Stocking Your Kitchen

Cooking is easier when you have most basic ingredients on hand. Most of the basics on this list keep indefinitely, so you buy everything once, then just replace as needed.

Seasonings

salt
pepper
Italian seasoning
cinnamon
cumin
chili powder
cayenne or Tabasco sauce
curry powder
soy sauce (low sodium)
minced garlic in a jar
minced ginger in a jar
Better than Bouillon*
sugar and/or brown sugar
honey or maple syrup
vinegar

Oils

olive oil
canola oil

Cans, Jars & Boxes

black beans
white beans (navy, cannelini, etc.)
chickpeas
dried lentils
oatmeal (steel-cut or rolled)
bulgur
rice
pasta
diced tomatoes
spaghetti sauce
tuna .sh (water packed)
unsalted nuts
seeds (sun.ower, pumpkin, etc.)
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, etc.)

In the freezer

frozen shrimp
frozen berries
frozen veggies

Keep a list on the refrigerator. When anything above runs low, jot it down on the list. About once a week, buy replacements, perishable foods and special ingredients for specific recipes, such as:

fresh fruit
fresh vegetables
chicken, .sh or meat
bread and rolls
eggs
cheese
recipe-specific ingredients

* Better than Bouillon is a concentrated broth paste in a jar, available in vegetable or chicken .avor. Many
recipes, including rice, bulgur and soups, are tastier when made with broth. Keeping a jar of Better
than Bouillon in the fridge is easier and cheaper than buying can after can of broth.