Pantry staples list: a printable checklist of kitchen basics
The long-lasting basics that turn a few fresh ingredients into a meal, grouped by shelf. Print it, tick what you have, and the rest is your next grocery list.
Short answer: pantry staples are grains and pasta, tins and jars, baking basics, oils and sauces, spices, and a few fridge, freezer and fresh basics such as eggs, frozen vegetables, onions and potatoes. Keep them in stock and most meals need only a few fresh items.
To print it: use your browser’s Print command (Ctrl+P, or ⌘P on a Mac). Only the list below prints, on one page. Download it free: PDF, US Letter · PDF, A4 · editable sheet (.xlsx) for Google Sheets, Excel or Numbers · Word file (.docx)
Pantry staples
Checked on
Grains and pasta
- Rice
- Pasta
- Oats
- Flour
- Couscous or quinoa
- Bread or wraps
Tins and jars
- Chopped tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Chickpeas
- Black or kidney beans
- Lentils
- Tuna or salmon
- Coconut milk
- Stock cubes or broth
Baking
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch
- Cocoa powder
- Honey or maple syrup
Oils, vinegar and sauces
- Olive oil
- Vegetable oil
- Cider vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Hot sauce
Spices and dried herbs
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Ground cumin
- Chili flakes
- Dried oregano
- Ground cinnamon
Fridge
- Eggs
- Milk
- Butter
- Cheese
- Plain yogurt
- Lemons
Freezer
- Frozen peas
- Frozen spinach
- Frozen fruit
- Chicken or fish portions
- Sliced bread
Fresh basics that keep
- Onions
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- Carrots
Running low
Add to the grocery list
How to use the pantry staples list
- Tick what you have. Go shelf by shelf: cupboards, fridge, freezer and the counter.
- Note what is running low. A nearly empty bag of rice goes in “Running low”.
- Move the gaps to your list. What you do not have, and what is running low, goes to “Add to the grocery list”, then onto your grocery list.
- Make it yours. Cross out what you never cook with and add what you always use; the editable sheet makes this easy.
Grocery staples and the weekly list
A grocery staples list is what you restock when it runs out; a weekly list is what this week’s meals need. Keeping the two apart makes the weekly shop shorter: plan the meals, check the staples, and buy only what is missing. Our guide to shopping only for what you need shows the method.
Vegan pantry staples
For a vegan kitchen, keep beans, lentils and chickpeas, tofu, a plant-based milk, nuts, seeds and nut butter, oats and whole grains, coconut milk, soy sauce and tinned tomatoes. The grains, tins, oils and spices boxes on the list stay the same.
A pantry inventory list
To turn the checklist into a pantry inventory list, write the amount next to each ticked item and the date you checked. For meal ideas that use what is already on the shelves, see our pantry recipes.
The automatic version
PantryWeave keeps this list for you in Kitchen.
Every shelf in one place
Kitchen holds the fridge, freezer, pantry and counter. Each item gets its storage place and a freshness date when it arrives, and you can change them. Search your Kitchen finds any item.
Use first
Items whose date is close appear at the top of Kitchen, under Use first, so the basics are used before they are forgotten.
A list without what you have
Choose the meals for the week and the shopping list is built from them; what is already in Kitchen is subtracted and shown as Already in Kitchen. Take a meal out of the plan and the list updates too.
Bought, then Move to Kitchen
Tick items as Bought in the store, then Move to Kitchen adds them to your stock, with no barcode to scan.
Frequently asked questions
What are pantry staples?
Pantry staples are the long-lasting basics you keep at home so most meals need only a few fresh things: grains and pasta, tins and jars, baking basics, oils and sauces, spices, and a few fridge and freezer basics.
What should be on a pantry staples list?
Rice, pasta and oats; tinned tomatoes, beans, lentils and fish; flour, sugar and baking powder; olive oil, vinegar and soy sauce; salt, pepper and a few spices; eggs, milk and butter; frozen vegetables; and onions, garlic and potatoes. The printable list on this page groups them by shelf.
What are vegan pantry staples?
Beans, lentils and chickpeas, tofu, a plant-based milk, nuts, seeds and nut butter, oats and whole grains, coconut milk, soy sauce and tinned tomatoes. Use the same checklist and swap the fridge and freezer boxes for these.
How do I keep track of what is in my pantry?
On paper, tick what you have on this list each time you plan the week. In PantryWeave, Kitchen keeps the pantry, fridge, freezer and counter in one place: each item gets a storage place and a freshness date when it arrives, and items whose date is close appear at the top under Use first.
Is there a free printable pantry staples list?
Yes. Print it from this page, or download it as a PDF in US Letter or A4 size, as an editable sheet (.xlsx) for Google Sheets, Excel or Numbers, or as a Word file.
Related guides
Keep your staples in one place
Download PantryWeave: Kitchen keeps what you have, and your list holds only what is missing.
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