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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » The Ultimate Well-Stocked Food Pantry List

    Published: March 13, 2020 / Updated: May 19, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    The Ultimate Well-Stocked Food Pantry List

    86 shares
    Non-Perishable Food Pantry List

    A well-stocked pantry is important for everyday cooking & baking, but also in times of emergency. Here's a helpful list of pantry staples, as well as a free printable food pantry list!

    Non-Perishable Food Pantry List

    Do you have a well-stocked pantry? There are so many reasons to make sure you have a pantry stocked with essential non-perishable foods.

    Why you need a well-stocked pantry

    • Cooking and baking is made easier when you always have the basics or essential ingredients on hand.
    • In case of natural disaster, it's important to have enough food to last your family for a while. Where we live in the Pacific Northwest, there is always threat of The BIG Earthquake. So I'm pretty much always re-stocking our non-perishable foods to ensure we have enough food to last at least two weeks, just in case we end up having no power or clean water.
    • In extreme cases, like the current Coronavirus pandemic, it's wise to have pantry staples on hand. Store shelves empty out quickly, and if there's a quarantine, a well-stocked pantry can help keep you and your family well-fed during this time.

    The ultimate well-stocked food pantry list

    At the end of this post, you can download my FREE Well-Stocked Food Pantry Checklist!

    Pantry with Non-Perishable Food Pantry List

    Here is a food pantry list full of essential non-perishable foods that ever well-stocked pantry should have.

    Every family is different. Depending on how your family likes to cook, you may have different food staples on your list. This is a general list to help you get started on your way to a well-stocked kitchen pantry.

    Dried Pasta, Grains, and Beans

    brown rice and jasmine rice pantry staples
    • Dried Pasta - Store for up to 1-2 years beyond best buy date.
    • Fresh pasta - Store for up to 4-5 days beyond best buy date.
    • White Rice - Store for up to 4-5 years or longer if vacuum sealed
    • Brown Rice - Store for 6-12 months on shelf
    • Quinoa, Couscous, Farro - Store in the pantry for 3-4 years unopened; after opening, store it in the refrigerator for 2-3 years
    • Dried Lentils (2-3 years; keep package tightly closed)
    • Dried Beans - When stored properly in airtight containers in a cool, dry pantry, dried beans will last indefinitely. However, they will begin to lose moisture after 1-2 years in pantry.
    • Breadcrumbs - Store for 8-10 months; after opening, keep package tightly closed.

    You may wonder why brown rice has a shorter shelf life than white rice. Brown rice usually contains oils in the bran layer, which makes it go bad faster than white rice.

    Canned Goods

    canned goods for pantry
    • Canned chicken, beef, and vegetable stock - Store unopened cans of stock in the pantry for up to 3-5 years.
    • Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth in cartons - Store unopened in the pantry for 1 year beyond printed date.
    • Canned coconut milk - Store unopened in the pantry for 2-5 years.
    • Canned Beans - Store unopened in the pantry for 3-5 years.
    • Canned tomato sauce - Store unopened in the pantry for up to 18-24 months.
    • Canned tuna - Store unopened cans of tuna or salmon in the pantry for up to 3 years.

    Recipes to make with canned goods

    • bowl of instant pot chili Best Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe
    • Mexican lasagna slice with more slices in the background Mexican Lasagna
    • one bowl of Instant Pot Lentil Soup Instant Pot Lentil Stew (Vegan)
    • Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Sandwich Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Sandwich
    • bowl of sausage tortellini soup with spoon on side Sausage Tortellini Soup Recipe
    • Good Luck Lentil Dip Recipe is hearty and delicious! Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com Good Luck Lentil Dip recipe

    Baking Products

    baking items Non-Perishable Food Pantry List
    • All-purpose flour - Store unopened in the pantry for 1 year. Once opened, transfer to airtight container.
    • Granulated sugar - Store unopened in the pantry for 2 years.
    • Brown sugar - Store unopened in the pantry for 2 years.
    • Confectioner's Sugar (powdered sugar) - Powdered sugar keeps fresh indefinitely when stored in a cool, dry pantry and in an airtight container.
    • Baking soda - Store baking soda unopened in the pantry for 2 years unopened; 6 months opened.
    • Baking powder - Store unopened in the pantry for 9-12 months unopened; 6 months after opening.
    • Cocoa powder - Unopened cocoa powder reportedly stays fresh indefinitely when stored in a cool, dry pantry. After opening, use within 3 years.
    • Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract keeps indefinitely, unopened or opened, when stored in a cool, dry pantry.
    • Chocolate chips - Store chocolate chips in the pantry for up to 2 years.
    • Boxed mixes - Store boxed cake mixes, unopened or opened, in the pantry for 12-18 months

    This avid home baker absolutely gives you permission to buy some boxed mixes! It's always good to have a few boxed cake mixes, boxed muffin mixes, and boxed cookie or brownie mixes on hand. Check out some of the yummy things you can make with boxed mixes below! Plus, a few other easy baking recipes.

    Easy Baked Goods Recipes

    • closeup of butterscotch cookies Butterscotch Cookies
    • Red Velvet Cookies on a plate Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
    • stack of chocolate chip bars Chocolate Chip Bars
    • best buttermilk biscuits The Best Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe
    • stack of Chewy Chocolate Fudge Cookies Chewy Chocolate Fudge Cookies

    Peanut Butter, Jams, and Sweeteners

    nuts, honey, peanut butter
    • Peanut butter - Store unopened in the pantry for 6-9 months. After opening, store in the pantry for up to 3 months, and then after that, store in the refrigerator for an additional 1-3 months.
    • Almond butter - Store unopened at room temperature for up to 1 year; After opening, store for 3 months in pantry & 6 months in refrigerator.
    • Jams and jellies - Store unopened at room temperature for 1 year; after opened, refrigerate & store up to 3 months; jelly refrigerator for up to 1 year.
    • Honey - Store unopened in the pantry almost indefinitely, although most best buy dates are 2-5 years from the time it hits store shelves.
    • Maple syrup - Unopened maple syrup reportedly stays fresh indefinitely when stored in a cool pantry. After opening, use maple syrup within 1 year.

    Oils & Vinegars

    oils and vinegars
    • Olive oil - Store unopened in the pantry for 18-24 months opened.
    • Vegetable oil - Store unopened in the pantry for 1 year unopened; 6 months opened.
    • Coconut oil - Store unopened in the pantry for 2 years.
    • Soy sauce - Store unopened in the pantry for up to 2 years in the refrigerator; 6 months at room temperature.
    • Coconut aminos - Store unopened in the pantry for up to 1 year unopened; 6 months in the refrigerator after opening.
    • Rice wine vinegar - Store unopened or opened in the pantry for up to 2 years.
    • Balsamic vinegar - Store unopened or opened in the pantry for up to 3 years.

    Spices + Dried Herbs

    pantry spices

    Having commonly used spices and herbs on hand can help make cooking and baking a breeze. Here are a few spices and herbs I always keep stocked in our pantry.

    Regarding shelf life: in general, whole spices will last up to four years in the pantry. Ground spices will stay fresh for about 3-4 years. Meanwhile, dried herbs last about 1-3 years.

    All spices and dried herbs lose their aroma and flavor as time goes on, so be sure to update these every couple of years, at least.

    • Kosher salt
    • Black peppercorns
    • Basil
    • Thyme
    • Oregano
    • Paprika
    • Parsley
    • Rosemary
    • Dill
    • Cinnamon
    • All Spice
    • Cloves
    • Nutmeg
    • Bay leaves
    • Curry powder
    • Cumin
    • Crushed red pepper flakes
    • Cream of tartar

    Snacks + Cereals

    No well-stocked food pantry list would be complete without yummy shelf-stable snacks and cereals. Be sure to add your family's favorites to the list!

    • Granola bars -
    • Nuts - Store at room temperature for up to 3 months; in the refrigerator for up to 6 months; in the freezer for up to one year or more.
    • Crackers - Store unopened boxes of crackers for 6-9 months; after opening, close tightly and store for 1-2 months.
    • Pretzels - Store unopened for 6-9 months; after opening, close tightly and store for 1-2 weeks.
    • Popcorn - Store unopened, ready-to-eat bags for 2-3 months; after opening, use within 1-2 weeks. Microwaveable packets last 2 months; dry kernels, properly stored in the pantry, have a shelf life of 1-2 years.
    • Jerky - Store unopened packages for 1-2 years; after opening, use within 1-2 weeks.
    • Cookies - Store unopened packages of hard cookies for 6-9 months; after opening, use within one month.
    • Dried fruit - Store unopened packages or dried fruit stored in airtight containers in the pantry for up to 1 year.
    • Applesauce - Store unrefrigerated, unopened applesauce in the pantry for up to 12-18 months; after opening, store in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.
    • Cereal - Store unopened cereal in the pantry for 6-8 months; after opening, tightly close package and use within 2-3 months.
    • Rolled oats/ Oatmeal - Store uncooked (regular or instant) oats or oatmeal unopened or opened for 18-24 months

    Beverages

    • Water - Store unopened bottled water for 1-2 years.
    • Coffee - Store ground coffee in the pantry for 3-5 months.
    • Tea - Store tea bags for 18-24 months.
    • Milk in cartons - Store unopened, unrefrigerated cartons of milk/coconut milk/almond milk in the pantry for 6-12 months.

    Free Printable: The Ultimate Well-Stocked Food Pantry List

    Click here to download my FREE checklist for a Well-Stocked Pantry List.

    Download the pantry list

    Do you have an emergency kit?

    emergency go bags

    In case of natural disasters and emergencies, an Emergency Go Bag can be essential. Check out this emergency kit article with helpful tips on the type of emergency items everyone should have prepared at all times. Plus, there's a free printable emergency kit checklist.

    PIN IT:

    Non-Perishable Food Pantry List

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    86 shares

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Elle Cole _ CleverlyChanging says

        April 08, 2020 at 12:23 pm

        This is an excellent list. Hopefully, as people start running low they can get food delivered to their homes.

        Reply
      2. Chelsea Pearl says

        March 20, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        This guide is so helpful! I need to do another pantry restock soon, and I've been testing out Target Curbside pickup to avoid going in the stores lately.

        Reply
      3. Madi Rowan says

        March 20, 2020 at 11:23 am

        This is a really thorough list - great job! I agree, it's so important to be stocked & prepared, especially during a time like this...so many unknowns!

        -Madi xo

        Reply
      4. Nene says

        March 20, 2020 at 11:19 am

        Such a great informative list!!! It's perfect right now since I'm trying to figure out what to stock up during social distancing.

        Reply
      5. Cyndi Buchanan says

        March 20, 2020 at 10:46 am

        My pantry has never been so full. Amazing what a quarantine will do for us.

        Reply
      6. Carri says

        March 20, 2020 at 1:42 am

        This is a great, well-rounded list of grocery items to have on hand in your pantry. It feels good to be prepared for whatever crisis is around the corner!

        Reply
      7. Carmen says

        March 19, 2020 at 5:34 pm

        I love keeping my pantry well-stocked and this is such a great list. I've gotten lax in keeping up with extras, but I sure am being reminded lately of the importance of that!!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:48 am

          Thanks, Carmen! :)

      8. Misty says

        March 19, 2020 at 4:40 pm

        Once life gets back to normal, I wonder how many "preppers" will be born! Haha. Seeing the madness in grocery stores has definitely made my family take a much closer look at how prepared we are for an emergency of any kind. And we're in SoCal so ya know...earthquakes! Thanks for taking the time to create this list.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:47 am

          It's such a crazy and eye opening time! I never want to be under-prepared for an emergency after seeing all of this chaos!

      9. Farrah says

        March 19, 2020 at 1:53 pm

        This is definitely a timely post for our current shelter in place/self isolation/quarantine situation! We have a pretty well-stocked pantry for the time being, but will definitely keep all these in mind for when we need to restock!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:46 am

          Glad that you're all stocked up! :)

      10. Sarah | Boo Roo and Tigger Too says

        March 19, 2020 at 6:22 am

        This is so helpful and wonderful to see that many items can last longer than I would have thought

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:45 am

          Right!? :)

      11. Catherine says

        March 18, 2020 at 3:39 pm

        Such a great and informative list! I have to organize my pantry especially since stocking up on extra items. I need to label a lot of stuff too...thanks for sharing and stay safe!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:44 am

          You stay safe, as well!

      12. Heather says

        March 18, 2020 at 1:03 pm

        We just emptied out our entire pantry and will be spending the next few days organizing it and getting what we need. No better time to do it, right?

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:44 am

          Agreed!

      13. Ashley R says

        March 18, 2020 at 12:43 pm

        We can all live off of a lot more than we think. We are trying to make it through all of our stuff before going to buy more so that leaves stuff for those that actually need it

        Reply
      14. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        March 18, 2020 at 11:04 am

        Love this! I have many of the same items stocked up in our pantry, and plenty of frozen foods too! Hope you are staying safe and cozy Marlynn!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:43 am

          Thanks so much, Erin! You as well!

      15. Kristine Nicole Alessandra says

        March 18, 2020 at 9:10 am

        Thank you for this complete guide to create a well stocked pantry. I can't believe some items can last for 3-5 years. I will have to check my pantry and compare it with the items you've listed here. Better to be prepared for any emergency!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:43 am

          Glad you found it helpful! :)

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      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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