The Basics

A friend suggested I blog about the food basics I keep on hand to ensure I can make dinner. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this and am going to attempt to explain my approach to menu planning; shopping; and the staples in my pantry, fridge, and freezer.

First, meal planning. I like to cook a variety of foods. So my goal when I sit down to plan a menu is to include at least one new recipe every two weeks. I do repeat meals, but because of where I work and because I subscribe to a lot of food magazines, I have a constant supply of inspiration. For me, the times I've become uninterested in cooking are those times when I just make the same things over and over. How boring! Also, Andy isn't a picky eater, which is so awesome. Even if he doesn't like an item in a particular dish, he'll eat the dish anyway and just pick out the offensive food. He is a gem for sure! Whenever we have a new dish, we vote to see if its a keeper. I don't assign meals to specific days, but I do post the menu on the side of the fridge. On it, I note if components of a particular meal are in the freezer (such as chicken cutlets) as well as a complete freezer inventory. This helps me know what meals are ready and waiting.

I shop for groceries once every two weeks. I've had this same system for a long time and it works well for Andy and me. If there are more than two people in your family, shopping a week at a time would probably be better. The good thing about having a systematic approach to grocery shopping is that it cuts down on multiple trips, which add up fast. During a two-week period, I might have to pick up more milk or another small thing, but that's all. I absolutely shop with a list; I make the list and menu at the same time. When I shop, I add up my purchases on a calculator as I go; this keeps me on budget. (I look like a nerd with my list on a clipboard and my calculator, but that's okay! I had a woman stop me one time to tell me that she was so glad she didn't have to shop that way.) Because I plan two weeks at a time, we usually have dishes that require fresh produce the first week and use frozen the second week.


Pantry Staples
unbleached all-purpose flour
unbleached self-rising flour
granulated sugar
brown sugar
powdered sugar
vanilla extract
dried herbs and spices
canned tomatoes
canned beans
sourdough bread
wheat bread
Kosher salt
cracked black pepper
balsamic vinegar
red wine vinegar
olive oil
vegetable oil
peanut oil
cooking spray
sweet onions
shallots
garlic
potatoes
sweet potatoes
Arborio rice
unsweetened cocoa
assorted chocolate morsels
baking chocolate
oatmeal
dried cranberries
golden raisins
grits
cornmeal
soy sauce
Worchestershire sauce
chicken and beef stock
plain breadcrumbs
Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
peanut butter
canned pumpkin
pecans
almonds

Refrigerator staples
butter
cream cheese
bacon
feta cheese
raspberry preserves
maple syrup
mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
dill pickle relish
Wickles pickle relish
hoisin sauce
milk
whipping cream
buttermilk
blocks of Cheddar and Colby-Jack cheese
provolone cheese slices
basil pesto
fresh fruit
fresh vegetables
fresh parsley and cilantro
grape tomatoes
minced garlic
Parmesan cheese
sour cream
corn tortillas
dried pasta
canned lite coconut milk
chocolate syrup

Freezer staples
chicken cutlets
chicken breasts
homemade chicken stock
pizza dough
foccacia
frozen vegetables
ice cream
frozen hamburger meat
frozen french fries
frozen leftovers