What are your cupboard staples?

So, I've never really been much of a cook, but I've discovered it's definitely more a part of the lifestyle here than my it was during my life in the US, where meals usually consisted of something frozen or taken away from somewhere.

Which means I'm learning to make dinner (tea) for the DH and me every night. I do alright (I get by), but the food choices are getting fairly dull/repetitive, so I want to stock our pantry with things to help branch out our options. I seem to always be finding recipes that sound great, but that I'm missing one or two things (at least) for, and I end up not making them - or making lame replacements.

This week, I allowed myself a much bigger shop than usual, just to try to get some of these things into my cupboard, but I find myself not really sure about what makes good, effective staples. Besides the things I always keep stocked (like eggs, oil, flour, herbs and spices), I got some sauces (soy and Worcestershire), vinegar, lemon juice, double cream (for the fridge instead of the cupboard, obviously), chicken and mushroom cream soups, tomato paste, and rice.

So, my question is, what do you always have in your pantry to help make options for meals a little more versatile? And why do you choose them? In other words, what sorts of meals do you find yourself making most often? This may seems like a totally silly line of questions, but I'm really clueless in this department.

Well, I'm not the most talented or versatile of cooks, but I do have some staples I always like to have stocked.

Tinned tomatoes

tins of beans (chick peas, cannellini beans, kidney beans, etc.)

dried beans (it's cheaper in the long run than tins) lentils (all kinds--red, green, puy), mung beans, chana dal or yellow split peas)

basmati rice, quinoa, barley (especially in winter), pasta, Chinese / Japanese noodles

Loads of herbs and spices--everything you need to do Chinese, Italian, Indian, N. African / Moroccan dishes.

Soy sauce, chili / other hot sauces, balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar (for Chinese / Japanese), olive oil, vegetable oil.

I'm vegetarian and the things I make are lots of soups and stews, chili, curries, stir fries. 

for the cupboard:
tins of coconut milk - for throwing into curries that might need a bit of help
tins of refried beans - for quick burritos
tinned tomatoes- for making curries & bolognese
bottles of Knorr Touch of Taste concentrated stock in beef and chicken - i use the beef in my bolognese and chilli, and the chicken in my special white chicken chilli
tins of albacore tuna- for sandwiches and/or a quick pasta dish
rice
pasta
soya sauce - for stir-fries
chilli oil- for stir-fries, and also when you bring home Chinese takeaway that's not quite spicy enough!
packet of creamed coconut - I grate this into sauces when the coconut milk isnt coconutty enough, and i make coconut rice with it.

for the freezer:
those little frozen cubes of minced garlic and coriander
a stack of corn tortillas for tacos, enchiladas and migas (might be difficult to find in your area, but I'm lucky enough to have a Mexican shop nearby, although it's expensive.)
bag of garden peas - good for throwing into curries and soups for extra veg, and also as an emergency vegetable side dish.
a bag of frozen spinach- I use this in my curries, and in a coconut chicken dish I made a lot.

for the cupboard:
tins of coconut milk
tins of refried beans

Me, too--usually at least a tin of coconut milk (for Thai stuff) and the refried beans to go with my chilli.

Veggie stock in powder and cube form

Tomato paste

Pesto and sundried tomato paste in the fridge.

ymberlenis- What types of food do you and DH prefer? This should really drive your list. When you find recipes that appeal, what ingredients show up again and again?

My list is not really far off from Andee and Tracey's (sans meat). Besides what they have listed I like to have:
sesame oil for stir frys and soups
raisins both for porridge and for middle eastern style veg stews
chopped chilis, garlic, ginger and kefir lime leaves in the freezer for curries
capers for sauces

I think if you're just starting to stock up, using a weekly menu plan for a few months would help. That way you can tailor your shop for what you already have and add a few things at a time.

Good luck and have fun!

Hmm- my list is also quite similar - thinking of things stashed in my cupboard/fridge/freezer right now I have:

Tinned tomatoes
Tomato Puree
Stock/stock pots/stock cubes
Lentils/beans/pulses (tinned and dried)
Pasta/Couscous
Rice
Noodles (egg, soba, rice)
Grains - Quiona, Bulgar, Wheatberries, Barley, Spelt
Miso Soup
Tinned mackerel/tuna/sardines/anchovies/cockels(I like tinned seafood - so easy for a quick lunch, toss with pasta,etc  )
Milk (lucky me I get mine delivered!)
Eggs
Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Greek Yogurt
Bananas
Peanut Butter (I prefer natural)
Chipotle Chilies
Salsa
Creme Fraiche
A tin of coconut milk
Some creamed coconut
Some hoisin/black bean/ginger sauces
Chilies
Garlic
Onion
Peppers
Celery
Any veg I can pull off the allotment (and supplemented with in-season as that's the cheapest)
I have some homegrown strawberries (and buy whatever is in season as that's the cheapest)
Oatmeal (pinhead and quick)
Shredded wheat/bran flakes
Oils (Olive/Grapeseed/Pumpkin Seed/Chili)
Vinegars (Balsamic/Sherry/Cider)
Worcestershire Sauce
Liquid Smoike
Hot Sauces/Rooster Sauce
Strawberry Jam (homemade!)/Rhubarb Jam (homemade!)/Orange Marmalade
BBQ Sauce
Ketchup
HP Sauce
Salad Cream
Mayonnaise
English Mustard
Wholegrain Mustard
Pickles
Olives
Chutney (Tomato and Fruit in there right now)
Some chorizo
Bread
Breadcrumbs
Some crackers
Cereal Bars (love the EatNatural ones)
Some fruit leather
Limes
Lemons
Cornflour
In the freezer there's a some bacon, some soya mince, some chicken breasts, a chicken carcass to make stock, some homemade fish stock, a whole river trout J caught, smoked mackerel, some pork mince, plus some frozen veg (I think at the moment, some peas, corn, and green beans, but its varies)
All kinds of herbs and spices - more than I know what to do with.  I've got lovely fresh ones growing on the windowsill (highly recommend this. Can make anything mundane taste lovely!)
I have a full stocked liquor cabinet, usually some wine and beer about as well  
Fruit cordial (enjoy me some Rocks Organic Squash!)


I am very very busy, out most nights of the week - so I often need things I can throw together in a flash and eat quick or cook in the slow cooker.  I often find I really need to prep on the weekends (for example wash all my allotment veg).  I find a well stocked cupboard really helps with quickness though - It also helps when I'm close to payday and skint and need to make due with
If I've got tomatoes, some stock, a few onions and peppers, herbs and spices I can make a mean tomato soup in 15-20 minutes.  
I eat a fair few omelets/'fried' eggs too
I love to cook though- usually quite healthy as I don't like too much processed anything- (Though I'm like anyone, sometimes its just quicker to use a packet then to do from scratch, all things in moderation)- and I LOVE my vegetables.   I like to pile the veg high on the plate.    

Here are a few good lists to get you going:
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/essential-ingredients/stock-the-essentials-00400000005809/

http://www.ehow.com/list_5907361_food-pantry-shopping-list.html

Don't feel like you need to do everything at once either.  Slow and steady to build up the spices, etc as you need them.

Good luck!!!  

In addition to what others have said:

frozen pastry (short/puff/fillo)
Mustard powder
We always have onions and potatoes
Lots of herbs and spices. You get a feel for what you like and how they work together.

You may want to get a beginner cookbook like Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food. He's, ah, optimistic about how long most recipes take but there's a variety of food and the recipes are good for confidence building.

My list would be a lot like everyone has already posted (although all we had in the freezer was a bag of frozen peas....no space!). Now I keep a variety of frozen veg since I'm back in the US and have space in my freezer.

But, here are my tips:

When I buy tomato paste, I always buy it in the refrigerated tube (like toothpaste) rather than a tin. You'll never use a whole tin and I find it just goes to waste.

I definitely second (third?) the recommendation of stock cubes/pots. They can kick up a pot of rice or couscous if you're just looking for a simple side dish.

I liked to keep cream cheese on hand. They also do those flavored ones. They can make a quick, creamy sauce for pasta or a fish/chicken pie.

I agree with Courtney that if you pick some recipes you're interested in making for a little while, that will help bulk up your pantry.

I'd get little bottles of wine to keep in the fridge for recipes. Then I didn't have to commit to opening a whole bottle if we weren't going to drink it and there was no room in the fridge.

Then I didn't have to commit to opening a whole bottle if we weren't going to drink it and there was no room in the fridge.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!  This made me LOL!  That would never happen at my house.  Once the wine comes out for 'cooking' - some goes in the cooking, some goes in the cook, some served with tea....the whole bottle is never a problem.  

My list is much like everyone's - peanut butter, did anyone say that yet?  I think it's handy to have around. 

We seem to have a whole fridge & cupboard full of condiments - hot sauces, mustards, etc etc...oh & gravy browning liquid, we always have a bottle of that.  Mmmmm gravy.

Wow, thanks everyone! Sorry I've not been back before now; have been awfully busy lately.

ymberlenis- What types of food do you and DH prefer? This should really drive your list. When you find recipes that appeal, what ingredients show up again and again?

We have a pretty wide variety of things we like, from all kinds of cuisines, though DH tends to be the experimenter - I'm still uncertain, so stick to simple things like grilled meats and marinades or pastas and such.

Off the top of my head, I don't recall exactly what I tend to see a lot of, but I know that what I'm usually missing are various types of veggies. We stay stocked up on potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli and onions, because they're in my comfort zone, and they're reasonably priced. I see a lot of aubergine (which I'm not entirely sure of, but seems to be in the eggplant family?), or swedes or things I'd never heard of, or at least never tried, before.

Anyway, thanks everyone! This has given me a lot of good ideas, so I can start building the cupboard stocks!

Aubergine = UK name for eggplant
Courgette = UK name for Zuchinni
Swede = UK name for Rutabega or Turnip (though its not really a turnip)

Swedes are great boiled and mashed up or boiled/mashed with potatoes/carrots (known as clapshot) 

Ymberlenis - someone mentioned the Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food book- that is a really good resource for beginner cooks

I would also say the BBC Good Food website is great resource

Get any Delia or Nigella or Hugh (River Cottage) or Gordon Ramsay Books - they will also be helpful.  Hugh especially for 'strange' veg.  If you like to cook veggie, highly recommend Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. 

Read recipes and cookbooks for leisure reading.  Seriously.  This will give you ideas of what goes together and you'll get more comfortable not needing a recipe.   I always have cookbooks on my library list.       

I also recommend a gorgeous book by Tom Norrington-Davies called 'Cupboard Love - How To Get The Most Out of Your Kitchen'.
(it's almost worth it for the photos alone!)

We always keep on hand

Lemon juice
Basmati rice
dried pasta
Olive Oil
Sunflower Oil
tins of chopped tomatoes
tins of plum tomatoes
dried kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and chick peas we soak and cook and bag up in freezer
a variety herbs and spices
frozen cubes of garlic
frozen chopped onions
frozen peas
tortillas (in freezer, defrost a pack at a time)
grated cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese ( ditto)
plain flour
cornflour
bags of minced beef, pork and lamb in freezer
chicken breasts in freezer
bacon and sausages in freezer

plus we get milk and eggs delivered and I do a fruit and veg only shop 1-2 times a week


Some things I cook fairly often are spaghetti bolognaise, toad in the hole, cottage pie/sheperd's pie/fish pie, chick pea curry, roast chicken.  All pretty straightforward.

Not sure what other shops may have it but I saw UHT double cream at Aldi last week.

At the moment our cupboards are pretty bare, having just moved back, but we always have a giant amount of spices on hand. But we have so little cupboard space, I have to plan our meals meticulously.

I definitely recommend making menus for the week, find new recipes and source the ingredients. I really like waitrose.com for recipes - and of course you know they will carry the ingredients. Also, if you haven't found it already, thekitchn.com is a fantastic blog with some great recipes.

I use instapaper on my ipad to catalogue all the recipes I find online, and also use evernote when I can be bothered to me more organized. Then when I fancy making something with chick peas, it's just a keyword search.