What foods do you always have on hand in your refrigerator / cupboards?

In my fridge I have a constant supply of romaine, big fan of giant salads, and eggs. And usually some kind of fresh veggies that are in season, or whatever is on sale. Cottage cheese or yogurt, crescent rolls/french bread

Cabinets: canned tuna, rice (I keep jasmine and brown rice on hand, as well as spanish) I also like rice because I can make a batch in the rice cooker and save it for the week and eat it with various meal combinations, beans (dry or canned depending on if I feel like making my own) canned vegetables, potatoes, popcorn, cereal, oreos, canned fruit, salsa (great on eggs/omelette), onions, fresh garlic, bananas, protein powder.

Freezer: frozen veggies, buy whatever meat is super on sale and freeze (recently pork loin was buy one get one free making it about $1/lb so I got 4 and froze them for later, as an example), garlic bread, easy frozen meals or single serve pot pies for when I work late (love some chicken tenders and sweet potato fries), butternut squash (I always buy winter squash by the ton in fall and cook and freeze into bags that are a couple of servings each to save on time).

As many herbs and spices as I can get my hands on, if I'm making something that calls for it I'll just buy it, some of them can be expensive but in the long run having it for future use is great. Same with sauces. I make a lot of Asian dishes so I got soy sauce, mirrin sauce, sesame oil, etc in bulk.

these are foods for me that when I run out I restock immediately if possible.

I also keep snacks for work like: granola bars, protein bars, single serve bags of chips, oatmeal/grit packets. Things I can easily take with me out of the house.

Congrats on the new place!!!



***Edit to add: pretty much start with things you know you eat often and go from there. I have some staples and I always keep those things. Over time it expanded so now I grab a couple extra of things I make less often just so if the mood strikes I usually have everything I need to make whatever I'm wanting. Once you get started it's easy to grow so start with things you know you eat often.

I almost always have chicken, pasta, rice, cheese, some type of vegetable (usually broccoli), milk, peanut butter, bananas and yogurt.

I also keep canned tomatoes, canned tuna, chicken stock, various sauces (such as soy sauce) and things for baking.

I stock up on the items that I use a lot and then weekly I buy the things that I need for that weeks menu. I find that menu planning helps me know what groceries to buy for the week.

I would suggest figuring out the type of foods that you like to eat and cook and start stocking up on those foods.

janejellyroll wrote: »

I always have onions, garlic, jalapeno peppers, shredded cabbage, oats, nut butter, soy sauce, mustard, canned tomatoes, canned beans, olive oil, coconut oil, rice, raw cashews, hot sauce, mayo, and coffee. Everything else fluctuates, but if I've got those I know I can build a meal.

To that I add barley, plain greek yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, a variety of vinegars but the core is red wine and apple cider, honey, a selection of teas, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, and a bunch of obvious stuff I am probably forgetting.

I have a number of spices, herbs, and the like but making a good list for someone else is probably not a great idea.

theres a lot of these threads if you look

what i always have:
chicken breasts
salad stuff (lettuce, carrots, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber)
condiments of various kinds
deli meat
eggs
coffee creamer
various cheeses
salad dressings
fruit (berries, melon)
diet coke
lemon water
beer

what do i have in general in my pantries?
peanut butter
spices and herbs
tortillas
canned tomatoes
baking supplies of every variety (i bake crap tons and give away what my fiance and son wont eat. i dont eat much of it)
chicken stock
cereal
oatmeal
nuts
fruit on counter - apples, oranges, lemon, limes
pasta (various kinds) and pasta sauce

freezer:
meat from sales
crap food for my son (pizza rolls, hot pockets, waffles, etc)
frozen veg

How about a grocery list? This is a typical weekly list. Once a month or so, I hit the Costco for the list at the bottom.

Tuna and yogurt, oh yeah, sardines too.ok

After we moved, here is what I bought first:

Baking essentials (flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, cocoa, etc.)
Cooking spray
Oil
Rice
Canned tomatoes
Dried beans and lentils
Basic spices, whatever that means to you
Bread
Frozen veggies
Shelf stable tofu
Light soy milk
Dark chocolate
Condiments (soy sauce, ketchup, etc.--whatever you use)
Vinegar
Tea
Pasta
Protein powder
Greek yogurt
Fiber cereal
A few quick frozen dinners to have in the freezer for busy evenings. After we had settled in, I made several batches of my usual freezable meals.

I find this thread fascinating.

Always:

Oatmeal
Almond milk
Frozen veggie mixes (veg only, no sauce)
Frozen spinach
Rice cakes
Popcorn
Potatoes
Lemons
Onions
Fresh garlic
Canned tomatoes
Tomato paste
Frozen meat (variety of types and cuts)
Good quality cheddar cheese
Saltine crackers
A jar of nut butter.

Always for husband: eggs (I’m allergic) and rice and curry makings.

Lots of other stuff on the most of the time list.

Enough veggies for one week at a time: broccolini, asparagus, beans, riced cauliflower, spinach, butter lettuce, mushrooms, broccoli. Enough meat for a week: ground beef, pork chops, smoked pork chops, diced ham (for salads) chicken wings/thighs, and steak every so often.

Butter, cheese blocks to shred, onions, almond milk. Olive oil, avocado oil, salad dressing, Frank's hot sauce. Heavy whipping cream.

I'm keto, so this is my pretty standard diet.

My freezers (3) is full of meat from a local farm and Butcher Box along with pre-portioned meals that I batch cooked, dog food I make for my dog, and some frozen vegetables I use for soup.

My refrigerator staples are eggs, seltzer water, a lot of vegetables, a variety of hot sauces, whole grain mustard, coconut aminos, cilantro, kimchi, salsa. The rest is usually full of leftovers and my breakfast casserole.

Pantry staples are Muir Glen roasted, whole and diced tomatoes and paste. Quinoa, rice and Banza Chikpea Pasta for my husband, a variety of different nuts, avocado and olive oil, different vinegars, flours (almond, coconut, cassava), Follow your Heart Cheeses and a ton of Penzey's spices.

We always have tons of spices, baking staples, oils (sesame, coconut, grapeseed), rice & apple vinegars, and dry goods like oatmeal, various beans, brown rice, chickpeas, lentils, TVP, etc.

In the pantry usually we have tomato sauce, veggie broth, peanut butter, flavored teas, coffee, nuts, raisins or other dried fruit.

We always have almond milk, eggs, butter, celery, baby carrots, apples in the crisper, onion, and basic condiments like Sriracha, mayo, mustard, etc. Our freezer is often pretty bare but always has a variety of frozen vegetables and containers of chopped frozen banana and/or strawberries.

Usually have a loaf of wheat bread 60 cal/slice, local brand. That's about it.

Avocado, almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds which I roast myself, asparagus, rocket, raddichio, organic eggs, plain yoghurt, pecorino cheese, cheddar and cottage cheese, jazz apples, bananas, praws, chillies, mint, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dark chocolate, homemade sourdough bread, peas (quick pea and mint soup), ginger, garlic, shallots, tuna in olive oil, frozen white fish, fennel, wild salmon steaks, crunchy sesame Wasa crackers, oats, rice milk, baby cumumber, sparkling water, good tea, good coffee, good French butter. Lots of dried spices and herbs.

jenilla1 wrote: »

cheese

THIS-LOL. If I am out of everything I will still have cheese due to the amount & variety I buy. Everyone in the house pretty much puts it on everything except cereal and ice cream.
As for staples for me: eggs and egg whites, fresh spinach, jasmine and basmati rice, frozen veggies, chicken breasts and tenderloins, fish filets, oats, plain yogurt, cereal and milk are pretty much always around. & I find I can usually whip up something out of those.