Have you considered organizing your pantry with the necessary products? Of course, this does not only apply to cooks or bakers but in fact to everyone because there will always come a time for us to do our groceries.
These items range from perishable products to things that can last long whether in your refrigerator or left on the table. One thing is for sure, it will be helpful to have them in your storage and ready to be used at any time.
*All items can be purchased through your local supermarket near you
1. Fresh Produce
The produce that we are referring to is fruits and vegetables because they come in a variety and can easily be found in supermarkets. While some need to be properly cooked before consumption, many others are safe to be eaten raw so it’s a handy grocery to have especially if you don’t feel like cooking for most of the time. Additionally, different products have their health benefits for our bodies.
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2. Oil and Vinegar
Both of these ingredients are necessary for most food preparations involving baking, cooking, and other methods that don’t need any heat like a salad dressing. On one hand, oil can be made out of plants, animals, or artificial fat such as olive oil and canola oil. Meanwhile, vinegar is slightly acidic and helps with the flavourings like balsamic vinegar and rice vinegar.
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3. Condiments
Some might better understand condiments as sauces and they work as a flavouring as well. It can be used before or after cooking a dish but you don’t have to be specifically cooking just to use one. A simple example would be making a sandwich and adding your favourite sauce onto it like a hefty meat sandwich or peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
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4. Seasonings
Certain meals can’t be complete without some herbs and spices for that delicious flavour and aroma. For example, a comforting herbal chicken soup or curry with rice. It shouldn’t hurt to keep some basic ones in your kitchen like salt and pepper whenever you want to spice up any ordinary meals or cook up a storm. Later on, you can slowly add on to your seasoning collection when you are more familiar with what it does.
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5. Baking Essentials
All-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, corn starch, etc. are part of the baking essentials. You can make desserts and snacks that are equally filling when you are hungry and satisfies your cravings in your home. It will take time as most things do but it’s soothing to know that you can make a snack at any given time without heading out.
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6. Grains and Legumes
This part consists of pasta, rice, breadcrumbs, quinoa, oats, and plenty others. They are healthy for consumption and are usually versatile with most cooking. For example, rice pairs with a lot of side dishes, and you can even use oats as a substitute. Most importantly, it can keep you feeling full.
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7. Refrigerator items
Most of the mentioned food can be stored in the refrigerator but we are focusing more on dairy products like butter, milk, and cheese including some eggs. You can use butter and cheese in baking and cooking while also a simple spread on toast. Meanwhile, you can have the milk by itself or pair it with cereal for an easy breakfast. Eggs also have endless possibilities for meal ideas so it’s useful to have one around.
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8. Freezer Storage
Now, a lot of items can be placed in the refrigerator but it’s good to be prepared with a few weeks ahead in mind. Either it’s your leftover or you can get some frozen food for a quick meal after defrosting. It can be from chicken nuggets to actual meats then frozen vegetables and fruits as long as it can last. Frozen fruits are particularly good for making smoothies and making sure you stay full.
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9. Canned Goods
Canned goods are another example of food that can last from a few weeks to a year. It might not look as appetizing to certain people but it works well if you’re planning to stock up for a rainy day. Maybe you don’t have time to cook so you can simply choose one and reheat in an instant. Besides that, canned goods also have some sauces that can easily be used when you don’t want to make things from scratch.
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10. Snacks and Beverages
Occasionally, you might find yourself a little hungry but not too much to finish a whole plate of food then snacks and beverages are wonderful choices. There are both junk foods to snack bars that can help temporarily fill up your stomach and beverages like energy drinks can energize you when you’re feeling a little sluggish. Just don’t take too much of it otherwise you will miss the bigger meals of the day.
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How to organize your grocery list:
- Budget is very important because everything might look tempting at first but you don’t want to regret spending way more than you needed to.
- Choose based on priorities such as what grocery items are you running out of or what you will be using immediately after buying.
- Always check the expiry date and ingredients in case of allergies, halal certification, and if it follows your diet
Overall, it’s great to be prepared so you don’t have to be frustrated over something that’s not available when you need it the most. With that being said, there is also no need to be in a rush especially if you’re on a tight budget because you can always come back to buy groceries for the next trip. If you know that the item is always stocked at your local grocery store and you don’t particularly need it now then don’t force yourself to get it.
Disclosure: This list was compiled by the team at My Weekend Plan after extensive research and shared opinions to suggest helpful recommendations for the public. The sequence of brands is in no particular order so if you have any other great suggestions too, please email us support@myweekendplan.com.my. For more information, kindly refer to our copyright, privacy & disclosure policy.
