Ingredients to Keep in Your Pantry

You'll never be stumped for dinner ideas if you stock these foods in your kitchen.


Foodcollection RF/Getty Images
Foodcollection RF/Getty Images



Peanut Butter


An essential of childhood and cornerstone of the PB & J, this sandwich staple is packed with protein and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Get recipe ideas for peanut butter.






John Kelly/Getty Images
John Kelly/Getty Images



Pasta


A staple of every pantry, dried pasta-a delectable combination of semolina flour, water, and salt-is a surefire kid-pleaser, a quintessential comfort food, and the basis of no end of delicious dishes. Fresh pasta, which contains eggs, is more tender than dried and cooks in about half the time.

Get delicious pasta recipes.





Bill Steele/Getty Images
Bill Steele/Getty Images



Rice

The main dietary staple for half the world, rice is an infinitely adaptable grain. "Long-grain" means a rice kernel is three to four times as long as it is wide, whereas short-grain rice is almost round.

Learn about different types of rice.








Valerie Janssen/Getty Images
Valerie Janssen/Getty Images



Grains


Grains are an essential element in a healthy diet, and eating high-fiber whole grains may help reduce your risk of heart disease, ward off diabetes, and control cholesterol. They're also filling and earthy-tasting and pair well with all kinds of foods in salads, soups, and side dishes.

Get delicious grain recipes.







Image Source/Getty Images
Image Source/Getty Images



Couscous

This pasta (small grains of semolina coated in wheat flour) is a staple of North African cuisine and has become a go-to ingredient for busy cooks.

Get delicious couscous recipes.








Roger Stowell/Getty Images
Roger Stowell/Getty Images



Vinegar


Vinegar appropriately takes its name from the French term vin aigre, or "sour wine." It's made by adding bacteria to any type of alcohol-wine, hard cider, beer-which is then converted into acetic acid. It can be used in everything from salad dressings to sauces.

Learn about different types of vinegar.







Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images
Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images



Oils


Cooking oils are extracted from plant sources like nuts, olives, and seeds, each of which imparts its own flavor. Those high in monounsaturated fats (typically good sources of vitamin E) and polyunsaturated fats (like omega-3s) don't raise and may even lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol; choosing them is the first step in lowering your risk of heart disease.

Learn about different types of oils.




See more ingredients to keep in your pantry


You Might Also Like:
Purge Your Pantry

The Ultimate Food-Storage Guide

Pantry Organizing Checklist

How to Store Oils, Vinegars, and Condiments