People often ask me how I can make all the meals that I do on a regular basis. I have two simple rules that help me accomplish that 1) take a little time to plan ahead, 2) keep necessities stocked in my pantry. Honestly, a couple hours on the weekend to plan my menu, do the grocery shopping, and complete some simple prep work makes packing lunch and fixing dinner 100 times easier, trust me!

Here are some things I keep on hand to make meals quick and easy. I know this looks like a lot but I use these things in almost every meal I make. If you run out, put it on the grocery list!

Note: there is a section at the bottom of ingredients you can add to your pantry to spice things up!

Spices:
Garlic Powder
Cumin
Chili Powder
Cinnamon
Ground Ginger
Nutmeg
Red Pepper Flakes
Italian Seasoning Blend
Smoked Paprika
Dry Mustard
Coarse Sea Salt
Black Peppercorns (get a pepper mill!!)
Bay Leaves

Pantry:
Chicken Stock
Vegetable Stock
Tomatoes: whole, diced, tomato sauce, tomatoes with chiles
Tomato paste (also comes in a tube that you can stash in the fridge)
Beans: black beans, chickpeas, white beans
Chipotle Peppers (stick what you don’t use in a Ziploc bag and freeze)
Salsa
Rice – brown, white, arborio
Balsamic vinegar
Cider vinegar
Distilled White Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Liquid Smoke
Peanut Butter
Honey
Brown Sugar
Flour
Cocoa Powder
Baking powder and soda
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Dry Breadcrumbs
Nuts – walnuts, pecans, peanuts

Fridge:
Lemongrass Paste
Ginger
Capers
Mustard (usually yellow, Dijon, and whole grain)
Ketchup
Unsalted Butter
Eggs
Hot Sauce
Sour cream
Mayonnaise
Plain Greek yogurt
Assorted cheeses
Your favorite jam, jelly or preserves
Yeast
Bacon

Produce:
Garlic
Onions
Carrots
Bell Pepper
Sweet Potatoes
Kale
Lemons
Limes
Italian Parsley

Freezer:
Green Peas
Corn
Bread Dough
Assorted Berries
Frozen Shrimp

Additional things to spice it up:
Curry Powder (it may take some trial and error but find a favorite)
Tumeric
Garam Masala
Mexican Oregano
Five Spice Powder
Creole Seasoning
Herbs de Provence
Za’tar
Sundried tomatoes in oil
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Roasted Red Bell Peppers
Farro
Quinoa
Lentils
Sesame Oil
Gochujang paste
Miso
Tahini
Maple Syrup
Rice wine vinegar
Sambal Olek (or Siracha)
Mexican Chocolate
Dried Chiles
Oranges
Grapefruit
Cilantro
Thyme
Mint
Frozen Edamame
Bourbon
Rum
Vodka
Beer
Red & white wine