Pantry Staples Every Florida Cook Needs In Their Kitchen

There’s nothing worse than bringing home some fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market — only to realize you’re missing the pantry staples you need to bring the meal you envisioned to life.

It happens to the best of us. And though there are tons of pantry checklists out there, I’ve found that they don’t always include the items I reach for the most in my kitchen.

The ingredients I find most often in Florida – citrus, seafood, and so on – have their own unique flavor profile. And since I often cook for extended family with a variety of dietary needs, I also need to keep some flour and dairy alternatives on hand so I can create meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, or paleo.

That’s why I’ve pulled together this list of pantry staples. It has everything you need to cook with Florida fresh ingredients and create meals that work for a variety of dietary requests. Here’s the full list.

Pantry Dry Goods

These dry items will help you round out your meals and create endless delicious recipes.

• Pasta: I try to keep a variety of pasta shapes on hand. Typically, that includes long pasta like spaghetti or linguine, short pasta like elbows or ditalini, and pasta for heavier sauces like bowties or rigatoni.
• Rice: A great bowl is top-tier, and rice is an excellent base to have on hand to turn any meal into a bowl.
• Oats: They’re great for breakfast, of course, but can also become energy bites, granola, muffins, and other healthy snacks.
• Breadcrumbs: Whether you prefer panko, Italian, or both, having breadcrumbs in your pantry makes it easy to throw together meatballs, fry up chicken cutlets, or add some crunch to a casserole.

Pantry Canned Goods

Add some protein to a meal or create a scrumptious sauce with these canned pantry staples.

• Broth: Some recipes call for chicken broth, and some for beef broth. I love to stock up (see what I did there?) when these are BOGO at Publix.
• Coconut Cream: An under-the-radar staple that can make coconut rice, curries, and other sauces.
• Coconut Milk: It’s a dairy substitute, so having it in my pantry saves me from a frantic trip to the store when cooking for the family.
• Beans: This comes down to preference, but I usually keep a can of black beans and garbanzo beans in the pantry for quick and easy proteins.

Pantry Condiments

Save space in your pantry for some versatile dry condiments!

• Honey: A natural sweetener that works for just about everything, from dressings to desserts.
• Nut butter: Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter…the list goes on. Pick your fave and keep it handy for snacks and sauces.
• Maple Syrup: Another natural sweetener that will make many of your favorite dessert and breakfast recipes possible in a pinch.
• Mustard: There are so many options, but I usually keep yellow mustard and a stone ground dijon handy to dress up a basic sandwich or use in a dressing or marinade.
• Ketchup: Because, of course.
• Hot Sauce: Add it to eggs, splash it into a marinade, or give your meal an extra kick.
• Mayonnaise: Mayo can be controversial but its versatility makes it a necessary part of your pantry if you like to create sauces and dressings.
• Soy Sauce: Perfect for stir fry and other dishes, it’s a must for all home cooks.
• Worcestershire Sauce: I can’t pronounce it (seriously, who can?), but I can cook with it. It’s used in too many classic recipes to be caught without it.

Pantry Oils & Vinegars

It takes time to build up a solid oil and vinegar stash, but it’s worth it if you like to create dressings and marinades from scratch.

• Olive Oil: An absolute must for cooking and splashing on pasta and salads.
• Avocado Oil: I find myself reaching for avocado oil more and more often for baking and cooking and love its high smoke point.
• Coconut Oil: A go-to for scrambling eggs and cooking chicken. It adds a subtle sweetness to both that I love.
• Vegetable Oil: Sometimes, vegetable oil is necessary for quick baked goods and other recipes.
• Canola Oil: This is more cost-effective for frying than avocado oil, so I always have a bit in my pantry.
• Sesame Oil: Add this to a little soy sauce and some spices for quick marinades and stir fry.
• Vinegar: A classic for cooking and cleaning. There’s always a new way to use vinegar!
• Balsamic Vinegar: Perfect for sandwiches, dressings, marinades…this list goes on and on.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: I love the health benefits of apple cider vinegar and have also found it is a great substitute for other rarely-used vinegars.
• White Wine Vinegar: Another versatile vinegar that can easily replace other vinegars in many recipes.

Pantry Spices

A well-stocked spice cabinet is a home cook’s dream! These basics are always in my cupboard.

• Garlic Powder: Add to salt to make garlic salt, or use it for the base of many homemade seasoning blends.
• Onion Powder: From soups to meat to pasta, onion powder works in every type of recipe
• Basil: I use basil almost as much as garlic and onion powder!
• Oregano: Necessary for sauces, especially in Italian dishes.
• Parsley: Perfect for adding a little tang to dishes.
• Rosemary: I use this to flavor homemade sausage patties and combine it with basil, oregano, and parsley for homemade Italian seasoning.
• Thyme: A little goes a long way, especially in soups and meat rubs.
• Cinnamon: Superb for baking and making meals feel more like a dessert!
• Cumin: Cumin is a staple in many dishes and a key component of homemade taco and fajita seasoning.
• Ginger: From cookies to curries, this spice can elevate so many dishes.
• Salt: A table and pantry staple.
• Pepper: Fresh-cracked pepper can take any dish up a notch.
• Cayenne Pepper: Take the flavor — and the heat — to the next level with this spice.
• Crushed Red Pepper: Sprinkle on pizzas and in sauces for a little heat.

Whether you’re craving a brownie or a bagel, having a fully stocked baking shelf means you can whip up anything you’re yearning for at a moment’s notice.

• All-Purpose Flour: What can’t flour do? From tortillas to cookies to pancakes to bread, you can’t be a home cook without a canister of flour within reach.
• Almond Flour: Often a replacement for flour, this gluten-free is often a seamless substitute for all-purpose flour in many recipes.
• Cassava Flour: I often reach for cassava flour for cutlets and use it to thicken sauces.
• Arrowroot Flour: Also known as arrowroot starch, this can be used in place of cornstarch to thicken sauces, among other uses.
• Bread Flour: Whether you’re a bread expert or just starting to dabble in bread baking, you’ll need bread flour to make your creations possible.
• Yeast: I typically reach for instant yeast, but regular active yeast gets the job done just as well.
• Sugar: Add molasses to make brown sugar, toss it in the blender to make powdered sugar, or use it the old-fashioned way to sweeten desserts, sauces, and coffee.
• Coconut Sugar: Slightly less processed than refined sugar, coconut sugar is often called for in paleo recipes
• Brown Sugar: If you’re not into making your own brown sugar, a bag from the store will do!
• Cocoa Powder: You can’t make from-scratch midnight brownies without it!

Refrigerator Staples

A fridge is really just a cold pantry, am I right? Here’s what I like to keep in mine.

• Milk: Almond, regular, raw — choose whatever floats your boat!
• Butter: Unsalted or salted, though unsalted is a little more versatile.
• Heavy Cream: Add it to coffee when you’re out of flavored creamer or splash it into a sauce for extra creaminess.
• Eggs: An easy, quick protein for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
• Sour Cream: Great for taco night, stroganoff, and countless other recipes.
• Greek Yogurt: It’s the perfect base for dressings, smoothies, or breakfast bowls.

Is Your Kitchen Stocked With These Pantry Staples?

Whether you’re a longtime cook or just starting to build your pantry, these are the staples you’ll find yourself reaching for over and over again. Of course, every cook discovers there are other ingredients they absolutely can’t live without! Which ones are necessities in your pantry?