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Staples

Ready and waiting for baking, snacking and recipes, these are the items you should keep on hand. Many of these will keep for ages in the cupboard, but keep an eye on expiration dates:
a.. all purpose flour (lives up to its name)
b.. baking soda
c.. granulated sugar
d.. brown sugar
e.. honey
f.. salt
g.. black pepper
h.. yeast
i.. oils (canola for frying, olive for dressings, peanut to add great flavor to dishes)
j.. vegetable shortening
k.. vinegar (balsamic is great for both cooking and dressings)
l.. dried pasta
m.. canned tomatoes
n.. canned vegetables
o.. canned and/or dried beans and peas
p.. stocks (get high quality, unsalted stocks, or better yet make your own and freeze it)
q.. peanut butter
r.. dried herbs
s.. spices (cinnamon, cumin, chili powder, mustard, allspice, get what you like)
t.. dried chilli peppers
u.. fresh garlic
v.. nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts for snacking or baking)
w.. bread
x.. crackers
y.. coffee, tea, hot cocoa
z.. powdered milk
aa.. potatoes
ab.. onions
ac.. cold cereal
ad.. oatmeal
ae.. maple syrup

The Fridge
Many of these items are perishable and should be bought only in sufficient quantities for a week or so. [E.g. if you live alone and only use milk for coffee, there's no reason to buy a gallon at a time; similarly, if you don't bake a lot or eat eggs, there's probably no reason to buy eggs at all until you need them.]

a.. milk
b.. butter
c.. cheese
d.. frozen veggies
e.. meat (freeze it if you plan to cook it more than 2-3 days after buying)
f.. eggs
g.. pickles *
h.. jams and/or jellies *
i.. ketchup *
j.. mustard *
k.. relish *
l.. mayonnaise *
m.. salad dressing *
n.. fresh fruits and vegetables
o.. orange juice
* These items can be kept in a cupboard until opened, after which they should be refrigerated and treated as perishable.

Other “Stuff”
Non-food things you will probably want to have on hand:

a.. aluminum foil
b.. plastic wrap
c.. zip-top bags
d.. napkins
e.. paper towels
f.. sponges
g.. coffee filters

Hints and Tips

a.. Watch the dates. Baking powder, dried spices, and other items loose their “punch” after a few months, so mind your purchase dates (write them right on the package) and buy in smaller quantities.
b.. Don’t ignore the freezer. Years of living alone have taught me that almost anything can be frozen, including butter and many cheeses.
c.. Freeze yourself. Vegetables bought in season and blanched can be frozen for a healthier, fresher tasting alternative to commercial frozen veggies.
d.. Cook some extra. Making soup? Make extra and freeze it in individual serving sizes - now you’ve got a quick and easy lunch. The same holds true for pot roast, chilli and lasagna, among others.
e.. Potatoes and onions should be stored in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator), separate from each other.

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