Welcome to the world of home cooking! You’re probably wondering where to start, and we’re here to help you build a pantry that won’t make you want to throw in the towel (or the oven mitts). Here’s a checklist to get you started. If you’re missing any of these items, don’t worry, you can still make a meal — it might just take a little more creativity and a lot of “WTF is this spice?” Googling.
Grains & Pasta (or: Things You Can Make a Meal Out Of When You Can’t Find Anything Else)
- Rice (White, brown, or whatever you have in that weird drawer in your kitchen)
- Pasta (Any shape will do. If you’re feeling fancy, get the spirally ones. They cook the same, I promise.)
- Quinoa (Because we all need that healthy, pseudo-grain in our lives for when we want to pretend we’re doing something super nutritious.)
- Oats (For breakfasts, and… oh yeah, making cookies when you’re “trying to eat healthy.”)
Canned Goods (AKA, “Save Me” Items)
- Canned Beans (Black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans…you know, the stuff that magically turns into chili or dip when you have no plan.)
- Canned Tomatoes (Because pasta sauce is not made from scratch unless you’re feeling super ambitious.)
- Coconut Milk (For curry, smoothies, or just pretending you’re on a tropical island.)
Baking Essentials (or: The Ingredients That Make You Feel Like a Wizard)
- Flour (Gluten-Free, of course) (Let’s just be honest: if you can’t bake with it, you probably have a solid chance of accidentally turning it into something else.)
- Sugar (Because “sweet” is just a good idea most of the time.)
- Baking Powder/Soda (They look the same, and no, they’re not interchangeable. Do not try to substitute one for the other. Trust me.)
- Salt (It’s the seasoning that does it all — don’t skip it, unless you want your food to taste… sad.)
Herbs & Spices (The Tiny Bottles That Do All the Heavy Lifting)
- Garlic Powder (The “I’m cooking” version of perfume. You don’t need fresh garlic, just sprinkle this magic dust on everything.)
- Basil (For pasta, pizza, and pretending you’re a chef.)
- Chili Flakes (Because a little heat fixes almost everything, right?)
- Italian Seasoning (When you’re not sure what goes in your sauce, just dump this in and call it “authentic.”)
Oils & Vinegars (For When You Can’t Find Your Fancy Salad Dressing)
- Olive Oil (For sautéing, frying, or drizzling over your sad salad.)
- Coconut Oil (Because you definitely don’t need the fancy skincare version when you can cook with it too.)
- Vinegar (Balsamic or Apple Cider) (If you don’t know why you have this, you’ll figure it out. A splash of acid makes life better.)
The “I Have No Idea What This Is, But I’ll Figure It Out” Section
- Tahini (For hummus, or as a secret ingredient to impress people who pretend to be food experts.)
- Soy Sauce ( Gluten free. It’s Asian food in a bottle. And it’s salty.)
- Maple Syrup (For pancakes, and for when you realize you forgot to make breakfast… again.)
Bonus: Things You Might Already Have but Didn’t Know Were Pantry Essentials
- A jar of peanut butter (No judgment here, even if it’s just for spoonfuls late at night.)
- Frozen vegetables (Because “fresh” doesn’t always make it in time for dinner.)
Pro Tip: The key to not feeling like a kitchen disaster is to keep your pantry stocked with items that make it easy to throw a meal together even when you’re not feeling chef of the year. With these essentials, you’ll be able to cook most things without having to call for takeout.
Happy cooking! And remember, it’s okay to mess up — we all have that one “this was supposed to be a gourmet dinner but now it’s just mush” experience.
Note: Check all your food items for gluten, if you cook gluten free. It’s sneaky!
Fern and Fog 
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