Cooking from scratch is one of my favorite activities! Over the years, I have developed an ongoing list of supplies and recipes to make things easier on myself, save money, and eliminate the need to dash out to the store for last minute supplies. Whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been cooking for years, my advice will help you! Always remember to plan before you go to the store so you do not forget anything, and look ahead at what you plan on cooking so you don’t buy things you won’t use. Here is a list supplies you should have in your kitchen, some kitchen tools, and some tips for shopping and storage:
Pantry
- All Purpose Flour (Avoid Self-Rising flour as most recipes call for All-Purpose.)
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar (Do not get Dark Brown Sugar as most recipes call for Light.)
- Baking Soda (Keep one box expressly for cooking. Keep it in a labeled, sealed, plastic bag so it not used for cleaning purposes.)
- Baking Powder
- Corn Starch
- Cocoa Powder
- Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Bars
- Individual Dried Spices (Check out the international isle in the grocery store, where you can usually find bulk containers of some spices at very low prices.) These spices are pretty common:
- Basil
- Bay Leaves
- Cayenne
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Nutmeg
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Chicken Broth
- Canned Items
- Dark Red Beans
- Chick Peas aka Garbanzo Beans
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Diced Tomatoes (Plain, no seasonings.)
- Tuna Fish
- Roasted Red Peppers (These are usually in jars by the pickles. It is a good idea to buy small containers of these when possible because they do not keep for long in the refrigerator after they’ve been opened.)
- Fruits
- Red Wine (Nothing too sweet, try to keep Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon around.)
- White Wine (Not Riesling or Moscato, try Pinot Grigio.)
- Vinegars (You’ll need a few different ones for different recipes.)
- White Vinegar
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Balsalmic Vinegar
- Oils (You’ll need different ones for different purposes.)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For light cooking and dressings.)
- Vegetable Oil (For high temperature cooking and frying.)
- Dried Pastas (Always keep boxes of the bite sized pieces around for casseroles and pasta salads.)
- Stuffing Mix
Fridge
Note: Some of these items are found unrefrigerated in the store, but it is VERY important to refrigerate all sauces/juices after opening.
- Asian Sauces
- Soy Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Chili Garlic Sauce
- Ponzu Sauce
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Blocks of Cheese (Buy blocks so you can slice, shred, or cube them yourself.)
- Salted Butter (Don’t get unsalted butter or butter substitutes unless you know you’ll need them, as most recipes call for regular butter.)
- Milk
- Eggs
Freezer
- Frozen, individually wrapped fish fillets (For safety and quality purposes, this is the way to go with purchasing fish.)
- Chicken Breasts (The frozen bags are usually cheaper than the fresh trays.)
- Ground Beef (Bulk packages are cheaper, and you can just split them up into 1lb packs to freeze when you get home.)
- Bacon
- Country Sausage
- Frozen Vegetables
- Puff Pastry
Produce
- Potatoes (Russet Potatoes have a tough skin and usually require peeling. Yukon Gold and Red Potatoes do not.)
- Garlic
- Yellow aka Vidalia Onions
- Fresh Fruits and Veggies – Just get what you’d eat, and buy these as you need them.
Hardware
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Pasta Strainer
- Bowl Sifter (Looks like a pasta strainer, but with metal mesh.)
- Pots and Pans of various sizes
- Rectangular glass casserole dishes (Square dishes are ok, but you can fit more into the rectangular dishes. Get glass dishes! Metal pans will get scratches and they will rust.)
- Light colored metal baking sheets, and muffin pan (Avoid dark colored metals, they can burn your baked goods.)
- Grater (Handheld rotating graters are great.)
- Potato Ricer (Not essential, but you will have the smoothest mashed potatoes you’ve ever eaten.)
- Food Processor (Read reviews on these before you make a purchase.)
- Electric Pan with High Sides
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
