Our list is long, but fear not. You don't need to fill it up all in one fell
swoop. There's an art to building a working pantry. Why not print out these
shopping lists and get started today?
The Beginner's Pantry, The Intermediate
Pantry, The Advanced Pantry
The Beginner's Pantry
The Foundations
white rice
pastas: spaghetti, penne, couscous
canned beans: black, pinto, great Northern
canned tuna
The Flavor Builders
vinegars: red wine, balsamic
extra-virgin olive oil
dark sesame oil
low-sodium soy sauce
Dijon mustard
salsa
capers
fresh garlic
dried herbs
peanut butter
The Assistants
fat-free, less-sodium chicken and vegetable broth
whole and diced canned tomatoes
tomato paste
pasta sauce
Sweet Returns
honey
brown sugar
cocoa
granulated sugar
Cool Stuff
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
frozen spinach
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
eggs, egg substitute
fresh parsley
slivered almonds
butter
jellies and preserves
lemons
limes
The Intermediate Pantry
Extra Foundations
pasta: cavatappi, fusilli, farfalle, angel hair
beans: cannellini, garbanzo
rice: Arborio, basmati, wild
canned salmon
Extra Flavor Builders
anchovy paste
bottled roasted red bell peppers
chile paste with garlic
mustards: stone-ground, honey
chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
vinegars: sherry, rice
golden raisins
spirits: red and white wine (dry), sherry
fish sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce
sun-dried tomatoes
Extra Assistants
canned crushed tomatoes
Sweeter Returns
molasses
powdered sugar
semisweet chocolate
maple syrup
More Cool Stuff
cheeses: Romano, Asiago
fresh herbs: basil, cilantro, thyme, rosemary pork tenderloin
fresh fish: catfish, salmon, shrimp
nuts: pecans, walnuts
fresh chiles: jalapeno, serrano
tubes of polenta
olives: kalamata, nicoise
tofu: firm, soft
The Advanced Pantry
Extra Foundations
cornmeal, grits, semolina flour
beans: fava, soybeans
grains: barley, millet, quinoa, bulgur
rice: sticky, sweet, jasmine
Extra Flavor Builders
specialty oils: walnut, truffle-scented
specialty vinegars: herbed,Champagne
mustards: spicy brown, coarse-ground
spirits: Marsala, Madeira, sake, mirin, port
fermented black beans
espresso powder
apricot and raspberry preserves
orange marmalade
sun-dried tomato paste
curry paste
Very Cool Stuff
homemade stocks (chicken, vegetable)
fresh fish: grouper, monkfish, amberjack
broader selection of cheeses: fontina, provolone, Gorgonzola
refrigerated fresh pastas: tortellini, ravioli
nuts: pine nuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts
