Checklist For A Well-stocked Kitchen Pantry

The final step in any kitchen renovation is moving everything back into the room. To truly enjoy a newly renovated kitchen, start off with everything you need to cook some great meals. Carefully consider the kitchen tools, appliances, and kitchen pantry items that make your time productive and enjoyable while cooking and entertaining.

A well-stocked kitchen pantry is one that includes all the items and ingredients to let you prepare three meals a day. In addition to filling it with the necessities, it should also be well organized. When you are running low or out of ingredients add them to your grocery list or mark them on a whiteboard.

Keep Kitchen Pantry Ingredients Up to Date

Remember to periodically toss out the items that have gotten too old. Believe it or not, those spices that came in your bridal shower spice rack back in the day are no longer fit for consumption. If a spice is more than a year old, pitch it! Any item past its sell-by date must go as well.

Keep Kitchen Pantry Space Organized

Organize the pantry so that similar ingredients are grouped together. Have you lost a number of items in back corners or on shelves above eye level? If you cannot see it, you might end up re-buying a pantry item you already own! Hint: group baking items together including your mixer or beater. Consider other groupings you use regularly like pastas and canned tomatoes. Baskets and bins are great accessories for bundling items together like oils and vinegars.

Essentials for a Well-Stocked Pantry:

Oils: Olive oil is a must, as is canola. Depending on what kind of cooking you do, you might also need sesame oil or vegetable oil.

Vinegar: Today many recipes call for different kinds of vinegar. It is a good idea to keep on hand a couple of types: white, red wine, white wine, rice, malt, and balsamic.

Pasta: You know what kinds your family likes. However, you should keep a variety of shapes on hand including spaghetti and something rounder like penne or rotini. Pasta can be a lifesaver when you have not had time to plan ahead for dinner.

Rice: It is good to have different kinds: long-grain, short-grain, brown, a basmati or jasmine, and instant.

Beans: It is always helpful to have some canned and dried beans on hand.

Baking Supplies: All-purpose unbleached flour, cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, baking powder, baking soda, and yeast.

Tomato Products: Canned tomatoes (whole and diced), tomato paste, tomato puree, jarred spaghetti sauce.

Herbs and Spices: Even if you are not a gourmet cook, you should have the basics on hand: garlic, basil, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and oregano. (Hint: In addition to iodized salt, keep a supply of kosher and sea salt handy for cooking.)

Condiments and Spreads: Ketchup, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, peanut butter, honey, and jams. It is always good to keep extras on hand so you won't run out at a critical moment.
Stocks: Every cook will need chicken, beef, or vegetable stock at some point.

What other items are essential in your pantry?