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Simplify stocking and maintaining your pantry with this printable homestead pantry staples list! This is the exact list I use to cook and bake from scratch, and it’s ideal for anyone switching to a more from-scratch way of eating.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – your pantry is really the hub of your homestead.
It all rotates around the kitchen.
- The food in the garden? Eventually destined for the kitchen.
- Your dream of cooking and baking from scratch? All kitchen projects.
- The chickens pecking in the yard? They’re the source of eggs for your breakfast (and maybe meat, depending on your needs).
- Your vision of a pantry full of homemade jams and jellies? Again, all kitchen-related.
Trying to do any of these things without a well-stocked pantry is like trying to fix a car without any wrenches. (I’m assuming you need wrenches for cars. Feel free to substitute that metaphor with something more apt.)
If you don’t have the basics you need, you’ll end up running to the store at the last minute, wasting time and money.
➡️ I break down ALL of the individual pantry staples you’ll need in this post here, or you can grab my free checklist to get your own digital tool!
Get your pantry staples list now!
Cooking from scratch is a gift you can give yourself and your family! It’s way easier than you think and my free pantry staples list & meal planner will help you get started right away.
Send your free downloads directly to your inbox!
Why I’m obsessed with pantries
Food storage has been a passion of mine for a long time! That sounds super nerdy, but I don’t care. I love thinking about what people eat, how they store it, how they use it, etc.
My grandparents were kids during the Depression and I remember that every time I visited them, I’d see racks of home-canned produce in the basement.
Somehow, my grandma could whip up cookies or supper in a moment’s notice.
Just by scrounging through her pantry and freezer, we could put together a hearty, filling, family meal.
There was something about those experiences that made me feel so warm and cozy!
I want to help you have a pantry like my grandma’s! It’s easier than you think with a printable pantry staples list.
Why YOU Need a Pantry Staples List
- You’ll be ready to cook or bake anything
- You’ll shrink your mental to-do list (at least your grocery list)
- You’ll be able to eat healthier (and stick to your food goals!)
- You’ll be able to meal plan lightning fast
- You’ll save money at the store
- You’ll shop way faster than before
- You’ll have an edible emergency fund for when money is tight
What exactly is a Pantry Staples List?
Simply put, a pantry staples list breaks down everything you need to keep in your pantry.
It’s kind of like a grocery list, but a master list of EVERYTHING you may possibly need to whip up a batch of chicken and dumplings or a heap of chocolate chip cookies at a moment’s notice.
I came up with this list about five years. Somehow, I was able to throw meals together easily, and my readers wanted to know how. So I studied my kitchen for hints or tips.
Eventually, I realized it was because I kept the right tools and ingredients on hand, so I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote it ALL down. Even the random little bottles of this and that.
Over the past five years, I’ve been gradually reviewing and editing this list based on my own habits and feedback from readers.
Although you may have some little places you adjust it to your preferences, this is a solid, tested list that I still use to this day.
My Homestead Pantry Staples List
This printable tool has 7 main sections:
Dry goods – This includes things like canned beans, dried cranberries, pasta, rice, cashews, quinoa, and more. I also add canned goods here, like tomato paste and tomato sauce.
Baking – As an avid baker, this section is pretty robust. You’ll find flour, sugar, honey, maple syrup, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, and more. Basically, anything you need to make nearly any dessert at any time.
Spices – Spices can help you make basic meals so much more interesting. I keep a pretty long list of herbs, spices, and seasonings, including everything from kosher salt to ground coriander.
Meat and protein – This includes things like eggs and cottage cheese, ground sausage, bacon, chicken, and more. We do tend to shift the cuts we eat with the seasons, which we note in the last category.
Oils & sauces – Condiments, oils, vinegars, and more. We use a lot of vinegars for homemade dressings, so you’ll see lots of those here. Soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, salsa, and more.
Produce – This includes a pretty sturdy roster of long-lasting fruits and veggies, plus frozen and canned items. Frozen corn, berries, cherries, and more. Bonus points if you preserve them yourself!
Seasonal produce and extras – This open space is reserved for anything special or seasonal you want to add, like extra cream of tartar in the winter or sweetened condensed milk for your favorite key lime pie.
How do you use a Pantry Staples List?
There are several ways to use this list, and it really depends on where you are in setting up your homestead kitchen and your preferred way of meal planning.
- Assess their current pantry to see what needs to be added
- As a way to track what they use up during the week & need to replace
- Their weekly shopping list
- A seasonal pantry check-in to see what they need before major events or holidays
Get your pantry staples list now!
Cooking from scratch is a gift you can give yourself and your family! It’s way easier than you think and my free pantry staples list & meal planner will help you get started right away.
Send your free downloads directly to your inbox!
Option 1: Fill in the gaps
If you already have some ingredients on hand but seem to be missing ingredients here and there, you’ll want to try this:
- Print out the list
- Mark any items you do not have (that you know you will eat)
- Gradually stock up on them at the store
Many people will find that they just need a little bit of this or a little bit of that to have a much more functional pantry.
Option 2: Weekly Grocery List
This method works wonderfully and I’ve done it myself several times. Basically, you”
1. Print out the list
2. Mark off anything you run out of during the week
3. Add any items you need for your meal plan
4. Take it to the store and shop
The only hitch here is that I prefer to add my grocery list to my meal planner, so I prefer to just use the PSL to keep track of what ran low instead of using it as the list to take to the grocery store.
Option 3: Seasonal Pantry Refresh
At this point, this is my main use of the list. (Yes, even five years later, I still print and use this exact list myself!)
Since I’ve memorized most of the basics, I know that when they run low, I need to add them to my grocery list ASAP.
But, there are times you forget to jot something down or seasons of the year when you need more.
For example, I bake a LOT in the fall and winter and typically need far more flour, butter, and sugar than other times of the year.
In September or October, I’ll go through the list to mark anything I need to stock up on and shop whenever I find the best prices.
No more accidentally buying another container of X when I already have one in the pantry!
Option 4: Setting up a brand new pantry
This option is more of an outlier for people who are starting completely from scratch. Most of us have some stuff in our pantries but if you’re just starting your first home, this checklist is a great shopping list!
In this situation, you’ll probably need to break it up over time. Trying to buy everything at once would be very expensive. But, you can gradually add some canned beans or a bottle of soy sauce to your shopping cart and fill your pantry over time.
Where to Shop
I go more into this topic in my post How to Stock a Seasonal Homestead Pantry, but I usually shop:
- Azure Standard for bulk buying (every 1-2 months)
- Costco (every 1-2 weeks)
- Local farm stands and booths (depends on need and the season)
- Local grocery store (as needed to fill in any gaps)
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