How to Stock A Kitchen:
Must-Haves For Today's Pantry

How can you save time, money AND produce healthy meals for your family? Oline wellness community, InnerRewards, released a list of the must-haves for a healthy and budget-friendly pantry. The list was put together by culinary instructor Emily Dellas of San Francisco's First Class Cooking.

Must Haves For The Cupboard:

• Canned beans -- Fast and easy vegetarian protein. Drain and rinse before serving. Use in soups, pasta, salads, or eat them on their own.
• Canned tuna, canned salmon, sardines -- Provide a good source of protein and beneficial fats.
• Lentils, split peas, barley, farro, wheatberries, and quinoa -- These protein-rich items cook quickly, do not require any advanced preparation, and serve as a neutral backdrop to a wide array of flavors.
• Rolled oats -- Full of fiber, oats cook extremely quickly (about 5 minutes).
• Pasta -- Stock both semolina Italian pastas and Asian rice noodles.
• Canned tomatoes -- Ideal for making sauces.
• Chicken or vegetable stock.
• Coconut milk.
• Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce -- A great way to add a smoky heat to dishes.
• Nuts and raisins -- Store them in the freezer to extend their shelf life.
• Bread crumbs -- Make your own by grinding leftover, dried bread in a food processor or blender.

Must Haves For The Fridge:

• Capers, olives, anchovies -- These have a long shelf-life and deliver a delicious briny flavor to dishes.
• Mustards, chutneys, horseradish -- Mix into salads or transition them into marinades and dressings.
• Eggs -- This inexpensive, easy-to-cook, lean protein has a shelf life of about three weeks.
• Fresh ginger -- Store this unpeeled in the fridge for up to four weeks.
• Jalapeno chilies.
• Yogurt.
• Cottage cheese.
• Parmesan cheese -- This will last three months and can be grated as needed.

Must Haves For The Cabinet:

• Onions, garlic, shallots -- Store in a cool dark place and they will last four to six weeks.
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash.

Must Haves For The Freezer:

• Vegetables -- Flash-frozen vegetables are frozen right when they are picked, so they maintain much of their nutrients.
• Frozen shrimp.

Must Have Sauces:

• Oils -- Buy a cheap olive oil for sautéing and a bolder-tasting one for finishing, such as garlic infused olive oil. Also, buy a cooking oil with a high-smoke point. This includes canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or peanut oils.
• Balsamic vinegar -- It's versatile and can be used in a wide array of dishes.
• Light and white vinegars -- Keep a white wine, rice wine, or champagne vinegar on hand for when you wish to use a less-intense vinegar.
• Sherry vinegar -- Bold enough to stand in dressings, but does not dominate a dish. Apple Cider vinegar and Red Wine Vinegar are also worth stocking.
• Soy sauce -- Don't cook Asian food? Soy can cross cuisines as a wonderful flavoring.
• Fish sauce, Siracha, curry paste, tamari, sesame oil.
• Honey, molasses, maple syrup.
• Salad dressings.

Must Have Spices:

• A good starting point includes: chile pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, curry powder, garam masala, thyme, marjoram, paprika, Herbes de Provence and dried mustard.

Must Have Fresh Produce:

• Fresh lemons, limes, oranges.
• Fresh parsley or cilantro.
• Scallions.
• Salad greens.
• Broccoli or cauliflower.
• Bell peppers.
• Green beans or sugar snap peas.
• Sweet-Tart apples, such as Pink Lady or Fuji, add perk to salads and can be cooked in savory dishes.

"The motto, 'Be prepared,' isn't just for Boy Scouts--it is a mantra for cooks who want to prepare nutritious and delicious meals at home. If you have the right foods in your kitchen, you are halfway there." - Emily Dellas, private chef, First Class Cooking.