Dobela Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 This weekend in Relish Magazine they published a list of items that should be in every well stocked pantry. You can find it here. They included items that would 'jazz up' meals quickly using those regular pantry items we all typically keep on hand. After reading the list I am seriously thinking of using it as a guide to round out my pantry. I can't tell you how many times I have tired of the same ol' same ol', search for a recipe using the ingredients in my pantry, and come up with nothing only because I don't have some interesting ingredient. There are some recipes linked to the article that look easy, sound wonderful, and just use small quantities of the pantry item they suggest. Anyone keep a stocked pantry like theirs? Canned clamsAnchovies (paste and fish) Tuna and salmon Fish sauce Miso paste Hoisin sauce Black bean sauce Soy sauce /tamari Curry paste Jarred salsa Roasted peppers Salsa verde Tahini Almond butter Natural peanut butter Canned tomatoes Tomato paste in tube Fire-roasted tomatoes Good marinara Balsamic vinegar Rice vinegar Sherry vinegar Hominy Barley Bob’s Red Mill Corn grits Canned beans—garbanzos, white beans Couscous Bulghur Orzo Rice Polenta/cornmeal Old-fashioned oats Panko bread crumbs Gingersnaps/vanilla wafers/graham crackers Smoked paprika Coriander Chilpotle chile powder Roasted cumin Ancho chile powder Curry powder Ground ginger Hickory smoked salt Italian dressing mix Chipotle chiles Garlic (place in garlic jar) Horseradish Roasted spices (coriander and ginger) Fig preserves Orange marmalade Lemon curd Pineapple preserves Honey Molasses Sorghum Cocoa powder Prunes Apricots Golden raisins Dried cranberries/cherries Olive oil Extra-virgin olive oil Canola oil Sesame Oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I have a lot of it. Not all, though. It sure makes life easy. But it takes TIME to build all that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I've got several of the items listed, including a few in blue. I also have items they haven't listed. I have more kinds of vinegar than on that list. There's items on there I can't imagine what you would do with. I find that the list is lacking some very useful items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I keep the following: Tamari (soy sauce) roasted peppers Tahini Almond butter Natural peanut butter canned tomatoes, paste, and sauce Balsamic vinegar Rice vinegar apple cider vinegar white vinegar red wine vinegar barley grits corn meal - usually store brand couscous oats rice - several varieties wild rice canned beans - kidney, black, pinto, navy/white, butter, chickpeas artichoke hearts Honey Molasses Paprika Coriander chile powder cumin Ancho chile powder Curry powder Ground ginger garlic a variety of other spices and dried herbs Olive oil Extra virgin olive oil canola oil coco powder and baker's chocolate golden raisins I often have: dried apricots Dried cranberries/cherries jarred salsa - variety of flavors I have no use for: Canned clams Anchovies (paste and fish) Tuna and salmon Fish sauce The other items on the list appear in my pantry only if purchased for a specific recipe. Some items, sesame oil, for example, go rancid quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 I've got several of the items listed, including a few in blue. I also have items they haven't listed. I have more kinds of vinegar than on that list. There's items on there I can't imagine what you would do with. I find that the list is lacking some very useful items. I think they assume that you would already have the more useful items in your pantry. The blue items they have linked to recipes. After counting I found that I have about 15-20 of the items, mostly the more typical things like canned tomatoes and beans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Yes, I would say I have a majority of what it listed and I use it as well. I make lots of bean/veggie soup and veggie/grain based meals. I am on the lookout for the elusive Miso Paste. It really makes your life a lot easier to have these items on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiebird Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I'd need a huge windfall (and a pantry) to keep all that on hand. But I think it would be very nice to have a stocked pantry like that. Actually, I'd be interested in seeing several "must have in the pantry" type lists online somewhere. Like an allergy-free pantry list might be super helpful to some. It'd be neat to see what "must-haves" are for different ethnic heritages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I counted 42 items on that list that are currently in my pantry. I try to grab items like this when I visit ethnic grocery stores -- the prices on many of these items are much lower there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 (edited) Yeah, I mean, I don't have Bulghur, nor miso and fish sauce but my pantry is more Italian so I have pepporcini, capers, olives, sardines, anchovies, pastes, beans (at least 20 pound of different kinds), many kinds of rices, cornmeals, all kinds of flours, vinegars, oils, butters, relishes, cous cous, TONS of oats, steel cut and rolled, spices out the wazoo, tahini, dried fruits of all sorts, different kinds of sugars, soba noodles, rice wrappers... And I worked it down as far as I could when we moved and this is all that I've built it back up to. Tonight's dinner is almost all out of the pantry. 15 bean soup with fresh bread. Edited January 11, 2011 by justamouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I don't keep: black bean sauce almond butter barley bulghur lemon curd Pretty much everything else, yes. I have it in my pantry or on my grocery list. And I am currently expanding my grains, so I may be adding the barley and bulghur if I can figure out how to cook with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imprimis Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Although I'm a definite foodist I don't use many of those items regularly enough to keep them stocked. What often ends up happening with my fancy condiments is they get used for the dish, end up in the fridge, and then get tossed when I clean out my fridge. I try to avoid buying too many items I won't use again. Yes, same here! Many items have no expiration date on them, and, with some, I have no idea of shelf life. My problem is, I tend to err on the side of, "well, this has been here far too long, it can't possibly still be edible...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Yes' date=' I would say I have a majority of what it listed and I use it as well. I make lots of bean/veggie soup and veggie/grain based meals. I am on the lookout for the elusive Miso Paste. It really makes your life a lot easier to have these items on hand.[/quote'] If you're near a Whole Foods they have it in with the regular cheese (as opposed to the fancy cheese case). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I have actually made my pantry more basic as of late but I do keep certain ethnic, "exotic" items on hand. We don't do soy/gluten/dairy though and try to keep grain free so that stuff I don't keep on hand obviously. That means no more miso, soy sauce, hoison sauce etc. I do make homemade asian sauce subs at times though. I do keep: white and red cooking wine 3 different kinds of vinegar sesame oil, evoo, ev coco oil, sunflower oil and tallow coconut aminos(soy free soy sauce sub) molasses, honey, maple syrup, turbinado tahini and pb- but no almond butter- I don't care for it but I do keep almond flour on hand fish sauce sirayaki sauce no curry paste but curry powder and all the whole spices on hand to make homemade curry paste and garam masala many dried fruits- figs, dates, raisins(golden sometimes) many varieties of canned/jarred tomato products anchovies all the spices listed except for ancho chile powder and smoked sea salt- we ran out of our smoked sea salt and I have been too cheap to buy more it is sooooo good though. Tons more spices as well I like to keep just about everything on hand for various ethnic dishes Always keep a few different fruit spreads on hand black olives mushrooms dried chopped red peppers and onions I use all the time I keep canned black beans but dried white, kidney, chickpea and pintos I stock dijon mustard as well and use it all the time and lots of other little things Lots of other things I stock but I have capers and clams as well but have yet to use them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineW Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 This weekend in Relish Magazine they published a list of items that should be in every well stocked pantry. You can find it here. They included items that would 'jazz up' meals quickly using those regular pantry items we all typically keep on hand. After reading the list I am seriously thinking of using it as a guide to round out my pantry. I can't tell you how many times I have tired of the same ol' same ol', search for a recipe using the ingredients in my pantry, and come up with nothing only because I don't have some interesting ingredient. There are some recipes linked to the article that look easy, sound wonderful, and just use small quantities of the pantry item they suggest. Anyone keep a stocked pantry like theirs? I actually have about 2/3 of those ingredients. I live in the Bay Area so everything on the list is easy to come by here. My youngest has a soy intolerance so we're moving away from many Asian foods, but I'm not sure I could go a week without my curry powder, coconut milk, or almond butter (preschool is peanut free but permits nut butters if they didn't we've often subbed sunflower butter). Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 (edited) Anyone keep a stocked pantry like theirs? Canned clamsAnchovies (paste and fish) Tuna and salmon Fish sauce Miso paste Hoisin sauce Black bean sauce Soy sauce /tamari Curry paste Jarred salsa Roasted peppers Salsa verde (sometimes have this, but then it's used for chips & salsa. don't like the kind with lime, so that limits which ones I can get) Tahini Almond butter Natural peanut butter (prefer regular peanut butter--I hate having to mix natural peanut butter) Canned tomatoes Tomato paste in tube (have it in a can) Fire-roasted tomatoes Good marinara (I have basic marinara sauce--maybe not what you'd call "good marinara" but I always doctor my sauce) Balsamic vinegar Rice vinegar Sherry vinegar Hominy Barley Bob’s Red Mill Corn grits Canned beans—garbanzos, white beans Couscous Bulghur Orzo Rice Polenta/cornmeal Old-fashioned oats Panko bread crumbs Gingersnaps/vanilla wafers/graham crackers Smoked paprika Coriander Chilpotle chile powder Roasted cumin Ancho chile powder Curry powder Ground ginger Hickory smoked salt Italian dressing mix Chipotle chiles Garlic (place in garlic jar) Horseradish Roasted spices (coriander and ginger) Fig preserves Orange marmalade Lemon curd Pineapple preserves Honey Molasses Sorghum Cocoa powder Prunes Apricots Golden raisins Dried cranberries/cherries Olive oil Extra-virgin olive oil Canola oil Sesame Oil I grayed-out the ones I do not have. Most of those I wouldn't want anyway (ick), or wouldn't know how to use. I have a fairly full pantry, but most of what I have is not on this list. Edited January 11, 2011 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Well, no, but that's b/c we don't eat meat. Canned clams Anchovies (paste and fish) Tuna and salmon Fish sauce ditto above Miso paste I bought some and tried it in a few things . . . and then threw it away. Hoisin sauce yes Black bean sauce no Soy sauce /tamari tamari, yes Curry paste yes Jarred salsa yes Roasted peppers no Salsa verde yes Yes to all these Tahini Almond butter Natural peanut butter and these Canned tomatoes Tomato paste in tube Fire-roasted tomatoes Good marinara I make my own marinar but keep a couple of jars on hand jic. All these but to be honest, Balsamic vinegar Rice vinegar Sherry vinegar I've never used this one. Yes to all these except Hominy Barley I'm out Bob’s Red Mill Corn grits I don't use Bob's Canned beans—garbanzos, white beans Couscous Bulghur Orzo Rice Polenta/cornmeal Old-fashioned oats Panko bread crumbs I despise bread crumbs and never cook with them. If the recipe calls for them I either find a new recipe or leave them out. Gingersnaps/vanilla wafers/graham crackers no, i have to go get them if I need them. Most of these sound fabulous but with the exception of salt, pepper, and basil, I buy as I need. Smoked paprika Coriander Chilpotle chile powder Roasted cumin Ancho chile powder Curry powder Ground ginger Hickory smoked salt Italian dressing mix Chipotle chiles Garlic (place in garlic jar) Horseradish Roasted spices (coriander and ginger) Fig preserves Orange marmalade but I do have this Lemon curd Pineapple preserves Doesn't everyone? Honey Molasses Sorghum except this Cocoa powder Prunes Apricots Golden raisins Dried cranberries/cherries only these Olive oil Extra-virgin olive oil Canola oil Sesame Oil all except this one plus a couple of others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I think it's much more useful to stock your pantry with whatever YOU cook with than to use someone else's list. When I run out of something, I buy 2 more. When it goes on sale, I buy more extras. But only the things I actually use. I also stock up on things like rice, popcorn, flour, sugar, (and shhh, chocolate chips) and store them in buckets in the basement since they last a long time and we will always use them no matter what food trends we are following. That cuts way down on my shopping time and budget! Speaking of pantries, I just organized my pantry cupboard using tupperware modular mates and labeled them and it is all so tidy and usable now. I am loving it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I agree. Some of the items I don't keep on hand, but would if I used them more frequently before they go bad! I wish some of these items came in small, one-use quantities so that I could take advantage of their shelf life and only use them when I actually want them. I think my problem is that I have never reached a pantry-driven meal planning place, kwim? If I could use that fish sauce a couple times a week until it was used up, I'd have it in my pantry. But my meals don't revolve enough around what's half-used in my fridge or pantry! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quill Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Yeah, it's funny, I've been thinking I have too many things in back-up stock. Some of the things just go bad after a while and then I feel bad about chucking something that would have been perfectly useful if I would only have used it, oh, 2 years ago. I have canned clams that I bought once for a reason very similar to this and they've languished there for waaaay too long. Same with Refried Beans, about a half-dozen instant pudding mixes, and button mushrooms in a can. (I don't even like mushrooms!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Another Jen Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I think it's much more useful to stock your pantry with whatever YOU cook with than to use someone else's list. When I run out of something, I buy 2 more. When it goes on sale, I buy more extras. But only the things I actually use. I also stock up on things like rice, popcorn, flour, sugar, (and shhh, chocolate chips) and store them in buckets in the basement since they last a long time and we will always use them no matter what food trends we are following. That cuts way down on my shopping time and budget! Speaking of pantries, I just organized my pantry cupboard using tupperware modular mates and labeled them and it is all so tidy and usable now. I am loving it! Where can you buy those storage buckets for a decent price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Care to share a photo? I love to look at nicely organized pantries and shelves. (OK, I sound like I have a weird fetish...ooooh, pantries....LOL Sounds too close to something else. :lol: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I think that is 95 per cent. true but I think it's also fun to keep some things on hand just in case you're feeling outrageous or adventuresome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Where can you buy those storage buckets for a decent price? I get them free from bakeries, like Sams Club. I wash them out very carefully, including under the gasket, and slap my own computer printed label on over the "disgusto chemical frosting" label. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Care to share a photo? I love to look at nicely organized pantries and shelves. (OK, I sound like I have a weird fetish...ooooh, pantries....LOL Sounds too close to something else. :lol: ) I would love to! I will take a picture tomorrow when there is daylight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Wow. I was surprised. We don't stock anchovies (bleah), peanut butter (allergy), hominy, sorghum, or any of these: Fig preserves, Orange marmalade, Lemon curd, Pineapple preserves. Everything else we've got. Maybe I will look at that recipe list! Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaceyinLA Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Anchovies (and dh would love it if I'd get some so that's an idea) Lemon curd (could make it fairly easily but we aren't huge fans) Apricots (just not something I've ever used) I tell ya, if you like to kick things up, curry pastes to me are one of the best things to keep around. Throw some in a skillet with a little olive oil, dump in a can of coconut milk, and you can throw in whatever meats and/or veggies you like. It's just a good, tasty meal that is EASY and tastes like you've spent way more time in the kitchen than you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Care to share a photo? I love to look at nicely organized pantries and shelves. (OK, I sound like I have a weird fetish...ooooh, pantries....LOL Sounds too close to something else. :lol: ) I started a new thread to post my picture so as not to further hijack this one! :) http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236568 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I have 37 of those items in my pantry already. Theres a few suggestions there I might take on but I am a food snob and am pretty fussy about what I buy- I have my own list. I had forgotten about anchovies though- I really like them and they can add a lot of flavour for such a tiny fish! I like them on a salad. I am not so much into pre-roasting spices. I like to grind them fresh then roast them in the pot before adding other ingredients. They lose their flavour too quickyl otherwise. The 3 oils I have and use are extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, and ghee. The vinegars I have are raw apple cider, balsamic, umeboshi plum, and plain white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyB Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I am not so much into pre-roasting spices. I like to grind them fresh then roast them in the pot before adding other ingredients. They lose their flavour too quickyl otherwise. This. I never really believed that it was different until we started cooking more seriously at home. DH bought me a mini coffee bean grinder for Christmas last year, and GOODNESS it's so different - and so much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Eww, I have never, ever used majority of items on that list. Honestly, I probably only have about 4 or 5 of them. I'm a very simple meal type of gal...I despise cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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