What I Keep in My Pantry

I have taken a page from our Moman sisters:  Stock the pantry for times of need.  We have had a year's worth of staples on hand but now just have about a month's worth on hand.

Alright, just this once, I will give my secret on how to stock the pantry, even on a tight budget. SHOP THE SALES! On the front page of the store sales flyer will be a few 'Loss Leaders', products that are priced ridiculously low just to get you into the store. If you can, buy more than one of these loss leaders. Put the extra in the pantry or freezer. Also, SHOP SEASONALLY1  Holiday time means sales on baking staples. Stock up. Also a good time to get a couple extra turkeys or hams for the freezer. Summer means sugar will be on sale. Also it is a great time to pick up fresh food direct from the farmer, at the Farmer's Market, or grow your own. You can freeze, can, or dry veggies and fruits at home for later use.

I like to keep the following on hand at all times:
Salt - I used idodized because I am hypothyroid
Pepper - I buy small containers of 'fresh ground' we use a lot and it never seems to go stale.
Flour - unbleached
Sugar - where I used to buy 50 lbs + a year, now I used less than 10 lbs and that includes making my own jams
Spenda & Stevia
Rice - brown and white
Coffee - Yuban for Scott  flavored for me
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Cornstarch for thicikening
Tapioca
Chili powder
Ground Cumin
Ground Ginger
I store fresh Ginger in the freezer
Dry Oregano  sometimes I buy Mexican in the bag and sometimes Italian in the jar
Dry Basil
Dry Thyme
Only Fresh Rosemary
Cinnamon
Molasses
Vegetable oil  ususally canola
Olive oil  sometimes extra virigin sometimes virgin
Apple cider vinegar
Red wine vinegar
white vinegar
Basalmic vinegar
Karo syrup for fudge and jams
Brown sugar
Corn meal 
Pastas all sorts
Cereals  cold and oatmeal
Nuts  in the freezer you will ususally find walnuts, fiberts, and almonds
Sugar free drink mix
sugar free candies
Milk
Butter and margarine
Cheeses all kinds but mostly Tillamook Medium Cheddar
Ketchup
Mustard
Miracle Whip
Mayonaise
Salsa
Worchestershire Sauce
Soy Sauce
Tobasco
Lettuce
Celery
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Bread
a few cans of soup for when we are sick
Canned and frozen peas
Canned olives
Canned Tuna
Canned refried beans
Canned and homecanned tomato products
Homecanned and frozen green beans from our garden
Homecanned beets
Frozen stocks
Frozen juices
Frozen meats of all sorts
Ham hocks to use when we don't have ham for soup
Frozen vegetable for Scott's lunches

It seems like a lot.  But remember, I have been keeping up with my pantry for almost 40 years.