There's no such thing as the perfect pantry, but here's a good start. It's a list of shelf-stable and frozen foods that are used in the AHA recipes you'll find in the Delicious Decisions Cookbook.
Use this list as a guide to stock your kitchen. With a pantry full of the basics, you can simplify your shopping list and buy only the fresh ingredients as you need them. Most of the items are available from your local grocery store. A few items can be found at health-food stores.
Herbs, Spices & Seasonings to Stock:
• Allspice
• Asian-style cooking sauce
• Basil
• Bay leaves
• Bouillon granules/cubes
• Caraway seed
• Cardamom
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Curry powder
• Dillweed
• Dry mustard
• Fennel seed
• Garlic
• Garlic powder
• Ginger, powdered
• Gingerroot
• Ground red pepper
• Horseradish, prepared
• Imitation bacon bits
• Italian seasoning
• Lemon pepper
• Marjoram
• Nutmeg
• Onion powder
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Pepper, black, crushed red, ground red, white
• Peppercorns
• Poppy seed
• Red hot pepper sauce
• Rosemary
• Saffron
• Sage
• Salt
• Savory
• Sesame oil
• Sesame seed
• Soy sauce (reduced-sodium)
• Taco seasoning mix
• Tarragon
• Teriyaki sauce
• Thyme
• Turmeric
• Vanilla
• Worcestershire sauce
