A Well Stocked Kitchen

Having a well stocked kitchen will save you when you have five dollars left to your name and your groceries are running low. By keeping a well stocked kitchen, you know you will always be able to make a meal for your family during most severe times.

For example, this week I'm surviving on ten dollars until to pay day. It happens when you fall behind and have to catch up. Because I have a well stocked kitchen, I don't have to worry about what I'm going to eat, because I have enough to make plenty of meals. Without spending my ten dollars, I was able to make a broccoli and sugar snap pea (pretty old veggies) stir-fry over fried rice with egg. And for dessert, I made biscuits with sugary strewed strawberries and blueberries and a dollop of homemade Chantilly whipped cream. Minus the fresh veggies, this meal happened because I always have most of the ingredients on hand.

Before you begin your quest in stocking your kitchen, you need to decide what you're favorite meals are. The meals that you cook all of the time. You also need to take a look at the meals that you like to eat, but may not cook as often. You don't want to stock up on Mirin, when you never eat Japanese food. This is an exhaustive list which includes a range of ingredients for different cuisines.

For the lists below, you could create a vast of amount of meals. 

Oils/Fats

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
• Shortening
• Peanut Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Oil spray

Note: It's cheaper if you buy in bulk. You can head some place like Target or Walmart and buy bottles with the special sprout. Keep the oils in a cool dry place. 

Flour

• Self-rising flour
• All Purpose flour
• Whole wheat flour

Note: Store in an air tight container. 

Vinegars

• Regular vinegar
• Cider vinegar
• White wine vinegar
• Red wine vinegar
• Rice wine vinegar
• Good and cheap balsamic vinegar
• Cooking sherry

Dried Herbs

• Parsley
• Oregano
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Bay leaves
• Cilantro
• Chives
• Savory
• Tarragon
• Dill
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Minced garlic
• Minced onion

Note: dried herbs lose some of their potency after six months. They don't go bad, so you can still use them after the six months. Make sure to test your dish as you add in the herbs. Also dried herbs pack a bigger punch than fresh herbs. A good rule of thumb when a recipe calls for a tablespoon of fresh herbs, you can substitute with a teaspoon of dried herbs.

Spices

• Black peppercorns
• Kosher salt
• Sea salt
• Cinnamon sticks
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Whole cloves
• Ground cloves
• Ground turmeric
• Ground allspice
• Mustard seeds
• Ground mustard
• Cayenne pepper
• Celery seed
• Celery salt
• Fennel seeds
• Ground ginger
• Whole cumin seeds
• Ground cumin
• Gram marsala
• Ground chili flakes
• Red chili flakes
• Sweet paprika
• Madras curry
• White peppercorns
• Whole coriander seed

Note: Look for a place where you can buy in bulk. Some grocery stores sell herbs and spices in bulk for one or two dollars. If you have a spice grinder or an old coffee grinder, buy your spices whole. 

Dry Goods

• All-purpose flour
• Whole wheat flour
• Cornmeal
• Granulated sugar
• Confectioner's sugar
• Brown sugar
• Baking Soda
• Baking powder
• Yeast
• Cornstarch
• Old fashioned oats
• Saltines
• Dried breadcrumbs
• Dried pasta (any type, make sure to have a variety)
• Brown rice
• Wild rice
• Arborio rice
• Egg noodles
• Barley
• Couscous
• Kidney beans
• Black beans
• Lentils
• Navy beans
• Split peas

Canned and Bottled Goods

• Whole tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Tomato sauce
• Diced tomatoes
• Low sodium chicken broth
• Low sodium beef broth
• Low sodium vegetable broth
• Condensed cream of mushroom soup
• Condensed cream of chicken soup
• Canned fruits
• Pie fillings
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Mirin
• Oyster sauce
• Barbeque sauce
• Salsa
• Dijon mustard
• Canned tuna
• Canned salmon
• Anchovies
• Anchovies paste
• Kidney beans
• Black beans
• Chick peas
• Evaporated milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Peanut butter
• Jams or jellies
• Pickles
• Capers
• Olives
• Corn syrup
• Pure maple syrup
• Honey
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• Hot sauce

Note: most of these items will have to be refrigerated or frozen after opening. 

Refrigerator

• Eggs (medium or large)
• Unsalted butter
• Milk
• Heavy cream
• Buttermilk
• Sour cream
• Cream cheese
• Mild cheese
• Sharp cheese
• Shredded Mozzarella
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese
• Mayonnaise
• Yellow mustard
• Dijon mustard
• Ketchup
• Whole plan yogurt

Freezer

• Ice
• Variety of frozen vegetables
• Variety of frozen fruits
• Ground beef
• Ground turkey or chicken
• Whole chicken
• Boneless chicken breasts
• Whole chuck roast
• Link or bulk sausage
• Bacon
• Pancetta
• Prosciutto
• Puff pastry
• Flour tortillas
• Corn tortillas
• Beef stock
• Chicken stock
• Assortment of nuts
• Ice cream

Note: I try not to buy things that I know I will eat up right away.... so I never buy ice cream

Produce

• White potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Bell peppers
• Hot peppers
• Mushrooms
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Celery
• Apples
• Oranges
• Lemons
• Limes
• Fresh herbs
• Bananas