The Prepared Pantry

Keeping your pantry well stocked is a smart idea—it can help you minimize those last-minute trips to the grocery store, and put dinner on the table even when you are in a pinch for time. But with so many interesting ingredients available in grocery stores today, it can be hard to know which ones are really essential to keep on hand. That’s why we’ve created a few simple lists of pantry basics. These are the ingredients that you’ll find yourself using over and over again—real standbys that you’ll reach for every day.

We know that different cooks have different needs, so we’ve divided our list into 3 sections—Starting Out, Comfortable in the Kitchen, and Seasoned Chef. Pick your cooking skill level, and get that pantry stocked for success!

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  • Starting Out

    Whether you are just venturing into the kitchen for the first time, or you are starting out on your own in a new home, these ingredients will help you get set up to make amazing meals.

    Dried Herbs & Spices
    • Basil
    • Oregano
    • Cayenne
    • Kosher salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Cinnamon
    • Garlic powder
    • Chili powder
    • Paprika
    Oils & Vinegars
    • Vegetable oil
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Nonstick cooking spray
    • White vinegar
    Staples & Dry Goods
    • Swanson® beef broth
    • Swanson® chicken broth
    • Swanson® vegetable broth
    • All-purpose flour
    • Sugar
    • Rice
    • Honey
    • Various pastas
    Canned & Bottled
    • Whole tomatoes
    • Tomato sauce
    • Prego® Italian sauces
    • Campbell's® canned soups (Cream of Mushroom, Tomato, French Onion, Cheddar Cheese, etc)
    • Pace® Picanté Sauce
    • Pace® Salsa
    • Canned beans (Great Northern, black, kidney)
    • Swanson® Chunk Chicken
    • Pure vanilla extract
    Refrigerator
    • Ketchup
    • Mustard
    • Butter
    • Eggs
    • Lemons
    • Limes
    • Mayonnaise
    • Cheddar cheese
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Sour cream
    • Pickles
    Freezer
    • Chicken breasts
    • Assorted cut vegetables
    Wines & Spirits
    • Dry red wine
    • Dry white wine
    Pantry Tips:
    • To get the most flavor out of herbs and spices, store them, tightly sealed, in the coolest, darkest part of the pantry. And hold on to them for just 6 to 8 months—they lose their punch if kept longer than that.
    • Kosher salt is granular salt that’s been pressed together into large, irregularly-shaped flakes. These flakes dissolve easily and provide plenty of flavor because of the wide surface area they cover. If a recipe calls for kosher salt and all you have is table salt, use half the amount called for in the recipe (for example, for 1 teaspoon kosher salt, use ½ teaspoon table salt). Table salt is stronger tasting than kosher salt.
    • Extra virgin olive oil is from the first pressing of olives. Depending on the olives’ variety and ripeness, color can range from grassy green to golden. Its flavor tends to be assertive, but that also varies with olive variety and ripeness. Virgin olive oil is from the second pressing of the olives; it's usually milder in taste and color than extra virgin oil.

  • Comfortable in the Kitchen

    A few new ingredients in your pantry can add up to lots of new meal possibilities! Once you have the basics in Starting Out covered, add these items to your pantry for delicious new flavors.

    Dried Herbs & Spices
    • Bay leaves
    • Whole black peppercorns
    • Thyme
    • Cumin
    • Red pepper flakes
    • Dry mustard
    Oils & Vinegars
    • Red wine vinegar
    • White wine vinegar
    • Apple cider vinegar
    Staples & Dry Goods
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Brown rice
    • Cornmeal
    • Cornstarch
    • Dried beans
    • Chocolate chips
    • Swanson beef stock
    • Swanson chicken stock
    • Confectioner’s sugar
    • Brown sugar
    • Unsweetened cocoa powder
    Canned & Bottled
    • Dijon mustard
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Tabasco sauce
    • Tomato paste
    • Soy sauce
    Refrigerator
    • Grated horseradish
    • Half-and-half
    • Bacon
    • Fresh mushrooms
    Freezer
    • Pork roast
    • Bacon
    • Bread crumb bag
    • Corn tortillas
    • Flour tortillas
    • Chopped pecans
    • Sliced almonds
    • Shelled peanuts
    Wines & Spirits
    • Dry sherry
    Pantry Tips:
    • Make a Bread Crumb Bag: Keep a large resealable freezer bag of stale bread in your freezer. Whenever you need bread crumbs, thaw a few slices of bread, tear them into pieces, and pulse in a food processor until fine.
    • Without a doubt, pepper is the world's most popular spice. Preground pepper loses much of its strength over months of storage, so the best flavor always comes when you grind peppercorns yourself. Tellicherry peppercorns are the highest quality but you'll get good results with any variety of peppercorn.

  • Seasoned Chef

    You’re an expert in the kitchen. You know your panko from your polenta. You’ve already got the ingredients in Starting Out and Comfortable in the Kitchen covered. Stock your pantry with these additional ingredients, and let last minute grocery store runs become a thing of the past!

    Dried Herbs & Spices
    • Saffron threads
    • Tarragon
    • Sage
    • Ginger
    • Curry powder
    • Whole nutmeg
    Oils & Vinegars
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Sherry vinegar
    • Champagne vinegar
    • Toasted sesame oil
    Staples & Dry Goods
    • Arborio rice
    • Panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
    • Polenta
    • Stone-ground cornmeal
    Canned & Bottled
    • Hoisin sauce
    • Assorted imported olives (kalamata, niçoise, etc.)
    • Capers
    Refrigerator
    • Heavy cream
    • Coarse ground mustard
    • Pancetta
    • Fresh herbs
    • Goat cheese
    Freezer
    • Pancetta
    • Pine nuts
    • Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry sheets and shells
    Wines & Spirits
    • Brandy
    • Marsala
    • Bourbon
    Pantry Tips:
    • Vinegar can be made from grains (rice vinegar), grapes (wine vinegars, balsamic), and other fruits (apple cider, raspberries). While every kitchen should have a supply of some of the most basic vinegars (white, cider), those made from more exotic ingredients can add depth and dimension to your cooking.
    • The next time you cook rice, think about trying one of the many varieties on the market. Their subtle differences in flavor can really bring an everyday side dish to life. Basmati rice is from India and has a distinct nutty flavor and aroma. Jasmine comes from Thailand and is similar in flavor to basmati but tends to be less expensive. A cross between basmati and American long grain rice, Texmati is a bit milder in flavor than basmati.

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