A Guide to Stock Up Your Kitchen With the Basics

Tap to Read ➤ Buzzle Staff

Having the basics on hand is the best way to prepare for whatever culinary creations you want to whip up.

A well-stocked kitchen makes it easy to provide quick and nutritious meals for your family.

Keeping a stocked kitchen is a great idea if you love to cook. In most cases, you'll want to go out and get fresh ingredients for your next dish. Vegetables, fruits, and meat are always best purchased the day you intend to use them.

But a full trip to the grocery store simply isn't plausible before every meal-and what about those things that you need, that won't be completely used in one meal, such as flour, sugar, etc.?

These are items that you can keep for longer periods of time, so to make your life easier and make sure that you have everything on hand to prepare your favorite dishes, it's a good idea to stock up on the basics. Here are a few things that you can keep in your kitchen for a relatively long time without sacrificing the quality or taste of your next meal.

Flour

Flour is an important ingredient in many recipes-particularly those for baked goods.

Keeping some flour on hand at all times is a wonderful idea, as you'll be able to whip up your favorite muffins, breads, and more without having to make a trip to the store. But remember that there are different kinds of flour, and the type that is best for your kitchen depends on the kind of cooking or baking that you normally do.

Sweeteners

Sugar is key in many recipes ranging from sweet to savory. If you pour your sugar out of its paper bag and into a container that seals, you can keep it protected against moisture and help it survive longer in your pantry or cupboard.

Many people use various sweeteners, depending on what they're cooking or preparing. If you don't use traditional sugar for all your recipes, you can keep substitutes (like Stevia and Splenda), honey, and agave nectar on hand, too.

Pasta

If you're a serious cook and love Italian cuisine, odds are you'll be making your own pasta from scratch. If not, though, this is something that you can keep on hand for simple, last-minute meals.

Displaying a variety of pasta shapes in functional yet stylish containers is a great way to both stock your kitchen and decorate the space.

Grains and Cereals

Dry foods like rice, barley, oats, quinoa, etc., can also be stored for longer periods of time. Depending upon your family's dietary needs, you can switch these dried foods out for one another to create meals that taste great and keep you healthy.

Seasoning and Spices

Seasoning and spices do go bad eventually, but it's a great idea to have a variety of spices like cinnamon sticks, cumin, curry powder, cayenne pepper, cocoa powder on hand. This will allow you to try new recipes and experiment with variations of your favorites.

By simply changing out one spice or seasoning you can create an entirely new flavor profile. For seasoning different dishes, you can use different herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, etc.

Eggs and Dairy Products

If you have a well-stocked fridge, it always makes planning meals easier. Preserving dairy products is always tricky. But you can take the advantage of storing staples like milk, butter, cheese, eggs, yogurt in the fridge.

Fruits and Vegetables

You can store vegetables and fruits like spinach, broccoli, carrots, berries in the fridge. Seasonal fruits and vegetables make an exquisite addition to any fridge. Some of which can even be stored for off-season indulgence.

Frozen Food and Meat

Packaged meat, chicken, sausage can be kept frozen carefully in the freezer. While freezing, remember to wrap the food items tightly with heavy-duty foil and moisture-proof paper.

Frozen ready-to-eat meals, ice cream, non-seasonal fruits and vegetables, etc., can be stored in the freezer for a longer period.

Extracts and Oils

Vanilla extract, almond extract, vinegars, sauce, olive oil, canola oil-the list goes on and on.

Oils and extracts are key ingredients in many recipes, and if you love baking then you certainly need to have the right extracts and oils on hand at all times! Like the pasta, these ingredients can be stored in pretty yet functional containers to help decorate your kitchen.

Keeping your kitchen stocked up with the basics is essential to your ability to quickly make delicious, nutritious meals for your family. The goods that you can store in your pantry listed here are just the tip of the iceberg, and you can personalize the basics of your kitchen to fit your dietary needs and preferences.