The Master List of Must Have Pantry Items

Meal planning has truly brought my family to a path of financial peace. When I take the time every week to think about the meals we are going to eat, look at the proteins that are on sale and use what is in the pantry to feed my family, the savings are astonishing.

I didn’t start off with the skill of cooking in the kitchen. Still I would much rather bake then cook. But when the kids are distracted and I have all my meals planned I am calm in the kitchen and enjoying the simplicity in feeding my family healthy foods at home for less.

Below is a list of pantry and fridge items I like to keep on hand to live a healthier simpler life. I can easily come up with simple and delicious meals for my family when I have these pantry items. Look at having a stocked pantry as setting yourself up for success in meal planning and offering your family healthy options. This is also a key factor in creating the perfect grocery list.

I am sharing more recipes with you on the blog and especially excited about sharing my first every Freezer Meal Plan with you coming Oct. 15th!! If you are interested you can sign up to get notified by email when it goes live here because it will be launching at a discount price for the first 2 weeks only.

This list will be a handy reference if you are just starting to meal plan and need to build up your pantry items or if you are interested in my meal plans and want to check the essentials every pantry needs.

*This list was also published on the Frugal Farm Girl.

 

Here is Your Master List of Must Have Pantry Items

Spices/Herbs

• Sea Salt
• Whole Black Peppercorns( grinding fresh pepper is the way to go)
• Basil
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Marjoram
• Tarragon
• Dill
• Bay Leaves
• Ground Mustard
• Chili Powder
• Nutmeg
• Parsley
• Cumin
• Fresh Garlic

 

Cooking & Baking 

• Active dry yeast( This is Super affordable at BJ’s- no coupons needed $3.99 for 4 lbs.)
• All Purpose Flour ( 10 lb. bag $4.99 at BJ’s)
• Baking Powder ( Aluminum Free 2 pack $4.99 at BJ’s)
• Baking Soda ( 13.5 lb bag $4.99- Use for many other things. Put a small amount in container to keep fresh use rest for cleaning)
• Brown Sugar
• Granulated Sugar
• Cornstarch
• Cocoa Powder
• Real Maple Syrup
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Raw Honey
• Whole Wheat Flour
• Cinnamon Powder
• Chicken & Beef Stock

Oils, Vinegars, Sauces

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• Frank’s Hot Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• White Vinegar
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce

For the Fridge Door

• Dijion Mustard
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise

Dairy & Eggs

• Butter Quarters
• Cheese
• Milk
• Yogurt ( I like grabbing greek yogurt to use in place of sour cream in recipes.)

 

Vegetables

• Onions
• Celery
• Lettuce
• Potatoes
• Scallions
• Tomatoes

Canned/Dry Goods

• Beans
• Tomatoes
• Tuna
• Pasta- variety of kinds
• Rice
• Chicken Stock/Bouillon Cubes

 

I hope you will check out my BJ’s Freezer to Slow Cooker Meal plan that includes 14-meals and feeds a family of 8. These meals are healthy, delicious and affordable at only $0.80 per person!!