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

DOWNLOAD PANTRY ESSENTIALS

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!