12 Pantry Essentials to Stock Your Kitchen With This Fall

Chilly autumn weather is calling to us, and all we want to do is stay home and get cozy. It’s time to pull on a sweater, shake out those blankets, and queue up the Netflix. For a full-on hygge house, don’t forget to prep your kitchen. The last thing anyone wants to do on a cold day is make a grocery store run, so stock your pantry, fridge, and freezer with essentials for cold-weather cooking. Keep reading to check out the 12 items on our grocery list.

1. Whole Grain Flours: The holiday baking bug is inevitable. Fortunately, there are tons of mouth-watering recipes like these dark chocolate, rye, and halva cookies that use whole grain flours (and tips for making savvy swaps), so you can curb your craving while boosting your health. (via The Brick Kitchen)

2. Baking Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cardamom, cloves, and vanilla bean are the hallmarks of autumn baking, as well as many savory dishes. Make sure yours are fresh (ground spices can lose their punch after a year or two), and store them in cool, dark cupboard in airtight containers. These chewy chai blondies are chock full of cozy spices. (via Broma Bakery)

3. Broths and Stocks: Make sure you’ve got a few quarts of high quality broth or stock on hand. It’s the secret for tons of quick weeknight meals like pasta, soup, polenta, and curry. Add it to roasted veggies for a silky soup, like this butternut squash version. (via Cookie + Kate)

4. Dried Beans and Lentils: If you’ve never made your own beans, now is the time to try. Look for the kind sold in bulk bins or “heirloom” varieties, as they tend to be fresher and more tender. Soak them overnight and throw them in your slow cooker before you head to work — you’ll be thanking us later. If you’re shorter on time, check out this hearty lentil soup. (via Recipe Tin Eats)

5. Lemons: Fresh lemon juice is a year-round flavor hero for salad dressings, pasta, fish, and chicken. We love how it complements the vegetables in this recipe for shredded Brussels sprouts salad with Romano cheese, walnuts, and lemon vinaigrette. (via Cooking Classy)

6. Canned Tomatoes: When fresh tomatoes aren’t available, canned San Marzano or Roma varieties are almost as good as the real deal. If you don’t believe us, take this recipe for classic spaghetti all’amatriciana for a spin. (via A Beautiful Plate)

7. Rolled Oats and Other Porridge Grains: Cool mornings call for something to warm your belly. May we suggest this Earl Grey blueberry oatmeal; it would definitely get us out of bed. (via Half Baked Harvest)

8. Frozen Fruits: While fresh fruits are in limited supply, you can still get your fix. Frozen fruits are just fine for smoothies, freshly baked crisps and crumbles, or blueberry muffins. Make this refreshing green smoothie after your morning gym session, or just to boost immunity during cold season. (via Gimme Some Oven)

9. Bacon, Sausage, and Pancetta: Cured meats can hold up for a while in the freezer and are ready and waiting to add pizzazz to otherwise ho-hum meals. This ultra easy slow cooker sausage, spinach, and white bean soup is exactly what we need for lazy binge-watching weekends. (via Damn Delicious)

10. Tea Bags: When it’s just too cold for your afternoon La Croix, a steamy mug of hot tea is the perfect autumn pick-me-up. We also love herbal teas for soothing bath and bedtime rituals. Try this London fog latte for a super cozy treat. (via The Healthy Maven)

11. Sweet Potatoes: The base for endless healthy meal options and midweek dinners, sweet potatoes can also last for a few weeks in the pantry or up to two months in the fridge. Try making them in big batches to enjoy later, like this recipe for spicy chicken and sweet potato meal prep. (via Pinch of Yum)

12. Canned Pumpkin: We probably don’t need to elaborate much on this. Just make sure you’ve got multiple cans for when the pumpkin cravings strike. We recommend this cinnamon pumpkin streusel bread for major fall vibes. (via Creme de la Crumb)

Can’t get enough autumn inspo? Follow us on Pinterest for even more ways to get cozy.