Must-Haves for a well stocked Pantry

What should you have within arm's reach at all times?

Start with a good salt and a good pepper. One suggestion is to keep two salts on hand: a kosher salt and a high quality salt to use as a finishing touch on whatever you are serving. And of course salt can't be far from pepper, so stock your pantry with real peppercorns and a quality peppermill.



Next, make sure you have oil that can withstand high temperatures for tasks such as searing, grilling, and sautéing. In addition to that high-heat oil, stock a good quality olive oil. Just like the finishing salt, it's going to provide a lot of flavor to your recipes.



Now add some vinegar to your pantry. For a lower-end acidity, use cider, rice, or champagne vinegar. Then add a workhorse acid such as white or red vinegar to your shelves.

Then stock your pantry with sweetness. Aside from the standard sugars that are available, you can add something with a lower glycemic index, like honey or agave. Both of these sweeteners can thicken your recipes, mellow out flavors, and improve the final product.

In addition to the salt, the sweet, the pepper, and the acid, keep some savory items in your pantry, such as tomato paste or soy sauce. Another option is mustard, which is great in vinaigrettes and marinades. Finally, keep on hand a good hot sauce or chili paste for a kick in soups and bean dishes.

After you've stocked your seasonings, make sure you have a selection of starches available. Options include pasta, potatoes, or rice. For meatless dishes, look for grain options like faro and barley. These grains are good for you and are also easy to make.

Another important item to have on hand in your pantry is high-quality canned tomatoes. They are very versatile and can become everything from a simple tomato sauce to the base for a soup or a stew.

Finally, keep some sort of protein on hand, such as oil-packed tuna. For a meatless option, stock a few types of nut butter, like almond or peanut. And don't forget to make sure you have some dried beans in your cupboard as well.

Food storage

Tomatoes: Do not refrigerate tomatoes. Tomatoes will lose their sweet, sugary flavor if stored in the refrigerator. You can keep them right on your counter in a colander.

Potatoes and onions: These items are best kept apart. Just because you may cook with them together, doesn't mean they should be stored together. Onions and potatoes will prematurely age each other. Instead, keep both in a dry, dark area, like the pantry, but in separated areas.

Coffee: It's tempting to store coffee in the refrigerator or freezer, but the roasted coffee beans are being exposed to water. You'll lose flavor with the condensation that forms on the beans. Keep coffee in the original packaging at room temperature and use it within 7-14 days.

Bread: Classic sliced bread from the store can be stored at room temperature, because it has enough stabilizers. Sprouted breads are a different story. Sprouted breads release natural oils, making the bread go rancid quickly. Keep these loaves in the refrigerator.

Milk, meat, and eggs: Of course, these items should be stored in the refrigerator, but just where should they be in the refrigerator? Surprisingly, eggs should never go in the "egg container" on the door. Instead, keep eggs, meat, and milk in the darkest, coldest areas of your fridge, like in the back and at the bottom.

Flour, oils, and nuts: You might think to keep these items in the pantry; however, to extend the life of these items, keep them in the refrigerator. Put nuts in a glass jar, and keep oils in a dark glass jar.