Somewhere between the last grilled dinner of summer and that first big pot of soup, your pantry starts to pull double duty. Pantry-fueled meals become the weeknight M.O., you start to crave heartier soups, stews, and casseroles, and you just can’t stop thinking about those pumpkin muffins you made last year. So once the air turns crisp, you want your pantry to be just as ready as you are. The trick isn’t buying more, it’s taking stock of what you’ve got and building on that so it’s just as ready for a pot of minestrone as it is for a batch of cookies. Take a pass through the pantry first, then fill in around it with what you’ll reach for most this time of year.

Toss Before You Shop

Before you even think about a store run, take stock of what’s already in your pantry. Adding a third jar of pumpkin pie spice to the two you’ve already got isn’t restocking—it’s just more clutter. Clear an afternoon and work one shelf or drawer at a time: pull everything out, and get rid of anything expired, past its prime, or that you already know you won’t use. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for as you go.

  • Rancid oils and nuts. Give your oils a sniff—if they smell like old paint, they’re goners. The same goes for nuts. A bitter, waxy taste means the oils inside have turned and they need to go. Toss and replace before baking with them.
  • Spices that have lost their punch. Ground spices lose potency after about two to three years; whole spices hold on a bit longer. If you crush a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg between your fingers and can’t smell much, it’s not going to do anything for your baking. Restock the ones you’ll actually use for pumpkin bread, chili, and spiced cider.
  • Baking powder that won’t fizz. If you’re unsure of how long that baking powder has been hanging around, drop a spoonful into hot water—if it doesn’t bubble right away, it’s spent. Flat baking powder means your baked goods won’t rise, and it’s not worth risking.
  • Freezer-burned stock and vegetables. If you’ve got summer’s frozen corn or last year’s turkey stock sitting under a layer of ice crystals, this is the moment to use it up or let it go.

Fill the Shelves for Soups, Stews, and Casseroles

It’s probably been a minute since you’ve had a big pot of soup simmering on the stove or taken a bubbling casserole out of a hot oven. Now’s the time to bulk up on canned beans and tomatoes, pastas and rice, and broth—all the building blocks for those heartier comfort foods. And if there are particular recipes you tend to play on repeat, like chili, chicken noodle casserole, or pumpkin mac and cheese, make note and buy extra of those shelf stable ingredients to make your life a little easier once the business of the season hits full force.

  • Broth and stock (chicken, beef, vegetable)
  • Bouillon or concentrated stock
  • Canned tomatoes (whole, crushed, and fire-roasted diced) 
  • Jarred pasta sauce (marinara, alfredo)
  • Tomato paste
  • Dried and canned beans (cannellini, black, pinto, and chickpeas)
  • Dried pasta (short and long varieties)
  • Rice and grains (barley, farro, quinoa) 
  • Coconut milk
  • Cream soups (mushroom, chicken, broccoli)
  • Onion soup mix
  • Breadcrumbs and panko
  • Crackers
  • Dried herbs and spices (thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika)

Stock Up for Fall Baking

Think about all the things you love to make once the air turns crisp: pumpkin bread, apple crisp, snickerdoodle cookies. Even if you don’t consider yourself a diehard baker, you’ll want to be prepared when the mood strikes (or when you’re inevitably asked to bring something to the school bake sale). If you’ve got the following list on hand, you’ll be able to whip up any number of treats without a last-minute trip to the store.

  • All-purpose and whole-wheat flour
  • Granulated and brown sugar
  • Baking soda and baking powder
  • Warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice)
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Molasses and maple syrup
  • Raw nuts (raw, unsalted pecans, walnuts and/or almonds)
  • Dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, and/or apricots)
  • Canned pumpkin (purée, not pie filling)
  • Evaporated and sweetened condensed milk
  • Rolled oats
  • Chocolate chips and baking chocolate
Read More:
  • <span>Recipes & Cooking</span>
  • <span>How to Cook</span>
  • <span>Grocery Shopping</span>