As someone who loves to cook, I’ve always been obsessive about keeping lots of supplies on hand for cooking and baking. However, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized just how valuable a well stocked refrigerator could actually be. I got up one morning to find the fridge had broken and everything had melted. Not wanting to risk food poisoning, I just decided to toss everything and start again. That’s when I knew that having a well stocked kitchen can actually save you money. Here are some of the items I keep in the pantry, fridge etc. If you haven’t already got a good supply, try buying a few items a week. Another plus is, impromptu meals become are a breeze.

Refrigerator
•A tube of tomato paste, great for jazzing up sauces, soups, things like shepherd pies. I recently found one made from sun-dried tomatoes so I’m eager to try that one.
•A jar of sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, great for salads, sandwiches and egg dishes.
•Peanut butter
•Sugarless fruit spread
•Low fat mayonnaise
•Miso
•Eggs
•A couple of different cheeses
•Gingerroot that I peel, cut up into pieces, place in a jar and pour vinegar over it.
•Chutney, I have a couple of different types in there, great for soups and sandwiches
•Dijon mustard
•Salsa, either homemade or store brand
•Jar of pesto sauce

Freezer
•A couple of loaves of bread
•Tortillas
•Filo pastry
a package of frozen peas
•Stir-fry vegetable mix

In the pantry•Worcestershire Sauce – no one should be without it.
•Soy sauce, low sodium if possible
•Tabasco, both red and green varieties
•Cans of beans, different varieties, garbanzo, kidney, etc.
•Cans of Chile peppers
•Cans of tomatoes, crushed, some with peppers
•Jars of pasta sauce
•Olive Oil
•Balsamic vinegar
•Sea salt
•Lots of herbs and spices
•Raisins
•Nuts
•Breadcrumbs

I found a great way to keep all the staples organized in the pantry. A couple of years ago I bought two boxes of Mason jars while they were on sale, thinking I’d spend a couple of days canning tomatoes etc. Well, let’s just say I got a little sidetracked with work and never got round to it, so here I was with two boxes of jars taking up space in the basement. I now use them as containers for the staples. I got so carried away with my newly found organizing skills, I even went out and bought one of those label making machines and labeled all the jars.