What are your kitchen staples?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Ok, here's some pictures. The first pic is looking into my pantry, on the left-hand side.

pantryleft7hp.jpg


Here's is looking straight into the pantry.

pantrycenter8nm.jpg


And this final pic is looking into the pantry, on the right-hand side.

pantryright6ye.jpg


I haven't really "stuffed" it, as I would need to spend about $100 to get that much dry goods. I wouldn't mind, though, as it would mean I would have lots of food stored for future use that wouldn't spoil.

I try to date everything that comes into the pantry, to help me rotate everything. Of course, some stuff (like the canned peas), we don't use, as there's only one way I'll eat those, and no one else here eats canned peas. A lot of stuff PeppA picks up from who knows where, and I need to find a way to use it. Somethings, I have no idea what it tastes like, so I don't know how to prepare it into a good-tasting meal.

I also have a lot of non-kitchen stuff down there, especially on the bottom shelf and the left side. There are many boxes of diabetic and nebulizer supplies, and some of my computer stuff. I keep it in here right now, as I can lock that door to keep inquisitive little hands out, if need be. If I can find somewhere else to store some things, then I'll have more room to store my kitchen staples.

As to what I actually try to keep on hand, since I have so much space to store dry goods, I'm trying to keep a backup of many non-perishable items in the pantry, like mustard, ketchup, peanut butter, jelly, mayo, pastas, instant potatoes (for PeppA, I mash from scratch), instant rice, regular rice, etc. You'll notice several boxed mixes from Jiffy; those came from my MIL's pantry that I've since incorporated into my pantry. I need to use them up.
 
One of my problems with having a well stocked pantry is that I get so far ahead with some things that I forget and run out thinking I still have a supply. DH bought those stainless steel racks about 7 ft high x about 5 ft wide. They are fine for all except small things and I have to put solid shelving where the small things are kept. We have some refugee families coming into our area so when they set their homes up I'm going to give a good bit of my stuff (duplicates and triplicates) to that cause. We have adopted a family to help out with clothing and my part is for a 4 year old boy. My gs has outgrown some really nice things so I gathered up a bunch of the nearly new and will deliver them tomorrow. GS even gave up some of his little cars and a few other toys. I'm sure it will mean a lot to a child who wasn't able to bring his own things with him.
 
licia said:
One of my problems with having a well stocked pantry is that I get so far ahead with some things that I forget and run out thinking I still have a supply. DH bought those stainless steel racks about 7 ft high x about 5 ft wide. They are fine for all except small things and I have to put solid shelving where the small things are kept. We have some refugee families coming into our area so when they set their homes up I'm going to give a good bit of my stuff (duplicates and triplicates) to that cause. We have adopted a family to help out with clothing and my part is for a 4 year old boy. My gs has outgrown some really nice things so I gathered up a bunch of the nearly new and will deliver them tomorrow. GS even gave up some of his little cars and a few other toys. I'm sure it will mean a lot to a child who wasn't able to bring his own things with him.
licia,
What a wonderful thing you're doing..Your grandson too. He is about the same age as my Cade, and I know he must have loved those toys..Kids can really stir your heart...We all got together and sent money, but, are looking to do something else...I'm so proud of people like YOU and YOUR grandson..
kadesma:)
 
I have a spot for items that I can't figure out why I bought them. In the spring the mail carriers have a Saturday they collect non-perishable foods. When my mom was able to volunteer at one of the local food pantries, I gave the things to her to take in. With the holidays coming up, I suspect there are lots of organizations that would be greatful for any donations. Closer to Thanksgiving, one of the convenience store chains accepts non-perishable food donations.
 
I think the tragedies that came with the storm will probably change our thinking about lots of things. I can't imagine how overwhelmed those involved would feel. Perhaps we won't be so much of a "me generation" after this. I've seen people who never give a thought to the needs of others, open their wallets and volunteer for jobs they hadn't done before.
 
My family says I hoard food, and they are right. I think it comes from having been poor when I was a young mother, and partly from being a perennial Girl Scout. I want to be prepared... :LOL:
But I save money by buying things in quantity when they are on sale, and do keep my stock rotated.
 
Allen, what a storehouse! I have a quite small pantry, and only my fridge-top freezer these days, but even so I could feed us (there are two) easily for a couple of weeks. I, too, "rotate" my stock by giving to a food pantry when I feel I've got something I won't use (for example, hubby went through a whole-grain pasta and brown rice phase that lasted about a week ... the pantry will get the benefit of what I over-bought). I know it is very European to buy day-to-day, but when you have to get into the pickup truck every time to go to the grocery, it could get expensive. I used to buy in bulk when I lifed in Florida, had a bigger house, used to feed more of my family, and access to a variety of grocery stores. Here it simply isn't a good use of my time -- not to mention gas money -- to drive to another town if one of their stores is having a sale. So I spend a little more on groceries, but save on gas and irritation. I don't really understand a lot of people I know who don't have enough food for a spontaneous meal w/o a trip to the store.
 
you guys, i am so jealous. i have to share my kitchen space with my family since i'm only a kid living at home, so i can only keep what i really, really need in my kitchen space.
i forgot about my freezer. i always keep a ribeye, some lamb rib chops, cornish hens, ground beef, tuna steak, salmon, mussels, tilapia, crab legs, frog legs, ground pork, lots of stuff like that is in my freezer space. there's a bunch more, but i can't really think of it right now.
 
AllenMI said:
Ok, here's some pictures. The first pic is looking into my pantry, on the left-hand side....
.

Mamma miaaa Lucky U to have such an enormous pantry!! We live in a very compact flat, with a kitchen less than 2metres each side... the space issue is always a serious problem!! Cristiano has built a lovely kitchen shelf earlier this year to ease some of the problem, brilliant, isn't it?

img_163997_0_7b040efe575a5413a27b725f5f816d8c.jpg

Top 2 1/2 shelves are for spices and herbs (also a chocolatiera), then different flours, rices, sugars and grains etc. are stored here. Also in the middle section there are holder/cutter for foils, baking paper and plastic wraps. We also managed to fit an ice cream maker, bread maker, food processor and a slicer into our space, I think we have done well but still there are things overflowing everywhere!!
 
long Grain Rice
short grain rice
canned diced tomatoes
tomato paste
tomatoes
celery
bell peppers
lemons
oranges
apples
fresh pinapple
canned pineapple
tomato sauce
baking potatoes (russet)
red potatoes
vadalia onions
cooking onions
ground beef
pita bread
wheat bread
rye bread
flour
frozen pie crust
frozen veggies
sweet and dill pickles
Franks Red Hot Sauce
salt
pepper
cinnamon
cumin
celery salt
catsup
yellow mustard
sliced american cheese
jars of grape leaves
butter
olive oil
peanut oil
green onions
pork roasts
chuck roasts
apple juice
orange juice
pinto beans
chili beans
worcestershire sauce
chili powder
fresh garlic
onion powder
garlic powder
lawrys seasoned salt
soy sauce
fish sauce
frozen shrimp
pork chops
cabbage
parsely
oregeno
salad greens
bacon
salami
eggs
butter milk
milk
cottage cheese
assorted dressings..bottled
canned baked beans
Italian sausage
whole chickens
pork ribs
hot dogs in the casings
skinless hot dogs
assorted dried pastas
spam
vienna sausages
stewing beef
shredded cheeses
pepperoni
pepperoncinis
canned pizza sauce
yeast
hot dog and hamburger buns
Manwich
beef and chicken boulion
ham hocks smoked
assorted dried beans and peas
carrots
sour cream
Dave's Insanity sauce
corn chips
 
urmaniac, that's a nice looking shelving unit! BTW, I love your avatar! Scrat rules!

I didn't even mention my deep-freezer. It's a small chest-style deep-freezer, plus the freezer on top of the refrigerator. I need to clean the deep-freezer out and stock it with bulk frozen meats from work. My boss will let me buy food "at cost", so I get to pay wholesale prices for restaurant-quality stuff.
 
ok i feel like i am a little kid....i look at some of you guys list of kitchen staples and I think WOW:LOL::LOL:

mine is:
black beans
rice
drinking water
eggs
red bulls
:ermm:
 
AllenMI said:
urmaniac, that's a nice looking shelving unit! BTW, I love your avatar! Scrat rules!

I didn't even mention my deep-freezer. It's a small chest-style deep-freezer, plus the freezer on top of the refrigerator. I need to clean the deep-freezer out and stock it with bulk frozen meats from work. My boss will let me buy food "at cost", so I get to pay wholesale prices for restaurant-quality stuff.
Well Scrat says thanx for the compliment, your chef is kewl as well!!:LOL:
Yeahhh we also bought a freezer some months ago, as I said our space is severely limited thus where to put it was a big Q, well finally it settled itself next to our computer desk after stacking two drawers vertically... not extactly a relevant spot but it is a great solution and then some as the little compartment on top of the fridge has increasingly been dominated by our homemade icecream and we were running out of the space for everything else!! I think for any cooking enthusiast the separate freezer is a must!!
 
Bang that is funny. Out of all that you forgot chili paste. What kind?
 
Wow guys, I am almost in tears about the fact I am not alone :wacko: . Of course I am a bit late with this post, but in my pantry I keep my home canned preserves, tomatoes, asparagus, and stocks. Then I have pasta, recently switched to WW pastas, which surprisingly are very good, organic pbut, basmati and arborio rice, need to find some brown and wild rice out here, pancake syrup, sp sauce, semolina, cake, WW and regular flours, cornmeal, cornbread mix from TJ's, chocolate, baking powder/soda, and one of those turnabouts of spices like fennel, cloves, onion & garlic powders, tarragon, etc, and sugar & cereal. In my cabinet, I keep my 2 buck chuck wines for cooking, along w/ port & sherry, my last bottle of EVOO from California, big costco canola oil, honey, soy sauce, Franks red hot sauce, liquid smoke and some vinegars. Then on my countertop, I keep my evoo, balsamic vinegar, sea and kosher salt, pepper & grinder, and a small bottle of canola oil. In my other cabinet, I keep the rest of my spices that I have used different size jars for, like cinn sticks, bay leaves, tumeric, paprika, homemade spice blends, wasabi, horseradish, anchovies, rose and orange flower waters, and my last bottle of Tajitian Vanilla. Has anyone used that before!! The food network was right when they said a good vanilla makes a difference in cooking!! Then in my freezer I have ribs, tilapia, mahi mahi, shrimp, t-bones, sausages, cubes of lemon & lime juices, zest from said juices, frozen fresh chives, chix & wings, and in my chest freezer I keep the overflow, plus milk and berries, fresh, frozen veggies that I blanch & freeze since I have no farmers who sell their goods at the non-existant farmers markets in this godforsaken state (Florida) at least in the summer when the rest of the country is harvesting their goods (but I digress) and toppings for crumb cakes and breading for chix tenders. I also have water frozen in there. In my fridge I have butter, country crock tub marg, sesame oil, whipping cream, 1/2 & 1/2, juice, SB frappes, sometimes some good German beer, cheese, ALWAYS cheese, lemons, and usually veggies. I always keep garlic and potatoes and onions of course. Whew, I need to leave work & go home & create something now!!!
Thanks for the great topic.
B.
 
Back
Top Bottom