Stock the Pantry

I'm in Milwaukee for business for today and tomorrow, so I thought I'd touch on kitchen supplies/staples since I won't be cooking dinner and adding recipes here.

I refer to the "staples" in my kitchen pantry quite a lot. And the truth is, those staples are different for everyone. It depends on where you live, what's in season, what kind of cuisine you like, etc...

But I thought I'd go through the fridge and pantry and jot down the things I can't live without.

From A to Z: (kind of)
Angel hair pasta
Bacon
Baking powder
Baking soda
Bar-B-Q sauce
Basil
Black pepper
Bread
Bread crumbs
Canned tomatoes
Cheese – Cheddar
Cheese – Mozzarella
Cheese – Parmesan
Chicken stock
Chili powder
Cinnamon
Cornstarch
Dry mustard
Eggs
Flour
Frozen veggies (your choice, but spinach and corn are very good frozen)
Garlic powder
Grill seasoning
Honey
Italian seasoning
Jelly/jam
Ketchup
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Milk
Mustard, Dijon
Mustard, yellow
Nuts (I typically keep almonds and peanuts)
Oatmeal
Orange juice
Oregano
Peanut butter
Red pepper flakes
Rice
Rosemary
Salad dressing – Caesar
Salad dressing – Ranch
Salad dressing –Balsamic vinaigrette
Salt
Soup – cream of chicken
Soup – cream of mushroom
Soy sauce
Spaghetti sauce
Sugar, brown
Sugar, white
Tarragon
Thyme
Vanilla extract
Vinegar – Balsamic
Vinegar – Red wine
Vinegar – White
White wine
Plus meat: I usually cook chicken, pork and beef. I always buy and freeze until I’m ready to use it.

There are plenty of similar lists out there to guide you.

This one, from Teri's Kitchen, seems very thorough. I personally, think I can get by without a lot of this, but it's good to have other opinions!

This, from livingonadime, is a bit more my speed. It has a lot more suggestions for canned goods. I don't keep a lot of canned fruits and veggies, but I know they are very useful for a lot of people.