If you look in the beginning of nearly every cookbook including my book, you’ll typically find a few pages dedicated to how to stock your pantry. While this is more relevant than ever (and if you already did that pre-pandemic your shopping list is a bit easier), this post also focuses on fresh produce and goods that will help you make it the longest amount of time without heading to a grocery store or clogging delivery times. It will also help you prioritize what to pick up at the grocery store, and then once you have picked it up, what to eat first. I’ve included some pantry staples at the bottom of the post to check on before you place your order so you can make sure you are fully stocked. Load up your order with pantry staples, and items in the 14 day and  beyond category, while going lighter on the items you have to eat within 7 days. 

 

This is a lot to digest, so if you need some support walking through it, I’ll be giving away 5 cooking consults over the next week. You can text me at 917-540-6011 “Cooking Consult” to enter – I’ll also text everyone back about a Cooking Club I’m launching at Clean Market very soon! 

 

Here’s a general guide to think about when you are planning and shopping: 

 

Typically Best Within 3 Days 

• Any meats, and definitely seafood (if you are not going to use place in freezer) 
• Some leafy greens like spring mix and arugula
• Soft herbs like cilantro and parsley (see my post on how to freeze these herbs) 

 

Within 7 Days

• Hearty greens like romaine and kale
• Cucumbers 
• Avocado 
• Mushrooms
• Berries 

 

Lasts Up to 14 Days 

• Bell peppers
• Green / red cabbage 
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli 
• Scallions 
• Zucchini 
• Apples 

 

Can Last Beyond 14 days 

• Onion, shallots, garlic (when stored in a cool, dark place) 
• Ginger
• Carrots 
• Celery 
• Beets 
• Squash (delicata, kabocha, butternut are favorites) 
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes 
• Lemons, limes, grapefruits, oranges, clementines 
• Bananas (at and for the very least banana bread!)
• Pasture-raised eggs 
• Cheeses (both sheep/goat milk and plant-based cheeses) 
• Plant-based yogurt

Pantry Staples

• Oils – olive oil, avocado oil (par of 1)
• Butter – grass fed butter, ghee (par of 1) 
• Vinegars – apple cider vinegar, at least one red wine or champagne vinegar (par of 1 each)
• Grains – jasmine rice, quinoa (par of 1) 
• Gluten free pasta – an assortment of different shapes, orecchiette, linguine, etc (par of 5 boxes total)
• Beans – an assortment of canned beans and dried beans (par of 10 cans or 5 bags of beans) 5?
• Nuts – an assortment of nuts such as almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts (par of 2 full bags)
• Snacks – an assortment of your favorite crackers (I like to have a few on hand per week – like a box of Simple Mill’s crackers, Siete Chips, and Cauliflower Pretzels – par of 6 assorted snacks/crackers)
• Gluten Free Flours – almond flour, Cup4Cup flour (par of 2) 
• Gluten Free Breads / tortillas – store in freezer and take out as desired (par of 2 loaves, 2 packets of tortillas) 
• Milks – dairy free, shelf stable milks for smoothies, marchas and more (par of 4) 
• Other canned goods – coconut milk (par of 2), canned tomatoes (par of 4), tomato paste (par of 2)
• Sweetener – maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar (par of 1) 
• Umamis – gf tamari, coconut aminos, chickpea miso, olives (par of 1) 
• Broths – veggie, chicken, and bone broths (2 in the freezer, 2 shelf stable) 
• Assortment of your favorite spices – I most often use chili powder, cumin, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, shawarma spice, and of course sea salt and pepper

If you are going to a larger grocery store, now is also a good time to assess your TP, paper towel, dishsoap, dishwasher, laundry detergent, and ziplock bag (for storage needs) supply.

Read on for Part 2 to make your list and get cooking!