • Pumpkin puree
  • Olives
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Whole tomatoes
  • Tomato sauce
  • Tomato paste
  • Broth (vegetable or chicken in a carton)
  • Wild-caught tuna (in water or olive oil in pouches)
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Canned coconut milk

Spices and dried herbs

These are all the spices stocked in my pantry that you will see over and over again in my recipes. Every once in a while, it’s fun to get a new taco seasoning mix or fish rub, but I recommend buying small quantities of those until you know you love it. As a Middle Eastern blogger, some speciality spices I always have in my pantry also include 7 Spice, Cardamom, Coriander, Sumac and Za’atar.

  • Sea salt and kosher salt
  • Black pepper & peppercorns
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Basil
  • Bay leaves
  • Cinnamon
  • Cumin
  • Curry powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Oregano
  • Nutmeg
  • Paprika
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Turmeric
Spice drawer

Beans and legumes

What is not to love about this fiber-filled, shelf-stable plant protein? Dried and canned both deserve some space on your shelf. Canned beans can last up to two years and some say dried beans have an indefinite lifespan – although cooking time may go up and flavor down after two years.

  • White beans
  • Kidney beans
  • Pinto beans
  • Black beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Fava beans
  • Green lentils
  • Red lentils

Nuts and nut butters

Nuts are great for healthy and satisfying snacking. Heart healthy nut butters go a long way in sandwiches or smoothies or on crackers.

  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Pecans
  • Walnuts
  • Roasted peanuts
  • Pistachios
  • Peanut butter (creamy & crunchy)
  • Almond butter

Dried fruits

Dried fruit sweetens baking projects and is great for snacking when fresh is not available. We especially love dates and they have such a long shelf life, which makes it great for long-term storing.

  • Raisins
  • Cranberries
  • Dates
  • Shredded coconut

Produce (shelf stable)

Properly stored, these essentials can last for weeks. Make sure they are all well ventilated in baskets or mesh bags so that they last longer.

  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Potatoes (Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes)
  • Lemons
  • Apples
Two shelves in a pantry with pantry staples such as Oath Oats granola, produce like onions and potatoes, plus boxes for breakfast and dinner staples.

Baking supplies

With these ingredients, you can make any of my dessert recipes, including cookies, muffins and breads.

  • All-purpose flour (white unbleached)
  • Old fashioned rolled oats
  • Almond flour
  • Corn starch
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Instant dry yeast
  • Vanilla extract
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Applesauce
  • Maple syrup
  • Chocolate chips
  • Cocoa powder

Snacks

We try to change this up by adding something fun and new every time the kids go grocery shopping with me. But they can always rely on these essential snacks in the pantry.

  • Pretzels
  • Popcorn
  • Crackers
  • Granola bars
  • Oat bars
  • Granola
  • Assorted nuts
  • Seaweed crackers
  • Chocolate
  • Cereal (not exactly a snack)
Two shelves in a pantry with quick grab snacks and produce.

Seeds and superfoods

These add a nutritionally boast to loads of recipes, especially breakfast recipes and smoothies. It’s a great way to stay healthy when you may not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

  • Chia seeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Ground flaxseed
  • Cacao nibs
  • Protein powder
  • Collagen powder

A well-stocked pantry is an investment that pays me back every day. I can throw together a quick dinner, mix up a simple salad dressing, or serve the kids an after-school snack without an inconvenient detour to the supermarket.

Stay tuned for next week when I share how to stock your your fridge.

Be sure to check out these helpful resources:

If you find these tips for how to stock your pantry useful, I’d love to hear from you! And if you snapped some shots of your well-stocked pantry, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories! 

Post AuthorYumna Jawad

Post PostedJanuary 04, 2024

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Comments

  2. I keep a list on the inside pantry door, so I know what I have on hand @ all times. Thank for sharing. I haven’t found any of your recipes yet.

    Reply

  3. First of all I love your name YUM na . It so fitting for you that you work with food and you love sharing your recipes and ideas. Thank you for this.
    I love all of your ideas and I just printed out your PANTRY LIST to share with my 21 year old niece that will be graduating this year !! She loves cooking so this will come in handy for her as well as all the Kitchen supplies Grammie (me) and she has been busy collecting,
    Thanks again Yumna for the great RECIPES and Ideas.
    Rhoni Pesch

    Reply

  5. This is very useful! I’m hoping to move out soon and while I do cook for my parents twice a week, I’m used to “placing my order” for ingredients when they go grocery shopping. It’s going to be interesting moving out an starting with a completely empty pantry.

    Reply

  6. I’ve been trying to download and save your how to stock your pantry and how to stock your freezer but it just won’t do it please help

    Reply

  7. I really wanted to read this and I managed to screen shot the list of herbs spices beans etc but adverts kept opening up over the text and I just was not able to read before another advert obscured the piece I was trying to read .I gave up in the end .I don’t have a laptop or computer so it’s sadly not going to work for me.some of the items on your list I have not heard of and others like dried limes and corriander I would add to my list
    Different flours such as rice flour .coconut flour.id like to add too .I’m in UK so some of the items we dont have here. Harissa paste too I’d add .

    Reply

  9. Amazing! I have most of the items on your list already, and then some! I love my pantry. I even have things like saffron, green cardamom pods, dried Persian limes, fresh curry leaves and Makrut lime leaves (both in the freezer), 3 kinds of dried mushrooms, and a ton of Sichuan spices, oils, noodles, and such. Sichuan peppercorns are incredible, and the Sichuan Green Peppercorn Oil from the Mala Market is so good I could drink it (if it weren’t so darn hot; you really only need the slightest drop because it’s a finishing oil. And I have so much more, but your list lets me know that I’m on the right track.

    For shopping, I use a store app that tells me what aisle each item is on and has an area for comments, where I list what recipes I need each item for. When those items have been bought, those entries go into the inactive list. When I want to make a recipe again, my inactive list notes list what I need. Cool, huh?

    Reply

  10. Hello, thank you for the printable check list, I am pretty much like you anyway with what and how I stock my pantry, but it was great to have the check list.
    Thank you
    Sharon

    Reply

  12. Just started a whole food plant base way of eating and buy in bulk needed tips on how long and how to store those bulk beans and things .

    I don’t use oil or dairy but you chick pea burgers look great where can i get the recipe?

    Reply

  13. Hey, fab article….so I have a pantry and it’s great, however with my herbs and spices draw it’s over loaded and it’s hard to have them stacked in a way to see what the labels say, we also have multiple jars of the same spice. Do you have a recommendation for this? Also what mason jars are good from Amazon? Some of them over in the UK from Home Bargins don’t have much of a ‘air tight’ quality.

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much! It’s really going to come down to the size and shape of the space you have for your herbs and spices. I find a lazy susan to be pretty helpful. If you have multiple jars of the same spices, only keep the freshest one or combine them all in one jar (if they’re not expired). This is the mason jar I like to use: https://amzn.to/3s3A3B0

      Reply

  14. thank you so much to show your list.
    very helpful for me.

    I want to know which brand you use tomato sauce, dice, paste etc..

    in the world too many products here…

    anyway thank you so much~~~~

    Reply

  15. thank you for this, really helpful for the pantry and what to have and for re-stocking. I do keep a list already and write items down that I run out of. I find this very useful as I do forget otherwise.

    Love these tips! Keep them coming

    Reply

  16. Thank you so much for the information, I was able to print the list and really appreciate the thought and time it took you to generate this list to help others. I have some of these supplies in my pantry but missing a LOT on the list. I have some shopping to do. LOL

    Reply

    1. You’re so welcome! I found that this is what works for me, but of course just take parts that you will find helpful!

      Reply

  17. Thank you so much this is so helpful makes it easy for me to stock my pantry as I’m trying to eat healthy,thank you so much

    Reply

  18. As others have commented, I too would like to keep this as a guide. However, you have published it as a PDF that cannot be easily be copies and converted to word. That is annoying and frustrating. I find sites that make me work for anything that is published is not a site I enjoy or wish to return to.
    Thank you for trying, but your method of communicating is severly one-sided. I will not be returning to your site.
    Be well

    Reply

    1. Oh, I was actually trying to make it easier so you can download and print it. I gain nothing from you printing it actually. I earn money from the banner ads on the side, that’s it. What format would you prefer it? Please let me know what is best because I have not published many guides like this before and would love to learn more about what works 🙂 Do you prefer just in-form bullet points? I’d love your feedback. Thank you!

      Reply

      1. Thank you for the pantry list and I’m happy that I have all the spices that you mentioned. My friend’s spices are salt and pepper, blah when go shopping and I look to replenish she always asks me what I use them for. My mother who was born 1903 used those. I think we were the only family for miles around who used curry. I’ll take your list with me next time I go shopping.
        Thanks again, BTW, my daughter made the Feta, tomato pasta, it was delicious.

        Reply

    1. It definitely could! I think what’s more important is your overall intake and by portion controlling meals in moderation.

      Reply

  23. Great and thorough list. If I had this list, I would have done my shopping on one trip to the supermarket instead fo going back a couple times like I ended up doing. Very useful. Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hello and thanks for this list, very helpful. Although, I would like to print and have handy in my kitchen but there are lots of adds and pop ups that prevents me from getting a clean copy. Help

      Reply