How to Stock your Kitchen Pantry for Healthy Meals

There doesn’t need to be a national emergency for your kitchen to be well stocked. Much like having extra savings in your bank account can help relieve the stress of your day-to-day finances, keeping extra stores in your pantry and freezer can help you stay healthy and nourished throughout the week.

With a well-stocked kitchen, you won’t be as likely to order take-out when you run out of fresh groceries, because you’ll already have the ingredients on hand to make a satisfying pantry meal. With healthy snacks (like Rumble!) always in your pantry, you won’t be as likely to reach for whatever treat you can find at the back of your cupboards. And if you’re unexpectedly sick, you won’t have to get your shoes on and pick up the essentials from the grocery store.

To start stocking your pantry, buy a few extra provisions each week. Over time, you’ll be able to build your stores of dry goods and freezer items without breaking your budget. 


Everyone’s diet and preferences will be different, but here are some essentials to get you started. The ingredients on this list can be combined to make easy pastas, stews, soups, baked goods, bread, granola and more. No frozen pizzas, here!

The Essentials

Bulk grains, pulses, and nuts

  • Dried lentils
  • Barley
  • Rice
  • Rolled Oats
  • Quinoa
  • Couscous
  • Pasta
  • Almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts

Oils and Vinegar

  • Olive oil
  • A neutral oil (vegetable oil, canola oil)
  • red wine vinegar. 

Shelf-stable favourites

  • Nut butters
  • Canned tuna
  • Canned beans and chickpeas
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Tomato paste
  • Chicken or vegetable stock
  • Pesto
  • Curry paste
  • Coconut milk
  • Boxed or canned soup

Freezer staples

  • Chicken, sausages, shrimp, fish
  • Sliced bread (for toast)
  • Fresh pasta
  • Frozen vegetables (for easy side dishes, or to add to stir fries, casseroles, soups, stews, and pasta dishes)
  • Frozen fruit (for smoothies and baking)
  • Frozen leftovers (freeze the portioned leftovers from your bigger meals)

Spices

  • Salt and pepper
  • Cayenne
  • Curry powder
  • Bay leaves
  • Paprika
  • Cinnamon
  • Cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Dried thyme
  • Dried oregano. 

Sugars

  • Honey
  • Maple syrup
  • Granulated sugar (white and brown)

Produce

  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Potatoes

Baking

  • Flour (white and whole wheat, or gluten-free)
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cocoa powder
  • Chocolate chips
  • Icing sugar
  • Active dry yeast (for bread, pizza dough, and more). 

Ready-made Snacks and Meal Replacements

  • Granola bars
  • Crackers
  • Rumble Supershake!   

Rumble is a complete, nutritionally-balanced supershake that's shelf-stable, so you can stock-up and store it in your pantry or other cool, dark place for months at a time. It's perfect for on-the-go snacking or for supplementing your nutrition when your supplies are running low.

Order Rumble by the case through our website, set-up a monthly Rumble subscription, or find it at a store near you. 

Organize it

Store everything in airtight, clear containers. If you can see your ingredients, you're going to be more likely to use them. Mason jars are a great option - they're cheap, available in many sizes, and can be found at most hardware or home good stores. 

Use it

When meal planning for the week, look for recipes that call for a few of your pantry items to help you use up the fresh ingredients you have in your fridge. You’ll reduce food waste and build your repertoire of pantry meals at the same time. 

Keep it Stocked

Each week, make note of what’s running low and restock whenever you shop next.

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