Here's a profitable list for producing a quick convenient stock of fast, wholesome meals for two.
The Well-Stocked Pantry
Refrigerator Basics
* Water-packed tofu
* Low-fat milk or soymilk
* Reduced-fat sour cream
* Low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt and/or vanilla yogurt
* Dry white wine. If you wish, substitute nonalcoholic wine.
* Good-quality Parmesan cheese and/or Romano cheese
* Eggs (large). Keep them on hand for fast omelets and frittatas.
* Sharp Cheddar cheese
* Orange juice
Freezer Basics
* Fruit-juice concentrates (orange, apple, pineapple)
* Frozen berries
* Low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for impromptu desserts
* Frozen vegetables: edamame (soybeans), peas, spinach, broccoli, bell pepper, and onion mix, corn, chopped onions, small whole onions, uncooked hash browns
* Italian turkey sausage and sliced prosciutto to flavor fast pasta sauces
Oils, Vinegar & Condiments
* Capers
* Worcestershire sauce
* Canola oil for cooking and baking
* Ketchup
* Butter, preferably unsalted. Store in the freezer if you use infrequently.
* Extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and salad dressings
* Reduced-fat mayonnaise
* Barbecue sauce
* Kalamata olives, green olives
* Vinegar: balsamic, red-wine, white-wine, rice, cider
* Dijon mustard
* Asian condiments and flavorings: reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, chile-garlic sauce, curry paste
* Flavorful nut and seed oils for salad dressings and stir-fry seasonings: toasted sesame oil, walnut oil
The Well-Stocked Pantry
Flavorings
* Granulated sugar
* Fresh garlic
* Black peppercorns
* Onions
* Brown sugar
* Honey
* Fresh ginger
* Pure maple syrup
* Kosher salt, coarse sea salt, fine salt
* Bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips
* Unsweetened cocoa powder, natural and/or Dutch-processed
* Anchovies or anchovy paste for flavoring pasta sauces and salad dressings
* Dried herbs: bay leaves, dill, crumbled dried sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon, Italian seasoning blend
* Lemons, limes, oranges. The zest is as valuable as the juice. Organic fruit is recommended when you use a lot of zest.
* Spices: allspice (whole berries or ground), caraway seeds, chili powder, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, coriander seeds, ground coriander, cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric
Canned Goods & Bottled Items
* Canned lentils
* Clam juice
* Canned tomatoes, tomato paste
* Chunk light tuna, salmon and sardines
* "Lite" coconut milk for Asian curries and soups
* Reduced-sodium chicken broth, beef broth and/or vegetable broth
* Canned beans: cannellini beans, great northern beans, chickpeas, black beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans
Grains & Legumes
* Whole-wheat flour and whole-wheat pastry flour
(Store opened packages in the refrigerator or freezer.)
* All-purpose flour
* Assorted whole-wheat pasta
* Bulgur
* Brown rice and instant brown rice
* Dried lentils
* Plain dry breadcrumbs
* Pearl barley, quick-cooking barley
* Rolled oats
* Whole-wheat couscous
* Wild rice
* Yellow cornmeal
Nuts, Seeds & Fruits
* Almonds
* Natural peanut butter
* Dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
* Hazelnuts
* Pecans
* Pine nuts
* Tahini
* Walnuts
* Sesame seeds
(Store opened packages of nuts and seeds in the refrigerator or freezer.)
* Assorted dried fruits, such as apricots, prunes, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, raisins
