25 pantry staples

Having a well stocked pantry means that you don't stop and run to the store when you are on the middle of cooking.  Everyone has a stock set of recipes that you use to cook meals.   Your family likes them and they usually are easy to cook.    This makes it easy to keep a pantry and make a meal.

25 pantry items

1. Olive oil.   Costco is good.     I cook almost exclusively with olive oil.   It boosts your good cholesterol and is a natural oil.    
2. Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning. Parsley. Chilli powder, cumin, garlic, oregano. Paprika.    All these can be had at the dollar store or at grocery outlet in bulk jars.    Costco has many, but grocery outlet has smaller jars so you can be fresher.
3. Sugar, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, baking powder. Non fat dry milk 
4. Chicken and vegetable stock.   Better than bouillon, or granulas.   Winco has some of that in the bulk isle.    
5. Coffee, tea, 
6. Beans, dried, split peas, rice.  Costco had rice for .33 a pound.   Winco had it for a dollar a pound on a bag.    
7. Pasta. Pasta has a eight year shelf life.    I wouldn't want to keep it that long. But we go through a lot of pasta.   I buy only good brands and I buy it when I can get it less than a buck.  I have bought it for as little as .38.   Coupons for pasta aren't as plentiful as I have seen on the past.    I did get a good brand,without  a lot of variety of shapes at QFC a few weeks ago for .50.    
8.  Pancake syrup
9. A brownie mix 
10. Instant mashed potatoes.   Idahoan makes flavored mashed potatoes and I can get them as cheap as .60 with coupons,    
11. Diced tomatoes.   Diced tomatoes are tomato product that is the most versatile and often on sale for as little as .38 at Winco, almost always at least one we k a month at Freddie's for .50.   
12. Beans.   Several varieties.   Also .50 or close to it at Winco and Fred Meyers.    Win is own beans have no preservatives on them.-- just beans, water, and salt.   Always rinse your canned beans and drain off the liquid.    
13.  Canned green beans , a few corn! 
14. Chicken noodle soup , tomato soup.  Costco has tomato, roasted red pepper soup for two dollars a box.   It's really good and o out basil, milk, amd cheese to it.   
15. One each of a backup of catsup. Mustard, mayo.   
16. Oatmeal, bulk.   (Quacker  oats at Costco) 
17.  A cake mix in case of an emergency.  
18. Bread crumbs ( home made ) 
19. Yeast
20. Black olives ( a treat) or for pizza and salads.   Slices are .58 at Winco.  
21. Refried beans 
22. Cream soup mix ( scratch) 
23. A box of a gratin  potatoes ( Betty Crocker is sometimes BOGO with coupons at the dollar store.   
24. A box of suddenly salad.  I was buying them on the summer for as little as .75.   
25. Salsa 

With this stock, I can always make a meal without going to the store with a few added staples from the fridge or freezer.  We always have grated cheese, eggs, and my rotation meat.    Fresh carrots and celery.   They are cheap and can fill in any number of dishes from soup to roasted root vegetables with a chicken breast.   

Hope this helps. If you are just starting out. Don't expect to get all of,this on one trip to the store.  It takes time.  When you have s well stocked pantry, life is a lot easier.    Your scope of shopping just got easier.    There are on,y a few that nags you HAVE to purchase, and you don't have to try to remember that last little thing to make a recipe.     

You are looking for a loss leader protein that you don't already have , fresh produce to fill in your meals, dairy , and a stock item of you find one and need it.