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How To Stock a Pantry
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How to Stock Your Pantry
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Keeping the right staples in your pantry means you'll never have to run out to the store to complete a recipe, and you'll be able to put together a meal in a moment's notice.
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What to Keep On Hand
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Pasta
The types of pasta you buy are a matter of taste. With a great variety of shapes and textures in the supermarket, you'll have no trouble picking up a couple boxes to have on your shelf.
Pasta buying tips:Â
• Choose corkscrew for meaty sauces, it helps hold it all together on a fork.Â
• Elbow macaroni is versatile hot or cold and is the hands-down best for homemade macaroni and cheese
• Penne Rigate is excellent in every way for casseroles and chunky sauces.Â
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Rice
 White Rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, basmati…all are excellent for pulling togeter a quick dinner with a few simple ingredients added to the rice. It's also an easy side dish that goes with most any type of meat.
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Canned and/or dried beans
If you have beans on hand, you have the makings of a hearty soup or chili. Kidney beans and black beans are used in countless recipes, making dinner fast and filling.
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Vinegar (balsamic, white, red wine)
Vinegar is great to make homemade dressings and an excellent base for herb infused sauces. And you'll be ready to dye Easter eggs every day.
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Oils (olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil)
From prepping skillets and pans to adding flavor to recipes, oil is a pantry must-have. Keep away from heat and light to get the best storage life. Oil does turn rancid so be sure to smell it if it's been around for a while.Â
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Herbs and Spices
While certain herbs and spices are better fresh, it's always a good idea to have dried herbs in your pantry so you're ready for any recipe.Â
Keep these basics in your spice rack so dinner isn't just quick…it's flavorful.Â
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• Basil
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon, ground and sticks
• Cloves, ground and whole
• Cumin, ground
• Curry powder
• Dill weed
• Five-spice powder
• Garlic powder
• Ginger, ground
• Mustard, dried ground
• Nutmeg
• Onion powder
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Pepper
• Poppy seeds
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Salt
• Sesame seeds
• Thyme
• Turmeric
• Vanilla extract
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Sugars
White sugar, brown sugar and dark brown sugar are staples in both baking and cooking.
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Chicken and Beef Stock
If you have stock, you can have a hearty soup in no time.Â
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Canned Vegetables
Keeping potatoes, onions and peppers around will ensure you have a side dish or ingredients to make a meal truly filling. However, they do go bad fairly quickly. Canned vegetables are great for soups, stews, sauces and side dishes. Green beans, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes are great basics.
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Pasta Sauce
From simple red sauce to herb infused cheese sauces, choose a couple of your family's favorites for those nights that dinner needs to take no more effort than making pasta and combining it with sauce.Â
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Ramen Noodles
Now these aren't really a pantry basic, but they are a staple in a lot of homes. They may not pass muster with the food police, but when you're tired or have sick kids that kept you up all night (or a new baby!), or you need a break and don't have the energy or cash for take-out food; Ramen noodles will save the day. Toss some broccoli or other veggies into the pot for more flavor and belly filling goodness. Diced cooked chicken adds protein. Grab a few packages to keep around.Â
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For a more detailed list that includes fridge basics and storage needs, use our printable Pantry Supplies Checklist
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