How to Stock a Pantry for Easy Weeknight Cooking

A well-stocked pantry is the difference between ordering takeout and cooking a quick, tasty meal. You do not need a huge kitchen or a big budget. You need a small, smart collection of ingredients that combine in many ways.

Dry goods

• Pasta and rice: the base of countless dinners.
• Canned tomatoes and beans: instant sauces and protein.
• Lentils and oats: cheap, filling and long-lasting.
• Flour and sugar: for pancakes, flatbreads and last-minute baking.

Flavor builders

These are the ingredients that make simple food taste great:

• Olive oil and a good vinegar
• Soy sauce and mustard
• Garlic, onions and dried herbs
• A few spices such as paprika, cumin and chili flakes

Freezer helpers

Frozen vegetables, peas and berries are just as nutritious as fresh, and they never spoil in the fridge. Keep a bag of frozen spinach, a loaf of good bread and some chicken or fish fillets on hand.

Build a rhythm

Once a week, check what you have, plan three or four dinners around it and buy only what is missing. Cook once, eat twice. Make a double batch of sauce or rice and use leftovers for lunch.

A 10-minute pantry dinner

Cook spaghetti. In a pan, warm olive oil with sliced garlic and chili flakes. Toss the pasta in the pan with a ladle of cooking water, finish with lemon and parmesan. It costs almost nothing and tastes like a restaurant.