Stocking a kitchen for $5 meals

I heart food

Hey All,

Part of learning to live on a budget is learning to spend money in the right places. The "right places" might differ from person to person. For me, and I think for most graduate students in NYC, this spending the money to make a number of cheap meals a week and budgeting to eat in restaurants a few times a month. Even the lowest end food is pretty amazing here. You wouldn't want to live here and miss it.

With that balance in mind, I post the occasional $5 and $10 meals for 2-4 people on this blog. Part of making low cost meals is gradually building a pantry and fridge with basic goods.

It occurred to me that my list of must haves might be useful for anyone cooking $5-10 meals for the first time.

Pantry

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Good for everything but deep frying. I prefer Greek, as I use Olive Oil in a lot of cold dishes

Sesame Oil

A little indulgence I keep for Asian recipes

Basalmic, White Wine, Red Wine, Rice and White Vinegar

I use the first three of these vinegars in salad dressings, sauces and marinades. I use white vinegar for candy making.

Soy Sauce

For Asian recipes and sometimes as a replacement for salt

Tamari

A small luxury for Asian recipes

Tomato paste, Tomato sauce, Diced plummed Tomatoes (all canned)

I keep these stocked in the winter time for sauces, soups and stews where the featured ingredient is not tomato.

Black Olive Paste/Tapenade

Used for pasta sauces, sandwiches and entertaining

Honey

For baking, sweetening tea...stealing the occasional spoonful. I love clover honey, but I try to get wildflower (allegedly better for the bees).

Baking chocolate

For all kinds of bakey goodness

Fridge

Anchovies in Oil

I used these in dressings and pasta sauces..the occasional homemade pizza

Eggs

I try to get free range organic, cash permitting

Skim milk and greek yogurt

Drinking, baking and dressings

Miso

For Asian and Western soups and marinades

Red and White wine and beer

For cooking and entertaining

Bulgarian Feta, Sheep milk and Argentinian Reggiato cheese

For salads, snacks and pasta dishes. The flavours vary and these particular cheeses are very, very cheap. I usually only have one around at a time.

Butter (salted, unless a recipe really requires unsalted)

Baking, baking, baking

Dry Goods

Brown, Basmatic and Sushi Rice

For sides, main courses and - sushi, of course

Wheat berries

For protein rich salads and stuffing

Dry whole wheat penne and spaghetti

I often make fresh pasta, but some recipes really are better with dry pasta. Some of the top restaurants in NYC use dry pasta for some of their dishes...so if it is good enough for them...

White Unbleached Bread Flour

For cookies, bread and biscuits

White Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

For cakes. If I make a chiffon or angel food cake, I might pick up a few cups of pastry flour

White, Confectioners and Brown Sugar

For baking, coffee...top of oatmeal

Baking Soda and Baking Powder

For cookies and cakes

Cream of Tartar

I keep this around because I make candy and it is a good binding agent.

Cocoa Powder

ALL KINDS OF BAKING!! I usually have dutch processed kicking around, though apparently alkaline processed powder can be found easily now.

Oatmeal (traditional, not quick oats)

For breakfast and baking

Coffee beans

It is so much most cost effective to brew my own (50 cups for $14, versus $1.50 a cup at Starbucks). I have a soft spot for Dean and Deluca House Blend, but recently I've been getting the considerably cheaper Zabar's House Blend.

Spices

I accumulated these spices over the first 6 months of setting up shop in my own apartment in NYC. They get cycled out about once a year. The ones with a star beside them are the ones I bought on the first grocery trip - starter spices, I guess.

* Ground Cinnamon (occasionally cinnamon sticks)

Cloves (whole)

* Nutmeg (at the moment, ground)

* Coriander (ground and whole)

* Cumin (ground and whole)

Star Anise (a luxury)

Ginger (ground and occasionally fresh)

Tumeric

Green Cardamon (ground - whole when I can find it cheap)

Mustard (ground)

* Red Chili peppers (ground, whole and flakes)

* Cayenne pepper

Saffron

Fennel seeds

Caraway seeds

Kosher Salt (and sometimes sea salt)

Black Peppercorns

Allspice

* Bay Leaves

* Oregano

Garlic powder

Curry Powder (make my own)

Baking Goods

Raisins

Dry Cranberries (on occasion)

Chocolate chips

Almonds

Peanut Butter

Vanilla extract

Molasses

Basic Fruit and Veg

(This is the basic stuff always in my fridge. I supplement every week with various berries and cool veg when it is in season or on sale. I'm on a kick about white nectarines at the moment).

Roma tomatoes

Grape tomatoes

Bananas

Green Apples

Lemons

a lime

Bulbs of garlic

Basil or Cilantro or Tarragon or Thyme or Dill

Shallots

Cucumber

Onions (Vidalla or purple)

Sweet potatoes

Leafy greens - spinach, kale, red lettuce, mesclun mix and the like

Freezer

Chicken and Vegetable stock

made during the winter from my scrap chicken bones and ends of various vegetables

Bananas (and other fruit on the verge)

Luxury Items that come and go

(We buy meats opportunistically)

Soda stream flavour mixes

All sorts of fantastic but seasonal fruit and veg - like figs, pomegranites, rhubarb, fava beans

Prosciutto, panchetta and cured meats of the like

Marscapone, various fancy cheeses

Heavy cream

Pita Bread, Wasa crackers of Finn Crisps - most bread products

Black cardamon

Special salts

Green and Red Curry Paste (for Thai dishes)

Fish Sauce (for Thai dishes)

Fenugreek seeds (for Indian cooking)

Coconut milk

Sweetened condensed and evaporated milk (for holiday baking)

Agave nectar

Maple syrup

Anything else? What do you keep on hand