Must-Have Kitchen Pantry Staples for a Well-Stocked Pantry

These kitchen pantry staples will help you make delicious, homemade meals every night that your family will love.  It will help you save time because you won’t have to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work every night.  It will also help you save money on your food bill because you will not have to stop at the fast-food places.

One of the most asked questions by The Frugal Housewife readers is “What are the pantry staples that you keep stocked in your pantry?”.  My pantry staples list is pretty basic and allows me to create really inexpensive meals.  It is possible to purchase pantry staples on a budget.

One thing we do is make a lot of our own mixes and seasonings because I have to watch my sodium intake and a lot of premade mixes contain a lot of sodium.  So we keep a lot of items in our pantry that allow me to do make our own mixes and blends.

I’ve also included on the list “Broth or Stock”.  This is one of the items that I have to make because of the sodium. For other people who don’t have to watch their sodium, it would be a must-have pantry item.

---

SPICES  

First on the list of must-have kitchen pantry staples is spices.

Spices can turn any boring dish into something that the entire family will love.  Put something in the crockpot in the morning and add a few spices and when you come back in the afternoon and you will have a wonderful meal (plus the house will smell so good)!

The great thing about spices is that they usually have a pretty long shelf life if you keep them in an air-tight container, away from any heat and moisture, and sunlight.  One way to tell if your spices are still flavorful is to open the container and sniff.  If you can smell them, then they still will give your dish a wonderful flavor.  If you can smell them, then you won’t be able to taste them either.

You can also combine the spices together to make taco seasonings, chili blends, ranch dressing mix, etc.

Spices can get expensive.  You can find them on sale on the clearance aisles and some stores have their own brand that is somewhat cheaper.  Just remember to look at the expiration date.  You want to buy one that is the furthest out from the date you are purchasing it.

• Pepper
• Chili Powder
• Garlic Powder (not Garlic Salt – There is a difference)
• Onion Powder
• Dry Chopped Onions
• Paprika
• Italian Seasoning
• Cinnamon
• Oregano
• Crushed Red Pepper
• Cayenne
• Cumin

---

OIL, VINEGAR, SAUCES, AND CONDIMENTS

Next on our list is Oil, Vinegar, and Condiments.  We’re not just talking ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.  We’re talking about the different kinds of oil and vinegar that you can use to make marinades, dressings, and vinaigrettes.

There are several different kinds of oil and they can get pricy.   Remember — you don’t have to buy all of them at once.  Start out with a couple that is the cheapest.  Then watch the sales (yes they do go on sale occasionally) as you figure out which ones you are going to use the most.

Oil:

• Peanut Oil
• Canola Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Vegetable Oil
• Light Olive Oil
• Corn Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Avocado Oil

Vinegar:

• Balsamic Vinegar
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Rice Vinegar

Condiments:

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Soy Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Sriracha

---

BAKING SUPPLIES

Baking supplies are usually the cheapest items to buy for your pantry.  You can buy them in bulk and then put them into your own jars and containers.  If you don’t have the extra money to purchase special containers then use ziplock bags to store your baking supplies.

It is essential that you keep your baking supplies dry, cool and away from sunlight.

Baking supplies do go on sale and sometimes there are even coupons for them.

• Flour — Self-Rising and All Purposes
• Yeast
• Sugar — White, brown & confectioner’s
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cocoa Powder
• Yellow cornmeal
• Corn Starch

---

DRY PANTRY ITEMS

These dry pantry items are the items that I always keep on hand, especially when money is running low. They will keep you filled and are relatively cheap to buy.

Dry pantry items store so easily in the pantry.  Plus you can keep them on hand for a while.  Beans, rice, and pasta can be added to any meal as a side dish or served as a main dish.  There are so many things you can do with the dry pantry items.

• Dried Beans (black, white (cannellini, navy), kidney, garbanzo)
• Rice (jasmine, White, Brown, Long-grain)
• Pasta
• Oatmeal (instant, quick, rolled and steal-cut)
• Barley
• Lentils
• Coucous

---

CANNED/JARRED ITEMS

We don’t use very many canned or jarred items.  Diced tomatoes, chili beans, tuna, and peanut butter are usually the only things that we will use that come from a can or jar and that is because I have to be very careful with my salt intact.  We usually make our own broths and use frozen corn and other vegetables.

Canned vegetables go on sale and can usually be bought at a very good price.  You can find very good prices on them several times during the holidays.

• Diced Tomatoes
• Pasta Sauce
• Peanut Butter
• Chili Beans
• Canned Tuna
• Canned Broth or Stock
• Corn

 

FREEZER ITEMS

By keeping frozen vegetables on hand, you can throw together a pot of soup during the cold winter months.  Make a stir-fry out of your frozen vegetables.  Thaw out some meat and put in the crockpot and let it cook while you are at work.

• Mixed Vegetables
• Asparagus
• Green beans
• Meat – beef, pork & chicken
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Fruits (Strawberries, blueberries, mango)

---

With a well-stocked kitchen pantry you can create a delicious meal at a moment’s notice without having to run to the grocery store! 

You don’t have to buy all these kitchen pantry staples at one time.  Buy them when they are on sale or when you have extra money on hand.

What pantry staples do we keep stocked that you don’t?  What pantry staples do you keep in your pantry?  We’d love to hear from you!  Leave us a comment!

(Originally posted April 10, 2017, updated November 6, 2019).