When cooking meals quickly, it is important to have a well-stocked pantry of general, non- perishable items. Keep a list handy of what you use often and what you need to replace on your next shopping trip. Absent from this last are the perishables--such as bread, milk, and meat.

Almond extract--for adding a little extra flavor to desserts, pie crusts, vegetables and other dishes.
American cheese--for sandwiches, snacking, casseroles, pasta, mashed potatoes or vegetables.
Apples--for long storage, eating out of hand and making desserts.
Applesauce--for snacking, cooking, baking and an easy dessert.
Balsamic vinegar--for flavoring dishes and making salad dressings.
Baking soda--for baking and cleaning.
Baking powder--for baking.
Barbecue sauce--for cooking and flavoring.
Basil--for pesto and other Italian recipes.
Bay leaves--for seasoning soups, stocks, roasts, sauces and poaching liquids.
Boullion (beef, chicken, and vegetable)--for soups, seasoning, casseroles and marinades.
Brown rice (it is healthier than white)--for casseroles, soups, stuffings and side dishes.
Brown sugar--for cooking, baking and seasoning.
Butter or margarine--for cooking, flavoring and greasing pans.
Cake mix--for a quick and easy dessert.
Canned cream soup--for a quick lunch, or to add to side dishes, soups, casseroles and other dishes.
Canned frosting--for a quick and easy dessert.
Catsup--for flavoring, sandwiches or other dishes.
Carrots--for long storage, snacking, soups, side dishes, roasting meats, casseroles, stews and more.
Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper--for a little heat.
Celery--for snacking, soups, roasting meats, casseroles and stews.
Cheddar cheese--for sandwiches, snacking, casseroles, pasta, mashed potatoes or vegetables.
Chervil--for seasoning delicately flavored sauces and soups.
Chives, fresh--for sauces or mashed potatoes.
Cinnamon--for breads, cereals and desserts.
Cocoa powder--for baking and making hot cocoa.
Cold cereal--for baking, topping casseroles, snacking and breakfast.
Cookies or biscuits--for snacking or quick desserts.
Cooking sprays--for greasing pans for baking or frying.
Cornmeal--for corn bread and for baking white bread.
Cornstarch--for thickening sauces, stews and gravies.
Crackers--for snacking, appetizers and topping casseroles.
Cream cheese--for bagels, toast, muffins, crackers, appetizers, cakes and sauces.
Cream of tartar--for whipping egg whites.
Dried beans--for savory soups, stews and side dishes.
Dried bread crumbs--for breading food and topping casseroles.
Dried fruit--for desserts, sauces, roasting meat and poultry and snacking.
Dry mustard--for seasoning and color.
Eggs or egg substitutes--for cooking, baking, or a quick and easy meal of omelettes or frittatas.
Fruit juice--for poaching poultry and fish, roasting meats, baking, cooking and making beverages.
Garlic--for flavoring or garlic bread.
Gelatin, flavored and unflavored--for desserts, salads and snacks.
Ginger--fresh for mincing or grating and adding to dishes for a spark.
Graham cracker pie crusts--for quick pies.
Honey--for seasoning, cooking, or eating on biscuits or cereal.
Hot sauce--for adding a touch of spice to dishes.
Jams or jellies--for making sandwiches, desserts or sauces.
Kitchen bouquet--a vegetable extract perfect for flavoring and adding color to stews, soups and gravies.
Lemons--for squeezing lemons into fresh juice or using the zest in cooking. Liquid smoke--for adding a barbecue flavor to sauces, cheese, appetizers, poultry, fish and meats.
Mayonnaise--for salads, sandwiches, salad dressings and many other dishes; low fat or fat free are also good choices.
Monterey jack cheese--for snacking, appetizers, side dishes, casseroles, vegetables and Mexican dishes.
Nutmeg--for freshly grating for baked dishes, potatoes and sauces.
Nuts--a selection of your favorite nuts for breads, muffins, desserts, casseroles and side dishes.
Oatmeal--for baking, cooking and as a breakfast cereal.
Olive oil--for cooking, greasing pans or making salad dressings.
Onions--for seasoning meats, soups, stews, casseroles and many other dishes.
Orange extract--for flavoring sauces, marinades and desserts.
Oranges--for snacking, desserts, flavoring and juice.
Paprika--flavor and decoration.
Parmesan cheese, fresh brick--for grating as needed for pasta, sauces, popcorn, bread, etc.
Parsley, fresh--for chopping for flavor and color and in sprigs as a garnish.
Pasta--for eating plain, with butter, or a sauce; also great for using in soups, stews, casseroles, or as a side dish.
Peanut butter--for cooking, baking and snacking.
Peppercorns--for including whole in soups, stocks, marinades and roasts and for grinding for cooking and table use.
Powdered sugar--for making frosting, cooking, baking, and decorating.
Prepared mustard--for sandwiches, mayonnaise based salads, salad dressings and marinade.
Potatoes, russet--for baking and mashing.
Potatoes, small red--for boiling and roasting.
Pudding mixes--for quick and easy desserts, pies and puddings.
Real maple syrup--for cooking, flavoring, pancakes, waffles and French toast.
Red wine--for cooking and seasoning.
Rosemary--for seasoning in small amounts.
Sage--for seasoning meats and stews.
Salt--for seasoning and to add to boiling water.
Scallions and shallots--for flavoring with a lighter touch than onions.
Semi-sweet chocolate--for desserts and snacking.
Solid shortening--for baking and greasing pans.
Soy sauce--for flavoring and quick stir-frying.
Sugar--for cooking and seasoning.
Swiss cheese--for snacking, appetizers, casseroles, side dishes and soups.
Tenderizer--for tenderizing meats.
Thyme--for seasoning meats, poultry, sauces, vegetables, and side dishes.
Tomato paste--for making pasta sauces, stews, soups and casseroles.
Tomatoes--use fresh in season or canned out of season for sauces, salads, soups, stews, casseroles and other dishes.
Tuna fish--for quick sandwiches and casseroles.
Unbleached white flour--for cooking, baking, thickening.
Unsweetened chocolate--for baking and cooking.
Vanilla--for flavoring many dishes, especially desserts; only use the real flavoring or vanilla beans.
Vegetable oil--for frying, cooking, salad dressings and greasing pans.
White wine vinegar--for salads, flavoring and cleaning coffee pots.
White wine--for cooking.
Worcestershire sauce--for seasoning and adding color.
Yeast--for baking.