11 Things Every Pantry Needs To Cook From Scratch
This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase via our links. See the disclosure page for more info.
Here is my list of 11 things every pantry needs to cook from scratch. If you start with this list, the sky is the limit for making just about every baked item we’d like to bake. Now we can add more foods to our pantry to make even more meals. But today I am just going to talk about what you can make any time with the baking items below. Yep, you can do it! You don’t even need an electric mixer. If you have a large bowl, that would really help, depending on what you decide to make.
I’ve been telling my readers for years that they need to get back to the basics when it comes to food preparation. This really holds true when it comes to having things on hand if and when a disaster or other emergency occurs. Once you get your act together, please be sure to spend time with your kids and grandkids and explain the whys and hows of food prep and a quality pantry inventory. You’ll be glad you did, and so will they. These items are in the pantry and/or the freezer.
What Every Pantry Needs:
1. Honey
The great thing about honey is that it lasts forever. It might crystallize over time, but it’s still great to use. You might need a chisel, but it tastes great, soft or hard. One thing about honey, you can drizzle it on homemade biscuits, bread, or pancakes. Yummy! My baking items have to include honey!
I recommend Cox’s Honey: https://coxshoney. They have true raw honey you’ll love.
Be careful with honey and babies. Please do your research. I cringe when I have people tell me they just bought several 5-gallon buckets of honey to store.
Please put the honey in quart glass jars, or you may be sorry, just so you know. It’ll last forever, but you’ll need a way to soften it before you can use it. I know because I’ve had to put my half-gallon plastic containers of honey outside in the heat of the summer and keep my fingers crossed that it would go back to its original consistency.
2. Real Salt
Everyone usually has some salt in the cupboard. Here’s the deal with salt: our bodies need salt to survive. I’m not talking about excessive amounts, but salt makes some foods taste better as well. Plus, I need to bake certain items as listed below, and I need salt to make it all work right. This is my favorite: 
Redmond Real Salt, Fine Ground
3. Olive Oil
We can use olive oil for so many baked items, which I list below. Remember, olive oil doesn’t have a long shelf life. I never store mine for more than 1 year. Six months is even better. But I’ve been invited to eat at homes where the olive oil on side dishes or salads tastes rancid. Some people have had it for years. Oh, man, it’s bad, in my opinion. When in doubt…throw it out.
4. SAF Yeast
I realize you can make a lot of things without this commercial yeast. My very good friend, Melissa Richardson, who wrote the book “The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast,” never uses commercial yeast. I’m not anxious to try a bunch of new things when I know my recipe works great and I still love my no-fail, freshly ground, whole-wheat bread. Saf Instant Yeast
One thing I want to stress is the need for fresh ingredients, especially yeast. If a reader mentions they didn’t like the results of their homemade bread, I always ask if they used fresh yeast. I do keep some yeast in my fridge, but the bulk of it is in my freezer.
5. Baking Soda
This is a “must-have” for some homemade food items. This is a very important baking item to keep in the pantry. It’s a leavening agent to help baked goods rise. I quote Medical News Today: “People tend to use baking soda in recipes with acidic ingredients, such as cocoa powder or buttermilk. When added to a mixture, baking soda reacts with an acid to produce carbon dioxide. Baking in a hot oven causes the batter to expand and rise, giving the finished product a soft, fluffy texture. Baking soda also helps baked goods to brown. That means people tend to use it to make things such as cookies.”
6. Baking Powder
This is also a “must-have” for some homemade items. It’s a leavening agent to help baking goods rise. I quote Medical News Today: “Baking powder already contains acid. People use baking powder when a recipe doesn’t include an acidic ingredient. In most cases, manufacturers label baking powder as double-acting. That means it’ll activate and start producing carbon dioxide when a person mixes it with a liquid. It will activate again when they heat up or cook the mixture.”
7. Coconut Oil
Let me count the ways we can use coconut oil! Not just for the pantry… plus, this has a longer shelf life than most oils. The temperature where it’s stored is critical. I try to store many of my “pantry” items in a cool, dark place, not in a hot garage. I want to get the best shelf life I can out of my food storage items, so proper storage conditions are important.
8. Powdered Butter
Well, we do need some powdered butter in the pantry. Do you remember me telling you I opened a can of powdered butter, mixed the portions on the can, and started stirring? I start gagging just thinking of the smell. The website said it tasted just like “Land O’Lakes” butter. NO WAY! I still laugh about that. Powdered butter for baking is a great emergency food storage item. Red Feather Butter is yummy, and you can store it for emergencies. It’s a little pricey, but it tastes good. Please don’t “can” butter, it isn’t safe to eat, trust me on this one. Here’s the Red Feather butter that rocks, Red Feather Creamery Butter. It’s NOW too expensive for me. Here are some substitutes: Egg Substitutes by Linda
9. Instant or Powdered Milk
This one is a “must-have” baking item, but it’s also perfect for those days when you’re out of milk and the roads are iced over. You can make milk to drink, cook with, put on cereal, etc.! Love it! The taste of instant milk has improved over the years. I like the flavor of many brands now; in years past, I couldn’t say that. Keep in mind that some may say to add 1 tablespoon of powder to so much water; it’s not enough. Add more, and it’ll taste so much better. Experiment and see what amount works best for you. Obviously, it tastes better if it’s cold! LOL!
10. Powdered Eggs (OvaEasy is my favorite)
These are my favorite #10-can eggs (they have packages inside the cans). They are 100% eggs. Of course, if you have chickens or quail, you’re set for any meal with tasty, fresh eggs. OvaEasy Eggs. Please keep in mind that they have a very short shelf life, in my opinion. Their website states that once opened, it remains valid for 1 year, and if unopened, for up to 7 years. OvaEasy Website. They are the only real eggs that taste great, from my personal experience. Here’s a post I wrote about a few different powdered eggs products. How To Use Powdered Eggs.
11. Wheat (I prefer Hard White), White Bread Flour, Gluten-Free Flour
If you have wheat, you’ll need a wheat grinder. You can sprout wheat as well. Be sure to check the shelf life for white flour (12 months at the most). Please don’t go out and buy it and then try to store large bags of flour. They’ll go rancid in a year or two, so purchase them in moderation. When in doubt, throw it out. I believe in waste not, want not, too, but I don’t want to get the “flu” as in food poisoning.
Related: 13 Surprising Uses for Flour
Meals You Can Make With 11 Basic Baking Items:
Bread is a real staple in our house, but with wheat and related flour, you can make pancakes, muffins, pasta, cracked wheat, sprouted wheat, and tortillas. You can also make crackers, mayonnaise, English muffins, Swedish Hotcakes, Popeye Pancakes, cookies, and crepes. The list also includes custards, puddings, cakes, waffles, and biscuits. Is your mouth watering now? I decided to make some crepes for Father’s Day Breakfast, and they were delicious!
Here’s the deal: look at all these items you can make in a disaster situation with just these 11 items. If you have some fruit, vegetables, and cheese, you’ll rock when preparing meals, in an emergency, or just every day! These are just a few of the things every pantry needs.
These bread and hamburger buns can be made by hand, but my hands hurt these days, so I invested in a Zojirushi Breadmaker
PRINTABLE recipes: Whole-Wheat-Bread-For-Two Recipe, White-Bread-For-Two Recipe, and The Best Hamburger Buns by Linda.
Let’s be ready for those winter storms. Please fill your pantry with these basic baking items. Remember, if you can afford to get that $30.00 butane stove, you can cook inside (just crack a window)! Stock up on a few cans of butane and be ready when the power goes out. Butane Stove and Butane Fuel.
What other food items should I consider when putting together my emergency food plan?
If you’re just getting started with your pantry food storage stash, these 11 items are must-haves. To expand on the theme of pantry staples and build a more robust inventory, consider investing in some or all of the following items. You don’t need to purchase things all at once. I’ve always suggested “one can at a time” to make the most of your food budget dollars.
Canned Goods
Canned Goods: Even when you’re cooking from scratch, you can add things that come in cans when making that soup, stew, or casserole. Canned goods come in all varieties and have a longer shelf life. Consider having some beans like black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, along with other veggies like squash, green beans, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and onions. Plan to add canned fruits such as peaches, pears, plums, and cherries.
Also have some quality canned meats like tuna, chicken, beef, and pork. Yes, we can get lots of protein from beans, but meat is a critical source of quick protein, particularly in stressful situations.
Herbs and Spices
Herbs and Spices: to add the desired flavors we’re used to having with our meals, we need to store a variety of herbs and spices. Some of the more common ones you might want are garlic, pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme, basil, curry, parsley, lime, and turmeric. Many come in powder form, like garlic, chili, and onion, but they also come in a more coarse-ground version. Also, peppers come in a wide variety of names and flavors, too.
Don’t forget to add some extracts, like vanilla extract, to enhance flavors, especially in homemade desserts.
Rice
Rice: A staple that pairs well with many other foods to make a meal. There are many different options when it comes to rice, and some have longer shelf lives than others. Brown rice tends to spoil sooner, so I’ve gone with jasmine and basmati. The basmati is a special long-grain rice that chefs seem to like. Rice is popular worldwide and is known for making you feel full.
Condiments
Condiments: Most condiments are pretty shelf-stable and should last at least a year. That would include ketchup, mustard, and mayo. You might also want to store some bottled pickles of various types along with some relishes and sauces like spaghetti sauce.
Treats and Sandwich Fixings
Treats and Sandwich Fixings: We like to fix some quick lunches during the week. Our go-to meal is peanut butter and jam or jelly. Of course, nut butter comes in all sorts of flavors besides peanuts, so if you want to switch things up, look at almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, and Brazil nut butter as starters. We also like to eat a variety of nuts as treats. Costco has some great options that come singularly or as a mixture. Chocolate of any variety would be number one for me. Yep, it sure would be #1
Final Word
If you have a pantry or a closet stocked with just a few things, like I listed today, just think of all the things you can make even if the power goes out. Stay safe, and watch your surroundings when you go out in this unsettled world. May God bless this world, Linda
Hey, Linda, yet another terrific article. I’d add sugar and cinnamon to the list just because of all the wonderful things you can make with the addition of those two items. And like honey, sugar, if stored properly, will last forever. I’m not sure about how long cinnamon will last as no container of it has ever even hit the expiration date at out house.
Hi Raymond, I am adding your comment to my post. I love cinnamon! I just looked at my stash of cinnamon and told Mark to go add it to my grocery list. Thanks for your tip, I’m on it! Linda
If you store cinnamon, it is best to store it in sticks then grind it as needed. The sticks will last much much longer than ground.
Hi Leanne, oh my gosh, I have never ground cinnamon sticks! I have ground nutmeg, I’m assuming you use a Microplane? Great tip, I;m adding to my post. Thank you, Linda
I have a small coffee grinder, but a microplane would work well. I generally grind a significant amount in the coffee grinder then just store it as I would any other spice.
Hi Leanne, I was wondering if you used a coffee grinder! I love it, great idea! Linda
Also- when storing sugar, be aware that you can make your own powdered sugar – may take a lot of elbow grease if no electricity but it can be done. A friend of mine had a birthday (unbeknownst to me) while camping. I made a cake in the dutch oven and ground some (barely enough) sugar into a fine powder to make a simple glaze for it. If you also have molasses in your preps, you can add a bit to white sugar to make brown sugar.
Hi Leanne, great comment and story about making the cake while camping! I have heard about making brown sugar with molasses (I store all of them) but I have never made brown sugar with molasses and white sugar. Great comment, adding this info to my post! Great tip! Linda
I buy Red Feather canned butter. It is the best butter I’ve ever had! Delicious!
Hi Carol, that is the only butter I REALLY love that is food storage to me! Great tip, I’m adding it to my post, Linda
I love Cox’s honey. I have a lot stored. I also buy maple syrup for making applesauce in the fall. I have also found that you can make your own baking powder from baking soda and cream of tartar in a pinch. I have powdered butter, but also have butter in my freezer and in cans bought from campingsurvival.com I can’t imagine having homemade bread without butter.
Hi Janet, I wish you were a writer with me on my blog! I’m adding this to my post. You have awesome tips! Hugs! Linda
Take any honey that you get in plastic bottles and repack in glass jars. It will set up but if you reheat it in a pan of water on low temperature it will go back to a liquid state. They have found honey stored in ceramic jars in Egypt that is still good, some of it is estimated to be over 1000 years old.
Hi, Phillip, I’m so glad you mentioned this because I buy honey in the 12-count cases in 1/2 gallon containers. The last two did crystallize and it was hard to get the honey out. I’m going to do what you said to store them in quart jars which are easier to reheat in a pan of water on low heat as you mentioned. Honey does indeed last indefinitely like it did for 1000 years in Egypt. I’m adding your comment to my post, thank you! Great comment! Linda
Love this! I linked it to my article 7 tips for picking food storage needs to help readers get an idea of “basic” ingredients.
Hi Charisse, I am adding your link to my post, thanks for linking mine! Please check your Instagram button on your blog, It says its not working. Maybe it’s me, but I am now following you on P, IG and FB! Hugs! Linda
I fixed the IG link, I don’t know how I’ve missed that! Thank you, and thanks for the follows too. I love how to write in the tips from the comments at the bottom of your post, it’s been helpful to read without having to scour through the comments. That’s a great idea.
Hi Charisse, I’m glad you like how I add the comments to my posts. I think we learn from each other. I tried leaving a comment on your post but it said “error” you have written that before or something. It was my first comment! LOL! Hugs, Linda
that’s weird it said “error”. I do check and approve the post before it is written, so I did see the comment. Was that your first one, or second one? I look forward to reading more of your ideas. I’m working on an emergency preparedness post and will most likely be posting more of your ideas too! I’ll let you know!
Hi Charisse, I just tried to make one comment. Glad it went through. Linda
Linda…do you have a favorite powdered mild to store???
Hi Deb, I decided against powdered milk for a couple of reasons. There is nothing wrong with powdered milk other than the taste and how hard it is to mix to a smooth consistency. I opted for Instant Milk from Thrive Life, it is the only one that tastes like milk according to family and friends. I do not drink milk but I do cook with it. http://www.thrivelife.com/milk-powder.html
SHELF LIFE
Closed: 25 years
Open:
Shelf life based on optimal storage conditions.
SERVINGS
Family Size (#10): 57
Pantry Can: 18
Pouch: No
NUTRITION
Ingredients: Nonfat Milk Solids, Vitamin A Palmitate, and Vitamin D3. Per serving, contains 40% daily value of Vitamin D CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE (pouch excluded)
Perfect!! Thank you so much for this and your vast wisdom!!! I would sure love to meet you one day!
Deb 🙂
Hi Deb, I would love to meet you and all my readers!!! I feel like I have some of the best friends in the world even though I have never met them in person. It’s a blessing to me. Hugs, Linda
Linda:
I would add lard or bacon fat. I save all my bacon fat when I fry bacon. I keep it in the fridge and you will need to save the lard the same way as it will go rancid in a shorter time. Being the wife of a southern man I don’t cook a lot of fried food (surprises you I bet but no good southern girl would. Except for fish or fried chicken. Pork or Beef are usually grilled or broiled. I do a lot of baking with my beef and Pork. My husbands Grandmother used to tell me that my biscuits were bland and she taught me to put a tablespoon or two of bacon fat or lard in the recipe and they are the best biscuits you can make. Just mix with butter or Crisco and you will have the best biscuits you ever ate
Hi Jackie, oh my gosh, the biscuit trick!! I love this, now I want to make some biscuits. I’ve saved my bacon grease for years! Linda
Just a quick reminder, don’t fry with Olive Oil. It is a low-temperature oil, and if you bring it to the “smoke point” inadvertently, you will be ingesting TRANSFAT, which will affect your heart! Thanks, friends!
Hi Jess, great reminder, I rarely fry anything but if I do it’s butter. Linda
When I checked your list I realized we don’t need the same version of all of them. We have lived in Europe for almost 4 years, and it is very nice that the milk, juice and fresh eggs are all on the shelf, not the refrigerator, in the supermarkets. The milk and OJ are UHT and sealed and I refrigerate both when I open them. The eggs also get refrigerated after I get them since it is habit and also convenient. I find the taste of the milk and OJ to be good. We tried the refrigerated versions here at the suggestion of other immigrants from the US and didn’t see the benefits of the additional prices. I still buy dried milk for certain bread recipes and make fresh lemon or orange juice for certain baked items. Also, the only oil we use here is olive oil for cooking, baking and salads. I think you nailed the reason my bread is inconsistent. I always refrigerated it in Colorado but don’t do that here, so thanks for the reminder. Good list! Thanks!
Hi Janet, sometimes I wish I could live in another country. I admire you for taking the plunge. It’s great here, of course, but I wish I had done it when i was younger. I love hearing how you have adapted to another country. Great story/comment. Love this, Linda
About powdered milk. I have some powdered regular milk, some powdered buttermilk and some powdered coconut milk. When I mix them I use my whisk and extra power to the water.
Hi Deborah, I didn’t know they had powdered coconut milk, thanks for the tip! I have instant milk and powdered buttermilk as well. I also freeze buttermilk. Linda
Please don’t throw out old olive oil – it makes a great oil lamp! Lehman’s Hardware sells a little wick holder that you can put in a mason jar, perfect if it is a mason jar cup with a handle. Anyway, use that old olive oil!
Thanks for your article!
Hi Gwen, you are so right! Great reminder on saving our old olive oil. I love Lehman’s! I had a bucket list to go see that store and Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, but that will never happen now. Being on oxygen is not easy to travel. I have all the “stuff” but its a HUGE hassle. Linda
I still fail on the powdered milk since Tom doesn’t like it. Your list always gives me things to add to my shopping list.
Hi Chris, I don’t drink milk of any kind. Mark will need it for his cereal in the morning if things get bad. I can cook with it as well. I’m just glad I have several years of instant milk from Thrive Life that I got for half price before they closed their doors. 25 year shelf life. Whew! I feel blessed actually. Linda
Hellloooo Linda. I bought some ova-easy powdered eggs a few years ago (c-v days, I think?). I used them, liked them. Since then I have been squirreling them away. So theey have a few+ years on them. What say you? 🙂 Diane
Hi Diane, oh gosh, I LOVE hearing this. They are the ONLY ones I will buy for storage. I don’t have any right now. I get fresh eggs from my neighbor and feel very blessed. But I should stock up on some when the eggs stop laying. Linda
Great Reminder Article, Linda — My wife was looking at our supply of Active Dry Yeast, and noticed that most (including your recommended brand) contain yeast as well as sorbitan monostearate. Only the 3-pack of Red Star does not also contain that sorbitan monostearate. When I asked online about safety concerns, here’s what AI replied:
Sorbitan monostearate is generally considered safe, but some health concerns exist.
Safety Overview — Sorbitan monostearate (E491) is recognized as safe by regulatory bodies like the FDA and EFSA when used in specified quantities. It has a long history of safe use in food applications, with no documented adverse event reports.
Potential Side Effects — Digestive Discomfort: Some individuals may experience mild digestive issues when consuming products containing sorbitan monostearate, although this is not common.
Allergic Reactions — There is a potential for allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Consultation Recommended — People with specific health conditions should consult a healthcare provider before consuming products containing this ingredient.
Overall, while sorbitan monostearate is safe for most, caution is advised for those with sensitivities or underlying health issues.
Thoughts?