Keeping a well-stocked pantry was never much of a priority to me. We have a very small home with little storage space, so I usually cycle to the grocery store twice a week to fill up my bike bags with fresh supplies. Until a few weeks ago, that is. Now that it’s important to stay at home as much as possible and the grocery store is by far the most crowded place I visit, I’ve made sure I have my basics down. That way I only have to go to the store once a week or less, to buy fresh produce and replace anything we’ve run out of.
I didn’t want to publish this post earlier as the last thing I want is to encourage panic buying and overstocking. Please be mindful of your fellow citizens and don’t buy more than what your family needs plus a little extra for emergencies.
Now that the hoarding’s mostly over though, and store shelves have been properly stocked again for a few weeks, I do think it’d be nice to share what my current staples are; the things I build our meals around and that I make sure to always have a little supply of.
The food we keep in our pantry right now consists of all the essentials I need to make healthy, complete vegan meals on a daily basis. I focus on food that doesn’t spoil too quickly and is nutritionally dense, and things that I can easily make into stews, soups and casseroles. Since we only have a tiny little freezer compartment in our fridge, that isn’t something we can rely on to store a lot of food. Dried and canned is the way to go for us.
I’d love to hear if there’s anything you always have on hand that I don’t, or vice versa!
Grains
Dried pasta
Oats
Granola
Brown rice
Bulgur
Quinoa
Whole wheat flour
Dry Goods
Lentils
Chickpeas
Black beans
Kidney beans
Raisins
Dried apple slices
Stock cubes
Mixed nuts
Hemp seeds
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Tea (need I mention this?)
Canned & jarred food
Chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree
Sweet corn
Baked beans
Kimchi
Red cabbage
Coconut milk
Pasta sauce
Vegetable soup
Tomato soup
Vegan mayo
Produce
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Carrots
Spinach
Oranges
Bananas
Apples
Blueberries
Mint sprigs
“Meat” & dairy
Soy milk
Oat milk
Soy yogurt
Mock minced meat
Mock chicken cubes
Mock meat of choice
Tofu
Sandwich toppers such as mock deli meat, (vegan) cheese, spreads…
Frozen food
Mixed berries
Mixed vegetables
Tempeh
Leftovers
Oils, vinegars & spices
Olive oil
Butter-flavoured rapeseed oil
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Soy sauce
Salt
Black pepper
Oregano
Basil
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Cayennepepper
Cinnamon
Ras el hanout
Curry powder
Mixed Mexican spices
