Pantry Essentials
What I always have on hand — and why I intentionally don't keep certain things.
You don't need a fully stocked kitchen to cook well. You need a handful of things that are always there, a few extras that make life easier, and — just as important — some intentional gaps. Here's what my pantry actually looks like and why.
The Non-Negotiables: Oils & Seasoning
Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. That's it — those are the only two oils I use. EVOO is the everyday go-to for cooking, drizzling, and marinades. Yes, it's more expensive than vegetable oil or canola, but oil is something you use every single day, and from a health perspective I think it's worth the extra money. Avocado oil is your high-heat option — when you're searing a steak or getting a cast iron screaming hot, avocado oil handles the smoke point better. Between these two, you're covered for anything. For seasoning, the base five blend is essential: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. These go on almost everything I cook. Beyond those five, all the other spices we use on this site — chili powder, cumin, Italian seasoning, etc. — are nice to have but not critical to get started.
Fridge & Condiments
This is more personal preference than hard rules. I always have ketchup, mayo, mustard, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce in my fridge. If you don't use some of those, skip them — nobody's grading your condiment shelf. What I do think is essential: apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar. These are pantry staples that show up in marinades, sauces, dressings, and finishing dishes. They last forever and they're cheap. I also try to keep a lime or lemon on hand for that hit of citrus, though honestly a lot of times I just buy what I need when I'm doing meal prep rather than keeping them around all the time.
Staples That Store Well
Pasta and rice. Both are dirt cheap, last forever in the pantry, and go with just about anything. A bag of rice and a box of pasta mean you're never more than 20 minutes from a real meal. I also always keep some kind of stock — chicken or beef, I'm not picky. It shows up in enough recipes that running out is annoying. Pre-minced garlic is another one I always have. I know fresh garlic purists will come for me, but peeling and mincing garlic every time you cook is one of those things that makes people not want to cook. A jar of pre-minced garlic is probably not quite as good, but it's close enough and it removes a barrier. I keep fresh onions around too since they're so versatile, but a lot of times I'll just buy what I need for meal prep.
Butter & Cheese
I keep butter, but I don't cook with it as much when I'm in a cutting phase or focused on meal prep. The nice thing about butter is it stores easily in the freezer — I just throw extras in there and pull them out when I need them. Parmesan I'll usually have around since it shows up in a lot of recipes on this site, but I don't keep other cheeses stocked as a rule.
The Intentional Gaps
Here's something most pantry guides won't tell you: what you don't keep matters just as much as what you do. I intentionally don't stock snacky foods — no chips, no bread, no tortillas. Not because those are bad foods, but because if they're in the house, I'll eat them when I'm bored rather than hungry. Instead, my go-to snack is eggs. Two whole eggs and two egg whites, fried, takes about three minutes. At my grocery store, that's roughly 54 cents worth of food, and the macros are excellent — high protein, minimal junk. The small effort required to actually cook something acts as a filter: if I'm not willing to spend three minutes making eggs, I'm probably not actually hungry. It's a simple system, but it works.
Quick Tips
- ●EVOO for everyday, avocado oil for high heat — you don't need any other oils.
- ●Pre-minced garlic removes a real barrier to cooking regularly. Don't let anyone shame you for it.
- ●Stock up on pantry staples when they're on sale — pasta, rice, and stock last forever.
- ●If you want to control snacking, stock foods that require a few minutes of effort to prepare.
- ●Two eggs and two egg whites is a 3-minute, ~$0.54 snack with great macros.