Fast and Loose: Building a Pantry

This post goes out to all of the youthful ladies I have been making promises to over the last several months. I’ve been joking about writing to you here about, well, feeding yourself. But this week I made a real promise that I need to honor.

I am going to help make cooking easy for you. I’ve done a few posts here about fast and loose recipes, and moving forward these will be dedicated to you. 

Don’t you worry, I’m not to going to try to turn you into a crazy food-lover who does sets all sorts of food related goals, or develops food-related websites. That’s crazy! I’m also not going to argue that the first step to getting in the kitchen is Instagramming your food.

I am going to try to convince you though that when you cook in your own kitchen, you can save time, save a little loot, and feel good about what you’re eating. While science is involved, cooking doesn’t have to be precise like science class.

You don’t even have to like it in order to reap these rewards!

You will need to build a pantry though. No, not physically, but you’re going to need some staples that you keep on hand in order to make this pain-free.

I’m reasonable though. I know that you have limited living space, so I’m not going to send you off to Costco to buy a bunch of potatoes you’ll be forced to store under your bed. I am, though, going to give you some homework.

Here are the basics you’ll need on hand in order to take advantage of my tips–from an  early middle-ager to a newly-minted adult.

  • onions
  • garlic
  • canned beans
  • flour
  • rice
  • pasta
  • salt 
  • pepper
  • dijon mustard
  • olive oil 
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • sugar and or honey
  • eggs
  • plain yogurt

You might need some things for your kitchen too.

  • wooden spoon
  • skillet 
  • strainer
  • chef’s knife
  • paring knife
  • cutting board
  • large pot

If you’re feeling more ambitious, more spendy, and like you have more space, check out these lists, too.

The Most Essential Pantry Staples for Cooks on an Extreme Budget

10 Pantry Staples Not to be Caught Without

Pantry Essentials Checklist

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