Having a well-stocked store cupboard really makes your life easier. I would advice for you to do a store cupboard Spring Clean.
Here is a list of things that I find I use again and again:
Spices
- Ground cumin 
- Ground coriander 
- Curry powder 
- Crushed chilies 
- Bay leaves 
- Mustard seeds 
- Onion seeds 
- Cardamom 
- Ground cinnamon 
- Smoked paprika 
- Five spice 
- Cayenne 
- Nigella Seeds 
- Rosemary 
- Thyme 
- Nutmeg 
- Cloves 
- Sea salt 
- Black pepper 
- Turmeric 
Other Essentials
- Tahini paste 
- Bouillon powder (reduced salt) 
- Ritual Cacao 
- Cocoa powder 
- Oats (porridge) 
- Bicarbonate of soda 
- Baking powder 
- Vanilla essence/ extract 
- Dark chocolate 
- Tomato purée 
- Apple puree 
- Miso (brown and white) 
- Collagen powder 
- Maca powder 
- Marmite 
Freezer Items
- Peas 
- Sweet corn 
- Mashed potatoes (for convenience) 
- Chilies 
- Peeled bananas 
- Prawns 
- Berries 
- Frozen yoghurt and ice cream 
- Curry leaves 
- Kefir lime leaves 
Pantry Essentials
Condiments, Oils, and Vinegars
- Oils: Extra virgin olive oil (stronger taste, ideal for salads), virgin olive oil (good for sautéing), toasted sesame oil, chili oil, cold-pressed rapeseed oil, cold-pressed sunflower oil, coconut oil, avocado oil 
- Vinegars: Red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar 
- Others: Mirin, soy sauce (dark and light), fish sauce, peanut butter, horseradish, Dijon mustard, English mustard, whole-grain mustard, capers, rice wine vinegar, gheetas mango chutney 
Flours
- White and wholemeal spelt flour 
- White Strong Bread Flour (preferably organic) 
- Wholemeal Strong Bread Flour (preferably organic) 
- Botanical blend XXX 
- Whole wheat flour 
- Cornflour 
- Gluten-free self-raising flour 
Sweeteners
- Honey (cheap and good quality - there is a difference) 
- Agave 
- Maple syrup 
- Unrefined caster sugar 
- Dark and light brown muscovado sugar 
- Coconut sugar 
Dried Fruits
- Dried apricots 
- Dried figs 
- Dried prunes 
- Goji berries 
- Dried dates 
- Raisins 
Nuts and Seeds
- Ground almonds 
- Hazelnuts 
- Cashews 
- Pumpkin seeds 
- Sesame seeds 
- Sunflower seeds 
- Pine nuts 
- Walnuts 
- Pecans 
- Chia seeds 
Rice and Pasta
- Dried wholemeal pasta 
- Egg noodles 
- Rice noodles 
- Brown basmati rice 
- Spelt 
- Spelt noodles 
- Quinoa 
- Pearl barley 
- Whole wheat couscous 
- Red Camargue rice 
- Wild rice 
- Short-grain brown rice 
- Jasmine white rice 
- Sushi rice 
- Millet 
- Polenta 
Beans and Pulses
- Tinned or jarred cannellini beans 
- Tinned or jarred kidney beans 
- Tinned sweet corn 
- Tinned or jarred butterbeans 
- Tinned tomatoes 
- Coconut milk 
- Chickpeas 
- Puy lentils 
- Red lentils 
READ THE LABELS
Sadly, we do live in a world where people get away with a lot of nonsense when it comes to selling food and regulations that are not as tight as they should be. When reading a label always look to the first 3 ingredients as they should be the 3 that there are most of. If you can understand them and they are not numbers, this is usually a good sign!
