As someone looking to save money in every area of my life, I look to the grocery budget often to save. This list of 50 Money Saving Pantry Staples is a perfect example of how a well-stocked pantry can be beneficial to your budget.
50 Money Saving Pantry Staples
One of the best ways to save money is to keep ingredients on hand to make your own items from scratch. I love doing as much as possible from scratch, but I also realize that some things aren’t worth it given the time invested. So, while I don’t make homemade pasta, I do prefer making homemade beans rather than buying canned. Below, is a breakdown of 50 pantry staples that save time and money in the kitchen.
Dry Goods
As you build your list of dry goods to have as pantry staples, include specifics that your family feels are necessary. Some grain-free families will skip parts of this list. Others may add in cereals or specialty mixes or flours if gluten is an issue.
- Rice
- Couscous
- Quinoa
- Polenta
- Dry Beans (Pinto, Black, Red Kidney, Great Northern, Garbanzo)
- Dry Pasta (Spaghetti, Rigatoni, Penne, Elbow Macaroni, and Fettucini)
- Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, or favorite nut butter
- Bottled Water (always a must for emergencies)
- Oatmeal (Rolled oats, quick oats, and steel cut oats)
- Herbs and Spices (Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Onion, Basil, Oregano, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes, Chili Powder, Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram, and Cinnamon)
- Broths (Beef, Chicken, Vegetable)
- Breadcrumbs and Panko
Baking Needs
Depending on your baking needs, this list could include low carb or gluten-free flours. You may also prefer to use more sugar substitutes or add in specialty baking supplies for your family needs.
- Flour
- Cornmeal
- Sugar (White and Brown)
- Powdered sugar
- Active Yeast
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Molasses
- Maple Syrup
- Honey
- Sugar-Substitutes (if needed)
- Extracts: Vanilla, Almond, Lemon, and Peppermint
- Gelatin (flavored and unflavored)
- Dry Pudding Mixes
- Cooking Oils (Olive, Canola, Vegetable, Ghee, and Peanut)
- Coconut Oil (for cooking and baking)
- Shortening (for baking)
- Whole nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts)
Canned Goods
Everyone has preferences on canned vegetables, but this list includes the items that are most important to my family. You may include a larger variety of vegetables, home canned items, or you may not have any of these items in your pantry as you prefer only fresh or frozen. Adjust as needed.
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Canned tomato sauce
- Canned tomato paste
- Green Beans
- Corn (Whole Kernal and Creamed)
- Canned carrots
- Spinach or Turnip Greens
- Olives
- Jams, Jellies, and Fruit Spreads
- Pickles (Dill, Bread & Butter, and specialty)
- Relish (Dill Relish and Sweet Relish)
- Canned Fruits (home canned if possible)
Condiments
This is a basic list but can be adjusted for your family needs. Some love hot sauce while others can’t live without soy sauce. Add what works best for your family.
- Vinegar (Apple Cider, Balsamic, White, and Rice Wine)
- Basic Condiments (Mustard, Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Barbecue Sauce)
- Specialty Sauces (Fish Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce, Liquid Aminos
Canned Meats
This is a pretty subjective list of pantry staples but includes the most common items you would find in canned meats. Add your own preferences or leave this off the list if you and your family are practicing vegetarians or vegans.
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Mackeral
- Chicken
- Sardines
- Vienna Sausages or Potted Meat (while not a favorite or preferred item, they are handy for long term preparations)
Using Pantry Staples to save money
The goal of this list of frugal pantry staples is to ultimately help you save money. Making more items from scratch will almost always help you save a few dollars on your grocery budget. However, you must weigh the effect specific items will have on your unique budget situation.
