Restocking Your Pantry for Fall

September is a great time to clear out the old and bring in the new.  (And yes, we’ve totally binged The Home Edit show on Netflix, so full organizing mode is on). But really, it’s the start of a new season and a great time to clean up your kitchen. Sort through your pantry, fridge, and freezer and toss any expired foods, donate any unopened items you can’t use to local food banks, and get organized.

A well-stocked pantry (fridge & freezer too!) will not only save you time and money but will make prepping meals on busy days (or lazy days) a whole lot easier.

Here’s what we are stocking up with this Fall:

BEANS/LEGUMES: jarred, canned and dried options like chickpeas/garbanzos (we love @jovialfoods because we love to repurpose their jars), black beans, and lentils are at the top of our list.  They can easily be transformed into all sorts of meals for any time of day like breakfast burritos, add them to salads for lunch, soups, whip up a hummus for an after school snack (try this one), or make a taco skillet dinner (a Freshmade fave!).  You can even use them in desserts like black bean brownies and chickpea blondies.  Also, see freezer options like peas and edamame.

JARRED/CANNED TOMATOES: having your favorite jarred tomato sauce on hand is s a must for quick meals.  @raoshomemade is #1 in our books. Since tomato season is really short, canned tomatoes are what we lean on from October until June. Stock up with jarred/canned tomato options like diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato puree, and tomato paste! You can use these as meal starters and flavor builders for soups, stews, salsas, and more. Also, grab some sundried tomatoes, they are great mix-in for salads, rice, pastas, and more.

GO-TO GRAINS (pseudo-grains and grain subs too): basmati, jasmine, sushi rice, quinoa, rolled oats, breadcrumbs (seasoned and panko), granola, croutons, pastas (spaghetti, penne, orzo), soba noodles, sweet potato glass noodles, vermicelli rice noodles, rice paper spring roll wrappers, tortillas (flour, corn and/or these alternatives), nori sheets, assorted crackers (the ones from @firehook are a current fave).

NUTS/SEEDS: peanut butter, peanut butter powder, almond butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, Brazil nuts, pepitas, sunflower, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, almond flour, flax seeds (whole and ground), tahini.

SWEETENERS: granulated sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, powdered sugar.

DRIED FRUITS: dried cherries, cranberries, golden raisins, mango, pineapple, shredded unsweetened coconut.

OILS & VINEGARS: olive oil (current faves @wearebrightland and @frankiessputino), a neutral high heat oil like avocado oil or grapeseed, ghee (we love @ancientorganics), sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, and white vinegar (we also use this for cleaning!!!!)

BAKING NEEDS: yeast (because let's face it, the bread baking will surely continue), baking powder, baking soda, cacao powder, chocolate chips, cinnamon, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, alternative flours (we love Cup 4 Cup GF flour, almond flour, coconut flour, oat flour), baking spray, cupcake liners, parchment paper, and sweetened condensed milk.

SPICES/DRIED HERBS: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, turmeric, chili powder, peppercorns (pink and black), cumin, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, Ceylon cinnamon, fennel seed, curry powder, za'atar, mustard seed, and herbs de Provence. You'll also want a few of "grab and go" blends like taco seasoning (we opt for the one by Siete Foods because it’s made with minimal ingredients), same goes for adobo and sazón - these from @eatloisa are fantastic! For most spices and herbs, we love to shop locally at Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Co. They have an amazing selection of organic spices, herbs, and teas. Check out our guide here for more of our fave spots to source ingredients from. We also love the Frontier Coop brand, their spices and herbs are high quality, organic, sustainably sourced, and most importantly, affordable! Pro tip: Spice shopping can get expensive quickly because there are so many amazing spices out there to stock up on, we suggest starting with the basics and rotating new ones in and out seasonally.

NOTE: we prefer fresh over dried options for the following herbs - parsley, thyme, dill, basil, cilantro.

SALTS: in our kitchen, salt is the Queen! Always stocked: kosher, sea salt, grey salt, Himalayan pink, fleur de sel, flakey @maldonsalt (regular and smoked), and both the universal salt and spicy salt from @jenniferfisherkitchen.

Salt has a greater impact on flavor than any other ingredient. Learn to use it well, and food will taste good. Salt’s relationship to flavor is multidimensional: It has its own particular taste, and it both balances and enhances the flavor of other ingredients. - Samin Nosrat in The New York Times

OTHER CANNED/JARRED GOODS: ‘tis the season for pumpkin purée and apple butter, so grab a few of those next time your out food shopping. We also stock up on applesauce (a great sub for egg in baking, check out this guide for more), jams and preserves (not just for PB&J - use them to flavor yogurt, swirled into oatmeal bowls, a building block for sauces and more), hearts of palm (it’s a great addition to salads + this vegan “calamari” dupe is on our “recipes to make soon” list), other goods like artichokes, olives, capers, tuna, roasted red peppers, pickled peperoncini, and full-fat coconut milk are also great to have on hand.

IN THE FRIDGE: mayo, gochujang, soy sauce/tamari, sriracha or hot sauce (we go crazy for Truff), kimchi, kraut, salsa, mustard (Dijon, whole grain), pickles, milk and/or milk alternative, heavy cream, cheese (our staples include mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan), butter (pro tip: keep an extra pack stocked in the freezer for backup), plain yogurt, eggs, celery, carrots, seasonal greens, scallions, bell peppers, and cucumbers.

ON THE COUNTER: avocados, bananas (+ extra to freeze), fresh tomatoes (for just a little longer, sadly the season is almost over), potatoes, onions, garlic, shallots, ginger, lemons, and limes.

IN THE FREEZER: don’t forget that extra butter (trust us!), frozen fruits (mango, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, coconut, pitaya, bananas), frozen veggies (broccoli, cauliflower rice, peas, edamame (shelled and whole), stock/broth (made fresh using leftover veggie scraps, get our recipe here).  We also keep well-stocked with @brodo broths for soups and stews.

We hope this list helps you get organized in your kitchen! Request a printable version here.

Once you're stocked up, all you will need to do is fill in as needed with your favorite fresh veggies 🥬 🥦🥒, fruits 🍎🍓🍇, meats 🥩🥓🍗, fish 🐟 🍤🍣 and other specialty items.

Pair your newly organized pantry with our Pantry Challenge e-cookbook or choose one of our other e-cookbooks and whip up a few of our favorite meals.

What’s on your essential pantry list? Drop us a note in the comments below and let us know what you keep your kitchen stocked with.