Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Popular Ingredients These Are the Pantry Staples Every Kitchen Should Have—Plus 20 Family-Friendly Recipes You Can Make With Them Keep these pantry staples on hand and you'll have the makings for endless easy, delicious dinners. By Betty Gold Betty Gold With more than a decade of experience writing and editing food and nutritional content, Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple and acting senior food editor at Well+Good. Betty has also spent time working in product analysis at Good Housekeeping and in food production on The Martha Stewart Show. Highlights: * Bachelor of Science in Food Studies & Nutrition from New York University * Industry professional for 11 years * Served on mastheads at Food Network, Bon Appetit, and Good Housekeeping Magazines * Worked in publications department at James Beard Foundation Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 17, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Cooking at home is made simpler, speedier, and so much more pleasant when you're stocked up. Here, we're covering the foods that you'll want to have on hand at all times—those that your arm practically reaches for on autopilot as soon as you walk into your kitchen. Below are 40 essential ingredients—organized by pantry, fridge, and freezer—that put in major overtime, along with 20 easy recipes you can make with them. If you spot an ingredient you're lacking (or that the grocery store is sold out of), don't sweat it. You can either omit it, or find a substitute in one of our guides. 10 Healthy Pantry Essentials You Should Always Have on Hand, According to RDs Pantry Staples Brown rice, quinoa, farro, and/or barleyLentilsPastaPolentaPotatoes, sweet potatoesOnions and garlicCanned beansCanned brothBread crumbsRed or white wineJarred marinara sauceCanned tomatoesNuts and nut butterBalsamic vinegarNutritional yeastOlive oilSalt, pepper, and spices Refrigerator Staples Fresh herbs of choice Mixed greens and/or kale Cabbage Mushrooms Ginger Carrots Beets Lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits Parmesan Butter Hummus Sour cream Eggs Dijon mustard Milk or non-dairy milk alternatives Cheeses of choice How Long You Can Store (Almost) Anything in the Fridge and Freezer Freezer Staples Mixed berriesFrozen vegetables (broccoli, peas, spinach, cauliflower)TortillasBreadShrimpSalmonChicken breasts, thighs, and/or whole chicken 20 easy recipes you can make using these ingredients. Soups Red Lentil Squash Soup With Lemon Curried Cauliflower Soup Whole-Grain Minestrone With Parmesan Crisps Red Cabbage and Beet Borscht Peruvian-Style Chicken Soup With Cilantro and Lime High-Protein Mains Slow-Roasted Citrus Salmon Greek Chicken and Potatoes Slow Cooker Coq au Vin Vegetarian Tacos With Sweet Potatoes and Corn Crunchy Skillet Eggs With Herbs Mole-Spiced Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl Pasta and Rice Dishes Shrimp Linguine With Chorizo Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta Barley Risotto and Purple Slaw Sides Creamy One-Pot Mashed Potatoes Root Vegetable Latkes Spinach and Parmesan Dutch Baby Cheesy Baked Beans and Tomatoes Deeply Caramelized Onion Dip Kale and Cheddar Flatbread Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit