Staples

These are the basics we keep stocked in our house. We try to buy as many of these in bulk or in paper as possible but some do come in plastic.

• Bread (sliced whole wheat in plastic bags from Oroweat)

  • It is best if you can make your own, but we have not gotten that skilled at making our own yet.

  • We reuse the plastic bags to hold articles in our biking bags and as occasional dog poop bags.

• Baking

  • Baking Soda

  • Baking Powder

  • Chocolate Chips (purchased in bulk in our own containers)

  • Flour, Whole Wheat all purpose (in paper)

  • Masa

  • Chocolate

  • Honey

  • Maple Flavoring

  • Molasses (in glass)

  • Oats  (purchased in bulk in our own containers)

  • Sugar, granulated (in paper)

    • We use this to make brown sugar and sugar syrup

  • Vanilla

• Canned Foods (that we eat so they rotate and also serve as earthquake rations just in case)

  • Fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, herring)

  • Soups (a variety) 

  • Fruit (mango, pineapple, peaches, pears)

  • Vegetables (corn, beans, artichokes)

• Condiments

  • Ketchup (purchased in a big can to refill plastic squeeze bottle and some canning jars kept in fridge)

    • Making ketchup from scratch takes a lot of work -- too much for me.

  • Hoisin Sauce

  • Mustard

  • Relish

  • Soy Sauce

• Dairy

  • Butter

  • Cheeses

  • Milk, Organic (in glass, paperboard container, or plastic depending on availability)

    • We mainly use milk to make our own yogurt

  • Yogurt, Organic (in plastic)

    • We buy some periodically to eat and to use as a fresh yogurt starter culture for making our own

• Frozen Foods (alas in plastic)

  • Blueberries, Wild 

  • Peas

  • Green Beans

• Nuts (purchased in bulk in our own containers)

  • Almonds

  • Cashews

  • Pecans

  • Peanuts

  • Pistachios

• Pastas (various dried whole wheat and regular)

• Raisins  (purchased in bulk in our own containers)

• Rice, Brown & Calrose (purchased in bulk in our own containers)

• Coffee

• Tea

• Spices (most in bulk to refill smaller glass spice bottles)

  • Bay Leaves

  • Basil

  • Celery Seed

  • Cinnamon

  • Cumin Seed (I roast and grind in batches)

  • Coriander Seed (I roast and grind in batches)

  • Fennel Seed

  • Garlic powder or granules

  • Ginger, Ground

  • Nutmeg

  • Oregano

  • Paprika

  • Parsley

  • Pepper, Black

  • Pepper, Red Cayenne

  • Rosemary (we grow our own)

  • Salt, Iodized

  • Sage

  • Tarragon

  • Thyme

  • Tumeric

• Vinegars

  • White

  • Cider

  • Rice

  • Balsamic

• Olive Oil, Extra Virgin

  • I use olive oil as my standard oil for just about everything - granola, stir fry, dressings, baking, etc. We don't do any deep frying

The following we buy whatever is in season and use quickly (within days or a week)

• Meat and fish in our own container from a butcher

• Eggs (we return the egg cartons to a local egg grower for reuse)

• Fruit & veggies  in our own cloth produce bags from our local supermarket sor farmers markets

• Bread, fresh organic loaves from a local baker

The following are things many in the US often buy but I make on the fly as needed using a variety of recipes and riffs on recipes using ingredients from above

• Barbecue sauces

• Curry powders

• Marinades

• Salad Dressings