Foodie Friday: A Well Stocked Pantry

I think one of the best tools the home cook can have is a well stocked pantry. Going to the store every single time you want to cook is a waste of time and money. A better strategy is to stock up on the essential basic items when they go on sale. Today I'm giving you a look inside my pantry and cupboards. They're not perfect, but I've built up a pretty good supply of pantry staples that help me put together easy weeknight meals. First up, canned goods:

I like to have:

Chicken Broth

Diced and Whole Tomatoes

Beans: Black, Garbanzos, Cannellini, Pinto, Refried

Tomato Paste and Tomato Sauce

Green Chilis, Whole and Diced

Corn

Green Beans

Spaghetti Sauce

Tuna

Chili/Soups

My Pantry:

White Rice

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Whole Wheat Couscous

Israeli Couscous

Kashi Pilaf

Arborrio Rice for Risotto

Lentils

Gnocchi

Split Peas

Assorted dried pastas - Whole Wheat and Regular (Spaghetti, Penne, etc)

There you go! Is this how you shop? Or do you wait until you have a recipe and then buy all the ingredients at once?

Next Week: Perhaps a look into the depths of my freezer?