Store everything you can in clear containers. Airtight plastic ones are best, and available in many shapes, sizes, and systems. Rectangular shapes make the best use of space. 

Keep a roll of painter’s tape and some permanent markers in a kitchen drawer

• Take everything out of the pantry- this is necessary to assess what can be kept.
• “Expiration,” “sell by,” and “best by” dates are arbitrary guidelines- different things store differently under different conditions.
• Definitely clear it out if you haven’t used i...

• After figuring out what is usable and good
• Now categorize types of ingredients in anyway that makes sense to you.
• Categories maybe arbitrary, but consider the needs of everyone who uses the kitchen and generally stick with the obvious and accessible.

BY JULIA M...

Write a proposal of what to keep in stock for the recipes you like.

Refill with food that supports your cooking goals. 

Be realistic about your habits.

BY JULIA MOSKIN

• The goal is to only need to get a few fresh ingredients for a good recipe.
• It is not necessary to have everything- only to have stock of most of the ingredients most of the time.

Buy ground spices in the smallest quantities you can find 

Basic: Extra-virgin olive oil, neutral cooking oil, red-wine vinegar, white vinegar or white-wine vinegar.

Expanded: Peanut oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, sherry or balsamic vinegar, apple-cider vinegar.

BY JULIA MOSKIN

Basic: Tuna in olive oil, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock or vegetable stock (box-packed tastes better than canned)

Expanded: Sardines, unsweetened coconut milk, whole Italian plum tomatoes, beef stock (box-packed bett...

Basic: Kosher salt, red-pepper flakes, ground cayenne, curry powder, bay leaves, black peppercorns, sweet paprika, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, garlic powder or granulated garlic, dried thyme and dried oregano.

Expanded: Flaky salt, single-ch...

Basic: Long-grain white rice, one or two other grains (such as quinoa or farro), dry pasta (one long, one short and chunky), plain bread crumbs, crackers, canned beans (white beans, black beans and-or chickpeas), dry lentils.

Expanded:...

Nuts and nut butters: Walnuts, almonds, roasted peanuts, peanut butter (smooth and crunchy).//Almond butter, tahini, pecans.

Sweeteners: Honey, maple syrup, granulated sugar.

Preserves and pickles:

Produce: Garlic, onions, all-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), lemons, shelf-stable tofu (Essential for vegetarians, Expanded for others).

Expanded: Russet potatoes, carrots, celery, limes, ginger, avocados, parsley, cilantro,...

Dairy: Eggs, unsalted butter, cheeses (Cheddar, Jack or Colby, Parmesan), milk or cream for cooking (not skim). 

Expanded: Plain full-fat yogurt, more intense cheeses (pecorino, feta), salted butter.

BY JULIA MOSKIN

Basic: Chicken parts, sausages, thick fish fillets, shrimp, thick-sliced bread (for toast), spinach (and other vegetables such as corn and peas), berries (and other fruit such as peaches and mango). Some fruits and vegetables take particularly well to freezing

Baking: All-purpose flour, cornmeal, rolled oats, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, pure vanilla extract, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, confectioners’ sugar, bittersweet baking chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, raisins or another dried fruit, cocoa powder.

1. Oils and vinegars: Walnut oil, avocado oil, roasted sesame oil, pumpkin-seed oil, olio santo (Italian chile-infused oil), rice vinegar, mirin (sweetened Japanese rice wine), verjus (the juice of sour fruit like green apples or grapes), raspberry vinegar, tarragon vinegar.

• Grains and starches: Short-grain rice, dried pastas (bucatini, mezzi rigatoni or farfalle), spelt, pearl barley.
• Nuts and nut butters: Pine nuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pistachios. 

• Produce: Shallots, fresh mint, fresh rosemary, lemongrass, fresh Serrano and Thai bird chiles, fresh bay leaves.
• Dairy: Ghee, crème fraîche, aged cheeses (Gruyère, blue cheese). Ghe...