The Gourmet Mama

It’s very important to keep your pantry well-stocked with the basics so you can always whip up a meal out of what you have on hand. However, most moms don’t have a lot of time or the budget to fill their pantry up all at once, so how do you do it?

The first thing to do is decide how much you can afford to purchase each month. Then work on getting the basic staples. Buying bulk may help you save money and you can always split a case of something with another family or two. Here are the absolute basics you should have on hand.

• Flour
• Pasta
• Rice
• Oil
• Salt
• Sugar
• Consomme or stock
• Baking powder
• Tomato paste
• Margarine

With these, you will be able to survive. However, if you can, start keeping the following items on hand in the pantry, as well.

• Raisins
• Chocolate chips
• Nuts
• Oatmeal
• Lentils
• Beans (dried and/or tinned)
• Tinned vegetables
• Custard powder
• Gelatin
• Fruit juices (you can also get frozen concentrates)
• Pickles
• Corn syrup
• Tuna
• Various tinned soups (mushroom, chicken, etc.)
• Vinegar
• Cornmeal
• Icing sugar
• Cornstarch
• Crackers
• Cocoa
• Milk powder

In the freezer, you can (and should) keep the following:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Ribs
• Ground Beef
• Veggies
• Flour tortillas
• Puff pastry
• Bacon
• Shredded cheese

Don’t forget the flavorings and herbs! These last for ages and will help you turn ordinary meals into something very special.

• Soy sauce
• Worchestershire sauce
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Nutmeg
• Ginger
• Cloves
• Paprika
• Curry powder or paste
• Vanilla extract
• Lemon extract
• Almond extract
• Mint extract
• Tarragon
• Dill
• Parsley
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Coffee
• Tea
• Jam

If you can’t buy everything all at once (which many can’t), just add gradually to your supplies. You can set aside a certain amount each month or week (whenever you do your shopping) to buy an extra herb or spice. Plan ahead and buy 5 lbs of sugar instead of just one and keep it in an airtight container in your cupboard.

How well have you kept up your pantry supplies? Anything not on the list that you keep on hand?