Hi Dixiedog!

I'll go backwards on your post..
1/2 n 1/2 is always in my fridge. Hubby uses it in his coffee on the weekends. I do try to use it in recipes too..like when whole milk is called for because I keep 1 or 2% in the fridge for cereal. (we don't drink milk as a beverage)
I also keep whipping cream in the fridge for when AnnT's scones are calling me! LOL
For those I reach in the back of the dairy shelf and find the longest shelf date I can.
I have had to dispose of either of these before though..I just now try and remember they are there and check dates..then use them up in a baked dish if they are getting close and there's a bit left.

I only shop 2x a month for the "big" shop. I do occasionally run into the store for something during the "off times" but I try to somewhat plan ahead 2 weeks worth of meal ideas..I've tried calender planning my menus and it just doesn't work. So I have "ideas" then try to form the meal that fits the day, the morning of, or the day before.

Pantry staples for me are really the basics.

I don't have alot of jars or bottles or cans of things that I keep around.
Dry pasta, tomato sauce, flours, sugars....
canned beans, dried beans, rice...

My pork chop grill from the other night...(basically how I work my meal)
Pork chops, presalted in the fridge in the morning
2 large russet potatoes, nuked until just over half cooked, quarted
1 lb of asparagas, rinsed and snapped
~fridge or cupboard/pantry items needed~
honey dijon mustard
EVOO
S&P
4 or so cloves of garlic
fresh thyme from my deck

Another quick meal~
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
leftover chicken or 3 breasts cubed
(if using raw chicken I saute with some onions and garlic in EVOO)
Fresh or frozen broccoli(I always have frozen broccoli~that is a staple for me)
pasta~any shape works but we like rotini or penne
1 jar of roasted garlic alfredo sauce or
make a white sauce add several good size handfuls of Parm a bit of garlic and lots of black pepper
start the pasta, half way through toss in the broccoli. Drain pour into saucepan with sauce and chicken.
~just showing how I adapt the recipe to what I have on hand.

Oh and I cook for a family of 5. And need atleast 1 lunch size portion of leftovers.

What I can offer to you is, make up a menu for the week, look at all the recipes your planning on for the week....then make a list of the items your missing. When using fresh herbs, I'll purchase & use what I need, then freeze the rest for the next use.

In my house there's just me and sometimes my 19 year old daughter, Ashley. I grow my own beef and pork, have chickens for eggs and can a lot of veggies from my organic garden. I bake my own bread.

Because of this particular eating/lifestyle, my basics are pretty simple:

Flour
Cornmeal
Oatmeal
Sugar
Butter
Milk
Coffee & Tea
Baking supplies (baking soda, powder, vanilla, spices, etc)
Olive oil
Rice/barley/quinoa/dried beans or peas
maple syrup (yeah, it's a staple for me, LOL)

I also have various vinegars, mustards, salad dressings, lemons and limes, fresh fruit. I always have carrots, celery, potatoes and onions.

Oh, and Ashley requires that really sweet breakfast cereal like Frosted Flakes or Fruity Pebbles.

I don't shop every day, or even every week. I shop when I run out of milk or need cleaning supplies, maybe once a week for milk, once a month for cleaning stuff, health and beauty, paper goods.

I use very few convenience foods but Ashley only likes Prego spaghetti sauce so I have that on hand. We compromise by using whole wheat pasta, which I like. (grin) I also buy Peter Pan peanut butter, now it's back on the market, I just don't want to grind my own darned peanuts!

I don't remember ever buying half and half and I seldom buy cream except for holiday special dishes. I use my 2% milk for everything, even the recipes that call for cream. It doesn't whip worth a darn, though. :-)

Annie

I know that this list looks overwhelming, but it is a good source to check on things that you might be missing. I usually shop once or twice a week - to the farm market/butcher/fish market/cheese shop for fresh stuff and to the grocery store for sale items.

Pantry Essentials on Teri's Kitchen

Cindy

I have a large walkin pantry which I keep loaded w/ everything I might want to use on the spur of the moment. I replace items as I take them off the shelf so that I never am w/o what I want when I want it. That way, when I want to make something, I don't have to put it off because I don't have what I need.

I just did a brief inventory.

What I keep in the pantry ...

Flour (whole wheat/all-purpose/cake flour)
Corn Meal
Sugar (white, confectioners and brown)
Vanilla (indefinite shelf-life)
Kosher Salt
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Spices
Herbs (I dry the fresh ones, never thought about freezing them)
Dry Beans
Pasta
Rice
Oatmeal (Old Fashioned and Steel Cut)
Olive oil and Canola Oil
Coffee beans/tea

What I keep in the freezer ...

Chopped onions
Chopped green pepper
Chopped red pepper
Corn (blanched, cut off the cob)
Zucchini (grated)
Tomatoes (whole, sauce, stewed)
Green beans
Berries
Poultry .. also smoked turkey for bean dishes

What I have in the fridge ...

Half-n-Half
Milk (whole and buttermilk)
Eggs
cheese (feta, cheddar, swiss and parmesan)
Salad greens (hubby takes a salad (in season) with his lunch
Salad dressing

I also have potatoes and onions in the hall closet.

You don't want to know what's in my pantry and fridge, it's embarrassing and topic for another thread. I am seriously overstocked! Except for fresh produce I rarely need to make a special shopping trip to make a recipe.

However absolute essentials are:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil
Sherry vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard
Flour
Sugar
Kosher Salt
Whole pepper corns
Dried basil, oregano, rosemary, paprika,
Fresh garlic
Shallots or onions
Chicken broth
Tube of tomato paste
Eggs
Bread crumbs
Parmesan Cheese
Dry Vermouth (I use it when white wine is called for
Variety of Pastas
Rice
Soy Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot Sauce of some sort
Canned Tomatoes
Mayo
Milk
Lemons or Lemon juice

Freezer always has, fish of some sort, shrimp, ground beef, pork and veal, pork tenderloin, chops, beef roasts and pork roasts, ribs and steaks. Not a lot but a nice selection.

When I was working I always planned most meals, not all 'cause life can change things, on the weekend and then made sure I had what I needed on hand.

Well I usually do major "shopping" once every 4-5 wks but "pick up" meat, 1 % milk & 1/2 & 1/2 once a week-- that's a bit different
in June, July & Aug when I hit farm stands & local farmers market at least once a week.

That said I still have a tendency to go way overboard on keeping my pantry & freezer stocked . Hubby kids that we could feed a regiment for 6 mns
out of our pantry. I cook mainly FROM the pantry & my monthly shopping is to restock whatever I've used.

Pantry :
5 or 6 shapes of pasta & 3 different shapes of Whole wheat pasta
Reg med grain rice, brown rice, wild rice, 5 grain mix, barley
Dried beans ( soldier, great Northern & split peas) & canned kidney,chick peas,black & cannelinn beans
instant potato flakes, rice noodles

Red potatoes, cooking onions , a braid of garlic
Canned sweet potatoes,
Losalt or no added salt =canned tomatoes,stewed tomatoes, mushrooms,tuna & salmon, c.o. chicken & mushroom soup
canned salmon, (canned ravioli & a couple of "blue boxes" for grandkids
Extra jars of Smuckers Natural PB,mayo & bottled "light"salad dsgs
Cans & boxes of no MSG chicken, veg & beef broths & stock
Evaporated 1%, sweetened condensed milk & powdered milk
Canned hash, clams & crabmeat
Gramma Brown's beans
Couple jars of speg sauce
Ears of popping corn
Dried cranberries,mushrooms,raisins,apricots,prunes

and then there's the "emergency" stock-- couple different cans of progressor soups,pork & beans,canned beef stew,canned reg tuna,Tang,canned potatos, canned mixed veg.

Home canned & commercial canned pears,peaches, plums & chunky applesauce

Mixes on hand-- Mennonite "bisquick" , DH cakes, puddings & jellos' Aldi's brand brownie mix.Jiffy corn bread mix, New Hope Mills Buckwheat pancake mix
3 or 4 different mustards, worchestshire,hot pepper sauce, 3-4 different vinegars ,liquid smoke, hoisin & lo salt soy , gravy master or kitchen bouquet

4-5 different flours( in refrig #2) , reg & brown sugar, dry buttermilk powder & dry egg whites, shortening,cannola -corn & olive oils, bpowder & soda, cocoa,choc chips , walnuts & raisins, corn meal & unflavored bread crumbs( in refrig)-- also in that refig-- yeast, Pabst blue ribbon,carrots & usually a head of cabbage,a jar of Chase's recipe pickled polish sausage , a good dry red wine, plain yogurt,sour cream.

Reg & quick cooking oatmeal , cheerios, Kashi, bran flakes, graham & Wheat Thin crackers, unsalted roasted almonds & dry roasted peanuts

Just about every spice known, citrus oils, a zillion extracts, dried onion flakes,15 or so types of tea, instant coffee, lo Na chick & beef boullion , semisweet & unsweetened baking chocolate squares
A zillion jars of pickles,chutneys, jams & relishes, jarred green & black olives, anchovies, capers, NY pure maple syrup,

in freezer-- our own breakfast , italian & polish sausage; boneless, skinless chic thighs & 1 or 2 whole chickens, venison, ground bison , pork loin & chops,
cubed round steak ; pkgs of cooked meatballs, roasted turkey & chicken, homemade soups,stew, polish pigs in a blanket & other "leftovers". veggies ( peas, snowpeas, corn, pearl onions), green pepper strips, roasted red peppers, frozen yogurts, raspberries, strawberries, freezer jams, Applewood bacon, flavored bread crumbs , puff pastry sheets, homemade cookies,

I too keep a big inventory of "stuff" just for me.
But I can and have many times cooked a meal in a bare kitchen with a quick trip to the store for greens, butter, lemons, a couple of potatoes, loaf of French bread...there usually is salt, sugar and pepper in the bare rented condo kitchen and with some coffee and a couple of small cans of juice we have breakfast too.
At home I always have greens, butter, cream, milk, juice...and mustards, catsup, steak sauces, eggs....frozen meats lots of cheeses, frozen veggies and all sorts of stuff in the freezer like chicken broth, soups, spaghetti sauce, salmon fillets and loaves of home made bread.
I shop a couple of times a week for greens and veggies and other stuff I have forgotten....like toilet paper and bug spray!
At most times I can put together a very nice dinner for 6 in a couple of hours.....and that includes setting the table.
Linda C

Besides the list of general stuff everyone shared, I'm going to echo lucyny - meal planning is a great guide to having on hand what you need for food preparation - it's also a way to use up what you HAVE on hand so that you aren't wasting food. When you have a general idea about what you're going to be making throughout the week, you can add needed items to your grocery list. I also try to make one new recipe per week, so I add any ingredient/s needed to my grocery list.

I grocery shop once a week, mostly to take advantage of sale items, but I stick to a $50 per week food budget (for 2 adults), so I rely on a well-stocked pantry. I also rely on a well-edited grocery list and weekly menu plan.

I also use substitutes and get creative with what's on-hand, rather than running to the store for something, and that's what I'd like to add to this discussion. (See link below.)

"Pantry Items" are so individual... I read through the lists everyone shared and there are many things I've never used, and I'm sure many things in my pantry that I consider - MUST have, would be the same for others. What does our pantry say about us????

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Ingredient Substitutions & Food Yields

Well, I keep a very well stocked pantry but still end up going to the grocery store, hmmm....a lot. I've been every day for the past 3 days. Oh well.

We have to always have bananas, good salad greens and lots of vegetables. That stuff alone keeps me going to the store all the time. Then I get to the grocery and the bananas are all yucky. So I either go to another grocey store or go home. Then I decide I want to make pumpkin bread. So I pull out the recipe and it really does need fresh orange zest but I don't have an orange. Do I go to the store and get the orange and bananas or wait? Depends on my schedule.

Nexy morning, dh tells me we are out of coffee. So now I have to go the store. I check the pantry and frig carefully for all the stuff I always have, we are lots of everything. That night dh asks if we can have fresh trout tomorrow night for dinner. I ask , will tilapa, scallops, salmon or shrimp work instead? I have all that in the freezer. No, I really want some trout. Back to the store the next day. We are also out of salad greesn again so I have to go anyway.

That question has to be individualized according to how much space you have, how large a variety of recipes you use, possibly what's on sale,and how often you can get to a store/market, as well as other reasons. We can tell you what we keep and it may not be what you may need at all. I think the website that CindyNY shows is a good beginning. In addition to keeping most of what has already been posted here, I keep over a half dozen kinds of cheeses, several kinds of mustard, almost every herb and spice known to man, numerous kinds of nuts, several kinds of pickles, various kinds of pasta, various oils, and spirits. I'm so overstocked that I can't find what's in my pantry or freezer when I need it.

Now that I'm about to get a Publix within a five minute drive I may not stock quiet as much. Can you see me jumping up and down here!! I go by the store on a daily basis to see how much progress they have made. I absolutely can hardly wait until it opens and they say it will probably be another month or two. It doesn't take much to excite me I know! We also have a new Fresh Market about fifteen miles away and I was just as excited before it came.

Beverly

I am at the flipp'n grocery store at least every other day and today twice! But we are coming off of a long haul in a temporary kitchen, almost 2 years in construction, and I'm still not stocked as well as like.

I think if you start saving recipes and plan at least 4 meals a week, your pantry will be pretty well stocked for wonderful meals within a month or so.

On Monday I was at the store picking up plums and decided to stock my vinegars that have been sadly lacking. So I picked up my usual, White and Red wine vinegar, a few balsamic that were on sale, Rice vinegar and Champagne and even a few odd ball ones in the Oriental aisle. Over the last month or so I've been stocking up on my oils, sesame seed, walnut, 2 gallons of EVOO, Peanut oil and a some others that I can't recall now.

I buy most of my baking staples at the bulk store as they have a nice selection of flours, all purpose, cake, WW and rye. Although the other day I was out of crisco, for heaven's sake! How that happened I don't know. I am at the bulk store probably once every 2 wks and I pick up spices at the time and white and long grain wild rice.

I keep many varieties of pasta, a few cans of tomato paste and sauce. Now that I canned my stewed tomatoes, I don't need to buy any crushed tomatoes but I usually keep at least 2 cans on hand at all times. Also, keep some mild Italian sausage in the freezer.

As far a meat, I keep 10-12 chicken breasts, some skinned and some deboned. Ground beef some in patties and some in bulk. Now, we do have a pork shoulder in the freezer but this was on sale and I need it to make more sausage. Several different cuts of beef, and I think we even have some pork chops which we usually don't. Lately I've been buying bacon too.

Our fresh vegetable and fruit vary but I always have green onions, several lemons and at least 1 orange, brussel sprouts, carrots, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, purple onions, radishes, broccoli, potatoes and cauliflower. And we always have bananas and apples.

I keep a huge stock of cheeses and it varies as to what is on special. But I stock several white cheeses, maybe a packet of shredded cheddar and usually brie or a similar dessert cheese.

I keep a ready supply of nuts in the freezer, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sliced and whole almonds, pine nuts, cashews and macadamia nuts.

Even with all this, I am still at the grocery store way to much.

Michelle

1) I work a lot
2) I play a lot
3) I like to cook

So I MUST have a well-stocked pantry and fridge to put together quick and tasty meals. I don't have time to shop every day or every other day.

A couple of Rachael Ray's 30-minute meals series books have pull-out cards with a list of foods to keep on hand for us busy folk. It's very helpful. I've given her books to several friends.

For me it's good to be flexible and not worry about following recipes exactly (I almost never do). I use what I have in hand and usually manage to put a better meal on the table than most people I know (but not compared to people here of course!)

Oops I forgot 2% milk, a couple of cartons of sour cream and both heavy and light cream. And I used to keep buttermilk too, but now I make kefir and just use that for baking. And for a treat whole chocolate milk..I love it!

For beverages we have many varieties of soda, what ever is on sale for coffee and several teas. I keep a few special blends of coffee for the weekends when we grind our own beans. And I always have a bag of whole expresso beans.

Michelle

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it off!
Here's a couple of additions to what has already been listed.
Vinegars- white, cider, rice, balsamic and maybe one other type for salads.
Buttermilk- there's a powdered type that I keep on hand for scones or other recipes that call for it.
Dried shallots, chives,onion, parsely, and cilantro from Penzey's. Sometimes I also have some frozen as well, but in anycase I have a starting point.

What a great thread! Thank you for asking this. I have often wondered what other people keep in their pantry, but never thought to ask.

A few must haves for me:
1/2 and 1/2
heavy cream
butter
parmigiana reggiana
cheddar
other cheeses would be nice too
pasta
garlic
onions
red, yellow or orange bell peppers
mushrooms
ground turkey and/or turkey sweet Italian sausage
black beans

With those few ingredients, I am set for any "emergency" meal.

We are just 3 adults in this house and lately it has only been 2. Mom has been in th hospital for several months now, but is coming home this week. Anyway...

Like Chase, I am well to overstocked. I have 2 fridges plus a full sized freezer and a small chest one. My basement has shelves for dry stoarge and I have a walk in pantry. Given this, I shop sales items and grab 2. I no longer shop a weekly list, only for fresh produce and dairy. If I start to run low, I make a list and do a mega shop at Costco or a grocery store, and the rest is only the specials. We joke that I shop in the basement on Sunday.

Plan your meals for the week, check your supplies. Very soon you have a good supply and are set for anything.

Good thread and glad to know I'm not the only one to have a grocery store in my pantry, freezer and refrigerator!
The one thing I have cut down on is meat kept in the freezer. I really like to use fresh. Right now I just have chicken breasts and tenderloin. But I do plan ahead a little and only have to go to the store about twice a week.

Nancy

I am surprised only a few people mentioned mustard. I only keep dijon and then yellow mustard but I thought many on this forum were mustard lovers.

I would so like to add wines to my list. I don't know how many bottles we have but quite a few. Mostly dry white and red and quite a few Cream Sherrys too. We rarely drink wine but I do keep it on hand for cooking. But you can pick wine up cheap at any grocery store as there are always specials. I loaded up on Cream Sherry, $1 each, when our local store when out of business and it was the good stuff too.

And what about Soy Sauce? I keep regular and Lite Soy Sauce.

Michelle

Another one who is well stocked in the pantry and freezer. My friends and family say there heading to my place to take shelter if needed. I can't add much to the lists above, I have most of what's been posted. I do manage to keep produce and herbs fresh for a week or more by preping and wrapping in paper towels and storing in a zip bag. I just bought cream and half and half this past weekend, the use by date is 10-06, so it does keep for a few weeks. Not that I have a problem using it up before then....love those rich dishes and desserts.

David

This did turn out to be an excellent thread. Thank you all so much for the ideas and letting me peak into your pantries. I'm great at getting the sale items and stocking up on those but need to improve on meal planning. There is not much that we don't like to eat. All veges. and fruits are bought at my farmers market on Saturdays but that will be winding down in a month or so (sniff sniff).

I'm really motivated now and am putting together a list as I type and looking through my cookbooks to get some ideas.

Thanks again!