Your Guide to Building a From Scratch Pantry
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When you’re first setting out learning to cook from scratch, it can be difficult to know where to even begin. In this post we are going to walk step by step through how to build your from scratch pantry so you can feel confident in the kitchen.
Having the ingredients you need stocked well so that you can whip up simple, nutritious, budget friendly meals is the foundation of a from scratch kitchen. Without staple ingredients, cooking meals will become stressful and frustrating.
Learning what to stock in your from scratch pantry takes some time. Every family is different, and what is a staple for one family may not be something your family enjoys. However, there are some basic staples that belong in just about every from pantry.
In this post I am sharing all of my tips for building a from scratch pantry, from the most important ingredients to how to store them and use them properly. I pray this post leaves you feeling confident to begin your from scratch cooking journey!
Starting a Pantry From Scratch
Starting a pantry from scratch takes time. Figuring out what your family enjoys and building up a supply of those ingredients isn’t something that will happen overnight, and doing it quickly isn’t usually an option for most grocery budgets.
But you will be surprised how much money you save when you begin to cook with ingredients only. Basic ingredients cost a fraction of what pre-packaged foods cost as you aren’t paying for someone else to make the food for you or for the added ingredients.
You can start your from scratch pantry today by choosing to buy simple ingredients versus pre-made items. I’m going to walk you through exactly how to build your pantry step-by-step, from your first purchases to building a bulk supply so your kitchen is always prepared to whip up delicious, from scratch food!
How to Stock a Pantry From Scratch
The first step in building your from scratch pantry is to take inventory of what you already have. Go through every cabinet and shelf where you store food and take inventory of what you have. You can also take inventory of any other meat or other items you have stored in freezers.
Next, make a list of meals you could make from what you have and any additional meals your family enjoys eating. Make a list of maybe 5 of your family’s favorite meals and look at what ingredients are needed to make the dishes from scratch. This will give you an idea of how similar ingredients are used to make a variety of dishes.
Many dishes have similar items in common. Common carbs could be rice, noodles, potatoes, oats and flour for bread. Common proteins would be beef, chicken and pork. Dairy items would be milk, cheese, sour cream and yogurt. Canned and dry goods might include dry beans, canned tomatoes, salsa, or broth. This is just an example of the basic ingredients you could use to begin building out your from scratch meals.
From Scratch Pantry List
Outlining all of the basic ingredients you would need to make just about any meal from scratch is a great way to determine what groceries you will need to be purchasing. Cooking from scratch is surprisingly simple, however there may be some ingredients you have never considered purchasing before if many of your groceries come in a pre-packaged form. I have listed out all of the different categories below, but you can find a printable version of this list here.
Pantry Staples
- Baking powder
- Cocoa powder
- Cornstarch
- Cornmeal
- Baking soda
- Cane sugar
- Flour
- Rolled oats
- Chocolate chips
- Nuts – walnuts, sliced almonds, pecans, etc.
- Salt
- Spices – cinnamon, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne, basil, oregano, nutmeg, etc.
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Lard
- Lemon juice
- Popcorn kernels
- Yeast
- Peanut butter
- Honey
- Molasses
- Maple syrup
- Jam
- Ketchup
- Hot sauce
- Coffee
- Distilled white vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
Dry Goods
- Pasta
- Tomato sauce
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Rice
- Dry beans
- Split peas
- Salsa
- Canned tuna
- Broth – beef, chicken, vegetable
Produce
I like to focus on purchasing produce that is in season. It is often more fresh and cost effective.
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Pineapple
- Baby spinach
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Onions
- Butternut squash
- Potatoes
- Avocados
- Celery
- Bell peppers
- Lemons
- Limes
- Garlic
Dairy
- Milk
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Heavy cream
- Butter
- Cream cheese
Protein
- Chicken – whole, breast, thighs, etc.
- Ground beef
- Steaks
- Pork chops
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Roast
- Eggs
Snacks
- Tortilla chips
- Hummus
- Deli meat
- Applesauce
- Dried fruit – raisins, dates, cranberries
Buying in Bulk for your From Scratch Pantry
While cooking from scratch saves money, you will begin to see that you go through a lot of your staple ingredients. Especially as you become more comfortable with cooking and baking, you will love getting creative in the kitchen.
One of the main reasons I purchase my ingredients in bulk is so that I always have what I need when I want to make a delicious dinner or dessert on a whim.
The ingredients I keep in bulk amounts are:
- Oils – I keep coconut, avocado and olive oil on hand at all times
- Sweeteners – sugar, maple syrup and honey are my main sweeteners
- Grains – oats, rice, flour and wheat berries (for use in my grain mill)
- Beans – I keep pinto, black and navy beans in bulk
Where to purchase bulk items
Azure Standard
My favorite place to purchase items in bulk is through Azure Standard. They offer quality whole foods in bulk, meaning you get top quality and save money when you purchase more at once. It’s very simple to participate in their monthly truck deliveries. All you do is go to their website, find the nearest drop to you and join. You can order as often as you’d like. There are no order requirements, meaning you aren’t locked in to participating in the monthly drops.
Bulk/Amish Grocery Stores
If you live near Amish and/or Mennonite communities, you are one of the lucky ones! They often sell their bulk items to the public and you can score some serious savings by shopping with them. Just search around near you and ask friends that may use them as they do not always advertise on the internet.
Discount Grocery Stores
I don’t have one of these near me, but I know some friends who do and they can be a goldmine for finding quality pantry staples on a budget. Often big box stores will ship items out to these discount stores that are getting close to their expiration date, and in turn the stores pass along the savings to you. You can look here to see if there are any of these discount grocery stores near you.
Storing your From Scratch Pantry Ingredients
As you begin to stock up on pantry staples, you may find that you need a place to store them. If you struggle with any sort of rodents or pests, proper storage is even more important. The last thing you want to do is spend your hard-earned money filling your pantry only to lose it to something preventable.
- Glass jars – these are great for storing items right in your kitchen and on shelves where they are easily accessible
- Storage buckets – while these are an investment, they are great for storing items like bulk beans, rice, flour, sugar, oats and so on. If you invest in the gamma lids, they become super easy to access
- Totes – I like to store things that don’t necessarily need a bucket but that need to be protected for whatever reason in simple plastic totes
Kitchen Tools for the From Scratch Pantry
While you can cook a lot of foods with very simple equipment, there are some things that make cooking in your from scratch kitchen much easier. These are a few of my must-haves in my from scratch kitchen.
Instant Pot – I use this constantly for making yogurt, broth, and the best rice ever.
Crockpot – My crockpot comes in super handy for making broth, slow cooking meat or making simple dinners like this easy buffalo chicken.
Blender – From making smoothies and sauces to blending toasted bread for breadcrumbs, a blender is a super handy kitchen tool and you can often find one that doubles as a food processor.
Dutch oven and cast iron pans – Quality cookware is a must in a from scratch kitchen. The more comfortable you get in the kitchen, the harder your cookware will be working. It’s important that what you are you are using can handle the daily use. I love my dutch oven and cast iron pans for all of my daily cooking.
Cutting boards – Since you will be building meals from the ground up, that means lots of chopping of all the fruits and vegetables that you’ll be using to make your meals. Nice cutting boards are super handy to have.
Quality knives – Nothing is more frustrating than trying to slice something with a dull knife. Investing in a nice knife set is a must. It doesn’t have to be top of the line, especially if you invest in a knife sharpener.
Mixer – When you begin making your breads from scratch, a mixer will be quite handy. You can knead bread by hand, but a good mixer can really save you time by doing the work for you. A hand mixer is also quite handy to have in the kitchen.
Grain Mill – While you likely won’t be milling your own wheat when you first start out on your from scratch cooking journey, a home grain mill is a great addition to your kitchen once you get more comfortable making food from scratch.
From Scratch Pantry Recipes
Finding simple recipes that use the basic ingredients in your from scratch pantry is essential to building your confidence in the kitchen. Here on the blog I have tons of simple, delicious recipes to help you get started.
Breakfast
- Easy Sausage Gravy
- Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt
- Old-Fashioned Biscuits
- Homemade Protein Granola
- Strawberry Lemon Scones
Such a great post! The list is perfect! Thanks for the time and effort you put into this!!