The Master Pantry Checklist

What are the most basic items to keep on hand? We referenced Dinner Done and Dinner Done 2 to discover which ingredients are truly the most commonly used. This is the master pantry and fridge list you can turn to when you’re stocking up a new house or simply replenishing.

After the debut of the original Dinner Done, we were often asked “Do the recipes call for pantry ingredients?” In order to be able to answer that question, we compiled this list of ingredients based on those most commonly (and less commonly, as noted) used in both Dinner Done and Dinner Done 2.

Some important notes:
*Proteins and fresh produce are not included in this list. 

*This list does not include the ready-made foods (unless used in recipes), as ready-made items (snacks, crackers, cookies, cereal) that you “stock” in your pantry will depend on your own family’s preferences. 

*“Less Frequent” ingredients are those that appear in a limited amount of recipes in Dinner Done or Dinner Done 2. Whether they become a basic for you depends on how often you make the recipes that call for those ingredients. 

Master Pantry List + Fridge Basics

Based on ingredients used in Dinner Done By Between Carpools

Basics
Milk
Soy/Non-Dairy Milk
Lemon Juice/Lime Juice
Mayonnaise/Lite Mayonnaise
Eggs
Butter
Shredded Cheese (i.e. Mozzarella, Muenster, Cheddar)
Fresh Garlic
Assorted Frozen Herb Cubes 

Less Frequent
Parmesan Cheese
Orange Juice 
Apple Juice
Applesauce
Feta Cheese 
Ricotta Cheese
Greek Yogurt
Heavy Cream
Margarine
Chummus
Capers
Green Olives
Miso Paste
Spicy Mayo

Ice Cream 
Broccoli Florets 
Cauliflower Florets 
Frozen French Fries
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Blueberries
Other Frozen Fruit
Ginger (Frozen Cubes OR chopped fresh ginger, frozen in small portions)

The Pantry
The Baking Bin, Sauces/Condiments, Cans, and More

Basics
Oil (i.e. Canola, Avocado)
Olive Oil
Oats
Flour
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Confectioners’ Sugar
Cornstarch
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Dry Yeast
Vanilla Extract/Vanilla Sugar
Chocolate Chips
Instant Coffee
Ketchup
Mustard (Yellow, Dijon, Spicy Brown)
Pasta/Marinara Sauce
Honey
Maple Syrup 
Balsamic Vinegar
White Vinegar
Rice Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
Sesame Oil

Chicken Consomme/Chicken Broth
Onion Soup Mix
BBQ Sauce
Hot Sauce/Sriracha Sauce
Tomato Paste
Crushed Tomatoes/Tomato Sauce

Less Frequent
Whole Wheat Flour/Spelt Flour (can be used in place of white flour in many cases)
Protein Powder
White Chocolate Chips
Crunchy Granola Bars
Vanilla Sandwich Cookies 
Chocolate Bars/Bitter or Semi-Sweet
Lotus Biscoff Spread
Rainbow Sprinkles
Cocoa
Corn Syrup
Coconut Flakes
Chocolate SyrupMarshmallows
Graham Crackers
Vanilla Pudding Powder 
Apricot Jam
Liquid Smoke 
Worcestershire Sauce
Balsamic Glaze
Apple Cider Vinegar 
Red Wine Vinegar /White Wine Vinegar
White Cooking Wine / Red Cooking Wine
Silan
Hoisin Sauce
Mirin 
Duck Sauce 
Sweet Chili Sauce
Sweet Sauce
Crispy Fried Onions
Beef Broth
Vegetable Stock 
Mushroom Soup Mix

Beans: Dried Cholent Beans, Canned Chickpeas, Canned Navy Beans, Canned Cannellini Beans, Assorted Lentils 
Tuna
Whole Canned Tomatoes Can Sautéed Onions (OR Frozen Onion Cubes)
Can Mushrooms
Pickles/Pickle Juice
Baby Corn 
Coconut Milk

Grains, Bread Products, & Cereal
Any actual bread is best purchased fresh.

Basics
Rice/Brown Rice/Sushi Rice
Pasta (assorted shapes, such as spaghetti, elbows, penne, rigatoni, jumbo shells)
Barley
Breadcrumbs/Panko Crumbs
Cornflake Crumbs
Wraps (store in freezer if you don’t use a package within a week)

Less Frequent
Udon Noodles
Ramen Noodles
Farro
Quino
Israeli Couscous
Corn Flakes
Frosted Flakes
Rice Krispies
Corn Chex
Crushed Pretzels
Croutons

Nuts, Nut Products, Seeds, & Dried Fruit
n general, nuts are usually easily swapped for one another in recipes. 

Basics
Sesame Seeds
Slivered or Sliced Almonds 
Less Frequent
Almond Flour
Pistachios, Walnuts, Cashews 
Glazed/Raw Pecans 
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Sunflower Seeds/Pumpkin Seeds
Almond Butter
Tahini/Techina
Halva
Craisins 
Dates 

The Spice Cabinet
Basics
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper (fresh ground from a peppermill and/or coarse ground)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Chili Powder
Crushed Red Pepper
Cumin
Cinnamon
Dried Parsley
Dried Basil
Dried Oregano 

Less Frequent
Everything Bagel Spice Mix
Cayenne Pepper
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Montreal Chicken Seasoning 
Shawarma Spice
Turmeric 
Coriander
Dried Dill 
Dried Thyme 
Dried Chives
Bay Leaf 
Dried Rosemary 
Minced Onion/Onion Flakes
Curry Powder
Seasoned Salt 
Meat Tenderizer
Chili Lime Seasoning
Mustard Powder