One of the most important things to have when cooking with a friend (other than a good attitude and a clean dishwasher) is a well-stocked pantry. A pantry full of staples–from rice to lemons–will help you save time and money in the kitchen. You’ll be able to be more flexible with your cooking, whipping up delicious meals whenever the moment strikes. I do a “pantry shop” every so often at Sam’s Club in Madison, WI, and I come home prepared for any cooking challenge.
Check out the video below of me “Stocking the Pantry” at Sam’s. And here’s my Top-30 Cooking With Friends Pantry List:
1. Honey
2. Flour
3. Olive oil
4. Kosher salt
5. Freshly ground pepper
6. Chicken and Beef Broth
7. Spices and Fresh Herbs
8. Bread crumbs
9. Sugar
10. Rice
11. Pasta (angel hair, rotini, lasagne, etc.)
12. Chopped canned tomatoes
13. Beans (canned and dried of a wide variety)
14. Lentils
15. Lemons
16. Olives
17. Artichoke hearts
18. Butter
19. Vinegar
20. Mustard
21. Chopped nuts
22. Potatoes
23. Garlic
24. Onions
25. Parmesan Cheese
26. Vanilla Extract
27. Yeast
28. Baking soda
29. Baking powder
30. Eggs
Fabulous and super informative! I shop at Sam’s all the time and frankly, never thought of some of the items you recommended. I would like to request a second video – how do you package and store all of this? For example, the rice…do you break it down into smaller packages? How long does it last? Same for the vanilla and other like items that may not get used every day, but are vital to certain recipes. For the olive oil – do you transfer smaller amounts to a dark container for the counter and store the rest? Just wondering as there is nothing worse than stocking up only to realize later that your bargain shopping ended up in the trash because you packaged incorrectly and it either spoiled or you forgot it was there and bought again (I realize the second is more of a personal problem!). Thanks! This is a wonderful addition to the site!
Thanks for the great comments and questions, Christine!
First, one of the things I love to do is share big Sam’s packages with my friends. For example, I bought a pack of 15 heads of garlic–too much even for a garlic lover like me! I roasted 6 of them last night for an appetizer of Brie, roasted garlic and french bread, and sent my friends (who had come for dinner) home with 4 of them.
I also will split rice, flour, and other big staples with friends. You really save money that way. I have containers (made by OXO) that I fill with my share of the rice, and then give the rest in ziplocs. I do break apart many of the staples into containers and ziplocs so they are ready to use. I store the olive oil unopened in a cold dark spot until my current jug runs out. And I do have a small decorative olive oil container I keep full on my counter. I use a lot of it, so spoiling hasn’t been a problem.
When you go on a Pantry Shop, take a good look at what you currently have. You’re right, no need to keep buying that same bag of baking soda and it’s so frustrating when you have to throw out good food. Sometimes it’s even easier when you shop with a friend, that way you can both agree to split that massive bag of spinach, and also plan to make a big lasagne together out of your purchase!