What do you keep in your food cupboards?

[sharkstale]

What do you consider a well stocked food cupboard?
What types of foods, how much of it, and what do you use it for?

I find that whenever I buy tins, they never get used, so I stopped buying them.
So, on average, my cupboards seem to only stock pasta, rice, pasta sauce jars, cereal, peanut butter, crackers, gravy, crisps and some toddler 'organix' snacks. Sometimes croissants/scones but they'll be gone in a day so they don't exactly fill up the cupboard.

We obviously have a lot of fresh and frozen food, I'm just wondering how people have such well stocked cupboards when mine seem empty in comparison?

Ooh I have a lot as I buy stuff I use when it’s on offer

herbs, spices, sauces (bbq, ketchup, mayo, hot sauce, sweet chilli, mustards), stock cubes, salad dressings, oils, vinegars, mushroom powder, various mixed seasonings
flour, sugar, tea, coffee
tomato/garlic/ginger puree, umami paste, chipotle paste, nduja
chutneys, jam, curd, honey, peanut butter, marmite
tinned tomatoes, sweetcorn, soup, baked beans, black beans, tuna
rice, pasta, pitta breads, part baked rolls
cereal, porridge
crisps, chocolate, biscuits

probably more I can’t remember

I always have a few tubs of passata, I use it to make bolognese and tomato soup. I have tins of stewing steak and use one with mince, it improves the flavour. Tins of chopped tomatoes, chick peas and kidney beans.
Dried lentils, quinoa, buckwheat. Chicken stock cubes, gravy and custard powder. A couple of different types of flour, buckwheat and barley as well as wheat. And some grain flakes, wholegrain porridge and barley. Some food flavourings - almond, banana, vanilla. Herbs and spices.
Its all a bit worthy, I'd love a packet of biscuits but they're off the menu atm.

I’ve just cleaned out my store cupboard. It contains things like cereal and porridge, pasta, rice, noodles, couscous, flavourings like stock cubes, oils and vinegars, spices and dried herbs, various types of sugar, baking supplies including nuts and dried fruit, tins of things like chick peas, lentils, tomatoes, condensed milk. I love a well stocked pantry.

Same here. Also honey, pesto, milk powder & cheddar powder (not something I use, but great to keep just in case as they are actually not too bad for sauces etc).

We also keep soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, washing powder, bin bags, plastic bags, water & drinks, candles, medicine, wet wipes & body wet wipes/towels…you name it. Our young adult children sometimes go ”shopping” in our garage.

We have some of those tins with chocolate milk and coffee that you activate and they become hot. Great for the car if you get stuck (I live in a cold country).

Anyway, don’t forget water.

Sounds quite similar to mine. I don't use tinned beans much, as I have a pressure cooker; and can cook them from dry in 30 minutes.

God I have an embarrassing amount compared to that, my kitchen is like a supermarket!

baking: flours, baking powder, milk powder, cocoa powder, sugars, chocolate, sprinkles, corn flour, food colouring, vanilla extract

breakfast: cereals, protein powder, oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, oats, peanut butter, honey and various spreads for toast

cooking: a drawer of spices / spice mixes / dried herbs, stock cubes and powders, shelf of oils, vinegars, marmite, soy sauce, jarred pesto and pasta sauces, curry pastes, gravy granules, stuffing

shelf of dried pasta, noodles and rices

tinned: chopped toms, Passata, baked beans, lentils, coconut milk, tomato puree, tinned fruit

packets: breadsticks, crackers, crisps, biscuits for kids

@goldenhunter don’t forget water & drinks!

I could probably withstand a siege.
Breakfast cereals
Baking - flour, cocoa, sugar, dried fruit, ground almonds, oats
Lentils and dried pulses
Pasta
Several kinds of rice
Tinned soup, sweetcorn, water chestnuts, tomatoes, fruits, coconut milk, bamboo shoots.
A shelf of herbs
A shelf of spices
Some jars of sauce
Condiments - vinegar, chilli sauce, balsamic, sauerkraut, kimchi
Several kinds of noodles
Stock powder and cubes, gravy
Passata
Selection of teas
Various coffees
Jars of sun-dried tomatoes and roasted peppers.

Probably more that I haven't thought of.
Drinks
I drink tap water or make fizz in a soda stream but drinks
Apple juice , cola, squash, elderflower cordial, beer, wine all in the garage.

Herbs and spices/salt and pepper/Lea & Perrins, gravy browning, Marigold, stock pots, soy sauce, various mustards.

Ketchup, brown sauce, barbecue sauce, extra virgin, olive and rape oils, walnut oil, lite spray, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar. Tinned toms and tinned beans, tuna, salmon, sardines, jars of olives. Long pasta, penne, long grain, basmati and risotto rice, cous couse, large grain bulgar. Rice cakes, Ryvita.

Plain, SR and wholemeal flour, cornflour, baking soda, bicarb, demerara, dark brown, granulated and castor sugar, vanilla and almond essence, ground almonds, mixed nuts, dried fruits.

Tea: Yorkshire, Earl Grey, peppermint, camomile, Azeera: Americano and decaff - usually three of each, muesli, bran flakes, All bran, honey, jam, marmalade.

That's the tour of the cupboards.

I'm sure there's more. I don't particularly keep huge stocks.

Soup, tinned tomatoes, baked beans, sauces, pasta, rice, herbs & spices, tuna, stock cubes, tea, sugar, various flours, oil, jam, ice cream sauces.

When I open a new jar of condiments/mint sauce/mayonnaise etc I always buy another so I'm never out. Its only DH and myself, but we both WFH and cook nearly ever meal from scratch. My cupboards are all pull out drawers:

-1 drawer is full of different dried pastas, large shells, orzo, whole meal types, lasagne sheets. Passata, tomato paste, pesto dried porchini
-Various rices (pudding, sushi rice, wild, jasmine and basmati), cous cous, giant cous cous and lentils
-1 whole cupboard is Sth East Asian, Asian and North African herbs/spices. Fish sauce, oyster sauce, crispy chilli in oil, nori, mirin, rice vinegar, pickled ginger, gochujang paste, various misos, dried seaweed, dried asian mushrooms, harissa, preserved lemons
-Another is tins/jars- baked beans, butter beans, black beans, chickpeas, jars of olives, antipasto veg, dolmades,
-Baking ingrediants- flours, sugars, icing sugar, nuts
-Snacks and drinks- squashes, crisps
-2 drawers full of spices (yes its alphabetical, but other cupboards are just random)
-The freezer is also full. Other than meat and seafood, I have home made passata and green beans I grew last year, also freeze fresh ginger, various chillis, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, tumeric, lemon grass etc

Top shelf which I need a step to reach: replacements for things I expect to run out of fairly soon. Things I don’t eat but my husband does, so honey, peanut butter, nuts, squash, probably other stuff too.
Second shelf: cereals including porridge for me, oils, vinegars, chutneys, seasonings, stock cubes, herbs and spices
Top drawer: tinned pulses, tomatoes, tuna, sweetcorn and such, eggs, wraps and bread
Next drawer: dried stuff: more pulses, various types of pasta and rice, grains always including cornmeal/polenta for cornbread - which should live in:
Next drawer: baking stuff, including for bread, so my seeds live here too. This is the drawer that is always full
The bottom drawer and shelf have food storage stuff - freezer bags and tupperware, labels, a freezer pen or two, and foil, clingfilm and greaseproof paper.

My teas, coffees and biscuits when we have them live in another cupboard, with the mugs, over the kettle, and I keep things like mayo and pesto in the fridge. And for grandkids reasons, crisps and the like live ‘hidden’ in the understairs cupboard.

First shelf, Lots of pasta, rice, lentils and grains. Second shelf, ice cream machine 🤣Next cupboard is long and thin and holds passata, sauces (ketchup, sweet chilli etc) and tinned beans/veg. Next cupboard Cereals, tea and coffee. Next is lots of baking stuff, flours, sugar decoration bits and things like cocoa powder and desiccated coconut. Jam/marmelade/honey.

I usually keep pantry staples like rice, pasta, canned goods, and a few snacks ready for quick meals.
When I’m not cooking, I like checking the olive garden menu for ideas on delicious dishes to try.

Rice, pasta, quinoa, couscous.
Dried red & green lentils.
Flour, cornflour, baking powder.
Sugar, cacao powder, honey.
Oats, raisins, mixed nuts, chia seeds.
85% chocolate.
Custard powder, Bisto, coconut milk, peanut butter.
Tins of tomatoes and various veg, lentils, kidney beans.
Tins of sardines, mackerel & tuna.
Olive oil, vinegars, herbs and spices.
Peanuts & breadsticks/other nibbles.
Jars and bottles of (unopened) jam, chutney, mustard, pesto, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sriracha etc.
Tea, coffee, herbal teas.
Fruit juice, wiine, alcohol & mixers in another cupboard.

When I left my ex (and kids who stayed in family home) I hated seeing bare cupboards. Cooking and feeding my family was such a big part of my life. They are well stocked now (a fews years later) and I feel better knowing this, even if day to day I'm mostly cooking for just me.

Tins of baked beans, kidney beans, butter beans, tomatoes, tuna, salmon. Dh buys the odd tin of fruit, e.g. peaches.
Stock cubes (chicken, beef and veg).

Long grain and risotto rice, red and yellow lentils (dry), pearl barley, orzo and penne pasta, flour, plain and SR, cornflour, caster sugar, icing sugar, brown sugar, dried fruit, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb of soda.

Must be plenty more I can’t think of…

Funnily enough, I keep food in there.

Flour, plain, self raising, strong white, strong wholemeal, pasta of various sorts, passata, herbs and spices, rice, sauces various sorts, mixed seeds, dried fruit, nuts, loads of cat food!

Lots I've missed reading other peoples.

I grew up with very little food in the cupboards and admit I'm a bit of a prepper! I have one of those floor to ceiling cupboards so keep pantry staples in there.

Top shelf is for drinks.....so teabags, herbal tea, jars of coffee, squash etc.

Another shelf for dried food like pasta, rice, noodles, cous cous, barley, crisps, nuts, seeds, crackers, breadsticks.

Next shelf is tins. I tend to keep tins of sweetcorn, mushy peas, tuna, baked beans, soup, tinned tomatoes, lentils, coconut milk and a variety of other tinned beans and pulses.

Next shelf is jars and cartons. Jam, honey, peanut butter, marmite, pasta sauces, gravy granules, passata etc

Another shelf for baking.....bread flour, plain flour, self raising flour, yeast, caster sugar, brown sugar, raisins, oils, vinegars etc.

Last shelf for cereals and porridge oats plus long life oat milk (I don't like normal UHT milk).

Plus a spice rack.

It means we are never out of food (I think that's an ingrained fear from my childhood) and even at late notice e.g. DDs inviting a friend over for dinner I've always got bags of pasta and jars of sauce for a quick dinner to feed extra people or can bake some biscuits.

Do you not use spices, canned fish, beans or tomatoes?

Baking ingredients?

You say you have fresh and frozen food? So that sounds well stocked. There's no point keeping stuff in that you don't use and different people like to manage their stocks in different ways.

People keep stocks because they want to reduce the time they spend shopping, it's cheaper to buy in bulk, they want to be able to cook from the storecupboard (whether fresh, frozen or canned/dried) without going to the shops and probably other reasons. How do you feel like you're missing out?

@BjorkdiditI do have spices and baking ingredients (flour, bicarb, vanilla extract etc) but I didn't include those and I was thinking more along the lines of actual food, tins etc. I see so many people with cupboards full of tins but can't fathom what they use them all for 😂 I used to buy plum tomatoes but can't seem to turn them into a decent tomato sauce so I don't buy them anymore. I was interested to see what other people have/use to see what I was missing out on, maybe to get some ideas for new meals etc.

*as I was

I have enough tins to withstand a small siege…

baked beans, borlotti beans, black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, 3 bean mix, taco beans, chickpeas, then chopped tomatoes, spaghetti hoops, passata, tinned potatoes, some jar sauces, several types of pasta, microwave rice (flavoured and unflavoured) dried noodles, couscous, bulgar wheat, giant couscous, flavoured couscous, arborio rice and orzo…. That’s just one cupboard.

Well we have canned tomatoes for making chilli, Mediterranean type stews/casseroles and curry, baked beans for breakfasts, peas for the odd fish finger and chip meal, some soup, canned ravioli and beans/sausages (mainly DP lunches on toast) canned pulses for chilli, curries, stews, although I'm currently experimenting with cooking from dried because I've tried Bold Beans and like them very much, but less so the price. Also tinned fish to have with bean salads, tuna pasta or nice bread. Some canned fruit because I'm hopeless at preparing and eating fresh fruit. Corned beef for corned beef hash.

What recipes do you use them all for? I used to use a lot of chickpeas and bulgar wheat but, after years of having fussy kids, I have no idea what I used to make anymore