Pantry Staples

Feeling a little voyeuristic? Time for a peek inside my kitchen.

A number of readers have asked what I stock in my pantry, so I’ve put together this inventory, which I hope you will find helpful. These are the items in my pantry and cabinets at the time of writing.

Most of the dry goods I buy in bulk from my favorite stores: Trader Joe’s, WholeFoods, Nuts.com, Vitacost, Mountain Rose Herbs and Amazon. I’m working on a Buying Guide, which I will post soon, with more specific information on where to find these items at the best prices.

I store the grains, seeds and dried legumes in airtight Oxo Pop Canisters for easy access, and any items I don’t have enough canisters for stay in the resealable bags they came in, or in the sturdy Ziploc bags I use and re-use when I buy bulk items in-store (labeled with the store name and bin number using a Sharpie for convenience). I realize that the Oxo canisters aren’t cheap. I’ve amassed my collection gradually over the last several years, picking up one or two from time to time when I get an extra good coupon from Kohls, for example. They are plastic, but BPA-free, lightweight yet sturdy, and most sizes are easy to hold and pour with one hand (unlike glass canisters which are heavy and can shatter). They open with a quick press of the lid, and it is very convenient that the container mouths are large enough to easily scoop ingredients directly with a measuring cup.

Helpful tip: Cut out the label from the packaging and slide it between the dry goods and the container wall for easy labeling and future reference to cooking instructions.

Please note that some of these “pantry items” are ideally stored in the fridge, or become “refrigerated items” after you open them. Refer to the code below:
° = always refrigerate * = refrigerate after opening

Grains
barley, pearled
couscous, Israeli
couscous, whole wheat
millet
oat bran
oats, rolled
oats, steel cut
pasta, whole wheat rotini
rice, brown basmati
rice, Lundberg Jubilee brown mix
rice, white basmati
rice, wild
soba noodles, 100% buckwheat

Seeds
almond butter, raw*
almonds, raw
amaranth
buckwheat groats
cacao powder, raw
cashews, raw
chia seed
flax seed
hazelnuts, raw
hemp seed (aka “hemp hearts”), raw*
hemp protein powder
macadamia nuts, raw
pecans, raw
pistachios, raw
pumpkin seeds (pepitas), raw
quinoa, red
quinoa, yellow
sacha inchi seeds
sesame seeds, black
sesame seeds, white
sunflower seeds, raw
tahini, raw°
walnuts, raw

Legumes
adzuki beans, dried
baby chickpeas, split (chana dal)
black beans, dried
black eyed peas, dried
black lentils, split (urad dal)
black lentils, whole
chickpeas, canned* (garbanzo beans)
chickpeas, dried
green lentils
mesquite powder, raw
mung beans, split (moong dal)
mung beans, whole
red kidney beans, dried
red lentils
peanut butter*
peanuts, raw Valencia
peanuts, raw wild jungle
pinto beans, dried
yellow peas, split

Fruits
acai berries, freeze-dried powder
apple sauce, unsweetened*
coconut milk, canned*
coconut, shredded unsweetened
cranberries, dried sweetened*
figs, dried°
goji berry powder
golden raisins, dried
lemon juice*
lime juice*
medjool dates

Baking
all-purpose flour, gluten-free
almond flour°
arrowroot powder
baking powder, aluminum-free°
baking soda
brown rice flour
buckwheat flour
chickpea flour
coconut flour
graham flour
hazelnut flour
potato starch
sorghum flour
spelt flour
sprouted whole grain flour
tapioca flour
teff flour
xanthan gum

Oils
coconut oil
grape seed oil
hemp seed oil*
olive oil
sesame oil

Sweeteners
agave syrup, raw
brown rice syrup
chocolate bars, 70% dark
chocolate chips
coconut palm sugar
date sugar
honey (bee-free, apple-based)
maple sugar
maple syrup*
molasses
sugar, whole cane (sucanat)
yacon syrup

Condiments/Flavorings
almond extract
coconut aminos
miso paste, red*
miso paste, yellow°
nama shoyu*
nutritional yeast
vanilla beans
vanilla bean powder
vanilla extract
vinegar, apple cider
vinegar, fig balsamic
vinegar, rice*

Vegetables
dulse flakes
dulse granules
kombu
maca root powder
porcini mushrooms, dried
pumpkin puree, canned*
vegetable broth, low sodium*
wakame flakes

Spices
basil, dried
bay leaves
black peppercorns
cardamom
cayenne pepper
chipotle peppers, dried
cinnamon
cloves
coriander
cumin
curry powder
garam masala
garlic powder
hing (asafetida)
nutmeg
paprika
salt, Himalayan pink
salt, Celtic sea
salt, fine French sea
taco seasoning blend

Have I forgotten anything that you find essential? Let me know in a comment below!