Building a Pantry: PDF Lists

If you would like a PDF of shopping list prompts you can fill out on your own, click here.

For the shopping list we brainstormed in step 1 click here

For a vegetarian list click here

Below is an example of a list I brainstormed using the blank prompt and am literally about to text my partner!

Building a Pantry, Step 1: Make a Master List

If you can, set aside some time to brainstorm your master shopping list. This is a time to be honest about what kind of home cook you are or are not. If you like to eat small snacks throughout the day and hate to use your oven, that is totally valid, and you will be more successful if you shop for that! It is not a time to start a highly specialized diet or to make overly aspirational menus because it is important that right now all of the food we bring into our homes will actually be eaten. Think about your standbys and habits and what you will actually want to make each day. 

If there are a few specific meals or recipes you want to make, try to build out your list from there. Think about versatile ingredients and the flavors you love, and adding on pantry (and fridge, and freezer) staples to that. 

Try organizing your list by types of food so you can be flexible if there are specific shortages at the store and so that you can build up your reserves each time you go. If you think in generic categories, and buy what is most affordable in that category each time you go you can build up your supplies in a strategic way. 

I will post lists you can use if it makes sense for you to work from that. This post is a longer, for people who like to brainstorm from a prompt. We will think through each section of a store imagine a Master List. Think of this like the best case scenario, your perfectly stocked pantry. Once you have that list, you can go through the supplies you already have on hand, and make your actual shopping list for your trip. If you are just starting to build up a pantry, you may decide to add a bit extra each time you shop as your budget allows. 

I keep a version of the master list in my journal and each time we food shop, I quickly double check what we have and basically get everything else on the list. It would be just as useful to keep this as note on your phone, or a file you can print out when you need. 

Keep it simple

The most important part of this process is being aware of what you already have, and building a habit around checking in with what you use during a given week and making adjustments to your list as you move forward. It can be really easy to assume you will use up a certain amount of something and keep buying it and then one day realize that it’s all still hanging out in a dark corner of a cabinet!

Here we go!

I’ll outline some staples, and give examples of whats on my list but of course your household may have different needs and preferences.  Your store may also have additional or different departments, like a bakery and a specialty cheese department. You might want to grab flowers or a houseplant. Since I’m brainstorming about hardy pantry staples, I’m sticking to these basics, but your trip may look slightly different. Take that in to consideration!

PRODUCE DEPARTMENT

Be really selective in produce because many fruits and vegetables are highly perishable and will contribute to your loss if you have too many on hand. Depending on your freezer space it might make sense to get some of your fruits and veggies there

• Versatile aromatics

• Onions- this is an example of something you can build up over time, maybe buying a bag of a different type each time

  • Sweet/vidalia

  • Yellow

  • White

  • Red

  • Shallots

• Garlic

• Hot peppers

• Sturdy fruits and  vegetables that don't need to be in the fridge

• Potatoes

• Sweet potatoes

• Hard Squash like butternut 

• Citrus like lemons, oranges and grapefruit (wipe them down and watch for mold)

• Apples 

• Pears

• Vegetables that keep well in the fridge

• Carrots

• Hearty greens like kale (limit bagged salads or tender greens like baby spinach that mold quickly)

• Peppers

• Tender fruits and veggies to limit

• Salad mixes

• Tender lettuces 

• Spinach

DAIRY DEPARTMENT

Think about fridge space and shelf life in this department!

• Eggs- space is the issue these keep well 

• Yogurt tends to have a long shelf life, larger containers may be more space efficient than cups

• Butter (can be frozen)

• Cheese Aged cheeses like aged cheddars will keep for a long time and cheese sold in blocks will keep better than shreds

• Tofu

• Miso

GROCERY DEPARTMENT

Here is where shopping by type comes in to play. Try not to think to specifically in this part of your list so you can adapt based on what is available and what is affordable. Think like this: Egg noddles could replace spaghetti if it is sold out. Choose things like grains, beans and spices based on what is available or has the best price per unit. Oats take up less space on a pantry shelf than boxed cereal…

• Grains

• you can buy bigger bags of ones you like and rotate what you buy each time, building up a more versatile supply over time

• Rice

• Farro

• Barley

• Oats/ oatmeal

• Grits/polenta

• Nuts- if you like a variety buy what is on sale or cheapest per pound and build up over time

• Beans, lentils & legumes canned or dried 

• Chickpeas

• White beans

• Black beans

• Packaged bean meals (like ready made dal)

• Oils

• Build up, depending what makes sense for your budget. This is also a category where you can make a self assessment of what you actually need. In our home we cook with a variety of fats and oils and love to experiment or use specific recipes, but we could also go for months with the large can of Olive Oil. Think about what you use the most and try to work your cooking around that. 

• Vegetable blend

• Olive oil

• Coconut oil

• Ghee

• Vinegars

• Another category where it makes sense to choose a staple, then add over time if budget allows. 

• White (remember to get extra if you use this as a cleaner)

• Apple Cider (our go-to)

• Balsamic

• Baking supplies

• Think about what you will actually use!

• Flour

• Baking soda

• Sugar

• Boxed mixes

• Stocks and soup

• Canned or boxed, even if you make your own this could help if someone falls ill

• Ramen noodles/ packaged soup meals

• Canned coconut milk (often in this area)

• Condiments

• These may seem like extras but if you know a few you like, they will go a long way to make your pantry staples more exciting

• Soy sauce

• Hot sauce

• Ketchup

• Mustard

• Pasta (and things in that aisle)

• Pasta/ pasta meals (like mac & cheese)

• Pasta sauce- canned crushed tomatoes is a good alternative if these are sold out

• Canned and jarred things

• Artichokes

• Olives

• Other grocery staples

• Dried fruit

• Nut & seed butters Another category when you can pick a favorite or buy what is on sale. We always have peanut butter but i also find tahini very versatile

• Jelly/jam

• Tinned fish

• Cereal

• Granola bars

• Bread

• Snacks! think about things that won’t take up too much space like pop corn to pop on your own

• Coffee even if you use beans, some instant could come in handy

• Bottled or Canned beverages

• Soda

• Juice

• Sports drinks like Gatorade

• Seltzer

• Spices- the best way to build up spices is to know what you like and add as they go on sale. If you do not usually cook a lot at home some blends might give you more bang for your buck.

MEAT

this is a category that has been selling out quickly in many stores so try to be adaptable and think about what would freeze well if you want to build a stash

• Chicken breasts

• “Stew meat”, chuck, meats that freeze well and are versatile

• Sausage can be frozen

• Bacon freezes well

• Remember some meat may be sold frozen in a different area of the store

  • Meat balls

  • Sausage

  • Chicken tenders

FROZEN

• Frozen fruits and veggies are great!

• Butternut squash

• Peas

• Spinach

• Medley

• Frozen meats

• Frozen meals are great but be aware of how much space they take up in the fridge

• Bread sold frozen is great, you can take it out as you need it by the slice

PAPER GOODS AND MEDICINE

• Toilet paper

• Paper towels

• Tissues 

• Hand soap

• Dish soap

• Disinfectant spray

• Medical supplies incase someone gets sick

• Decongestant

Did I miss any favorites or things you know you like to have on hand? Add them!