Whether you are a seasoned cook or are stocking your first apartment, it's important to keep your pantry, fridge, and freezer stocked with some essentials so you can always cook on the fly. This list covers all the basics.

Pantry

• Oils: Olive oil and high-heat cooking oil [1] (vegetable, refined coconut, and refined peanut)
• Vinegars: Balsamic, red wine, white wine, sherry, apple cider, and rice wine
• Salts: Kosher and fine sea salt
• Spices: Black peppercorns, cayenne, chili flakes, bay leaves, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cloves, curry powder, nutmeg, and paprika
• Crackers
• Canned tuna
• Canned beans
• Boxed stock/broth
• Hot sauce
• Tomato paste
• Diced and/or whole jarred tomatoes
• Soy sauce
• Honey
• Nut butter: peanut or almond
• Oats: quick cooking, steel cut, or rolled [2]
• Rice: white and brown
• Lentils: brown and red
• Pasta: spaghetti, penne, and macaroni
• All-purpose flour
• Sugars: white and brown
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Vanilla extract
• Potatoes: regular and sweet
• Garlic
• Onions
• Bananas
• Avocado

Refrigerator

• Butter [3]
• Milk
• Eggs
• Bacon
• Plain yogurt
• Cheese: parmesan, cheddar, gouda, and/or goat cheese like chèvre
• Maple syrup [4]
• Mustard: dijon or yellow
• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Carrots
• Celery
• Romaine lettuce
• Broccoli
• Parsley
• Fruit: apples, berries, oranges, and grapefruit
• Lemons

Freezer

• Precooked rice and/or quinoa
• Peas
• Spinach
• Mixed berries
• Salmon [5]
• Shrimp
• Sausage
• Bread
• Nuts/seeds: pumpkin, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios