Living a Better Life
(featured column... from the editor's desk)
Saving
Money in the Kitchen: Pantry List
by Michelle
Jones
Keeping a well
stocked pantry will save you time and money throughout the year, and enable you
to throw a quick dinner together on a moment's notice. But it also takes
time and money to stock up. Whether you're
just starting out with your own kitchen or starting over with a new one, my
advice is to take things slowly and don't be in a rush to stock up
too quickly--or you'll end up spending more money than you should!
Take the time
to purchase items on sale and use coupons if they're available, shop the
discount stores, dollar stores and warehouse clubs (split large items with a
friend or neighbor) and within
6-12 months you'll have a fully stocked kitchen that would make any cook proud.
Everyone's
kitchen may contain different items, because we all have different tastes (and
family sizes), but
here's my basic pantry list to get you started. Once you have
everything you need you can keep your kitchen well stocked by replacing items as they run out.
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our printer-friendly page!
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Basic Pantry List
Dry
Goods:
Coffee
Cornmeal
Cornstarch
Cream
of Wheat
Dry
Beans (black, pinto, navy, etc...)
Dry Cereals
Dry
Milk Powder (will save you many trips to the store when you are running low on
fresh milk)
Flour (all-purpose, and bread or wheat)
Granulated Sugar (and
Grits (if you're fortunate enough
to live in the south, otherwise they can be difficult to find)
Jelly
(grape, raspberry, strawberry preserves, etc...)
Long-grain
White Rice and Brown Rice
Oatmeal (quick cooking and regular)
Pasta (spaghetti,
fettuccini, elbows, penne, rigatoni, shells, twists, lasagna, wide egg noodles, etc...)
Peanut Butter
(natural is best, stir and store in fridge)
Popcorn
Ramen
Noodles
Tea
Extras...
Biscuit
Mix
Buttermilk Powder
Cake Mix
Coffee
Creamer
Gravy Mix (warehouse clubs sell
this by the pound!)
Pancake
Mix
Peanuts, Other
Nuts & Seeds (almonds, pecans, walnuts, soy nuts, sunflower seeds, etc...
store in fridge)
Pudding
and Jello Mixes
Additional
Baking Supplies:
Baking Powder
Baking
Soda
Chocolate Chips
Condensed Milk
Confectioners' Sugar
Dark Brown Sugar
Evaporated
Milk
Light
Brown Sugar
Light
Corn Syrup
Vanilla Extract (not
flavoring)
Yeast Packets (store in fridge)
Extras...
Almond
Bark (melting chocolate)
Almond Extract
Brownie,
Cake and Muffin Mixes (when on sale!)
Decorative Sugar and Sprinkles
Food Coloring
Hershey's®
Cocoa Powder
Honey
Molasses
Raisins
Shredded
Coconut (store in fridge)
Unsweetened
Baking Chocolate
Spices:
Basil
Bay
Leaves
Bouillon
Cubes (chicken and beef)
Chili Powder
Cinnamon
Garlic
Ginger
Nutmeg
Onion
Powder
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Pepper (coarse
ground)
Rosemary
Sage
Salt (low-sodium, Morton®
iodized and sea salt)
Extras...
Celery
Seeds
Chives
Cloves
Cumin
Curry
Powder
Dry Mustard
Poppy Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Thyme
Canned Goods:
Chicken
Broth (or store your own in the freezer whenever you boil a chicken)
Fruit (sliced peaches, pears, pineapple,
fruit cocktail - packed in their own juice!)
Soups
(chicken noodle, tomato, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, etc...)
Tomatoes (diced, crushed)
Tomato Paste
Tomato
Sauce
Tuna (white albacore), or Chicken
Vegetables
(baked beans, green beans, corn, peas, sliced mushrooms, etc...)
Extras...
Crab
Meat
Hot Dog Chili
Pie Fillings
Pumpkin
Salmon
Salsa
Spaghetti
Sauce
Condiments
& Misc.:
Applesauce
Barbecue Sauce
Canola Oil
Cooking Spray
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Olive
Oil
Pancake
Syrup
Salad Dressing
Soy Sauce
Vegetable
Shortening
Vinegar
Worcestershire Sauce
Extras...
Apple
Butter
Apple-Cider
Vinegar
Bottled Water (for emergencies)
Mini-marshmallows
Olives
(black or green)
Pickle Hamburger Chips
Pickle
Relish
Teriyaki
Sauce
Bread: (as needed)
Bagels
English
Muffins
Hotdog
or Hamburger Buns
Graham
Crackers
Multi-Grain
Bread
Pretzels
Ritz®-like
Crackers
Tortillas (low carb if available)
Perishable Items: (as
needed)
Dairy (milk, eggs, real butter,
margarine, cheese, sour cream, Cool Whip®,
ice cream, yogurt, etc...)
Fresh
Fruit in Season or on Sale (apples, bananas, berries, oranges, grapes, melons,
etc...)
Fresh Vegetables in Season or on
Sale (asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, corn on the cob, green
peppers, mushrooms, etc...)
Garlic
Meat, Fish &
Poultry - whatever you like, as long as it's on sale!
Onions (yellow, sweet or red-which are actually purple)
Potatoes (white,
small red, yellow/gold or sweet)
Salad (lettuce,
tomato, cucumbers, etc...)
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Copyright
© 2005 by Michelle Jones, author of Frugal
Family Recipes. All rights reserved.
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