20+ Staples You Should Always Have in Your Fridge

You can do without many things, but you can’t do without food! If you nail down your staples—the tools you’ll use to cook and the ingredients you’ll always keep in your fridge, freezer, pantry shelves, and drawers—you’ll become a versatile chef who’s always ready for action. By keeping your kitchen well stocked, you’ll be economizing while simultaneously broadening the quality and diversity of your day-to-day meals.

Expanding your repertoire by picking up one new ingredient when you shop can take your food to a whole new level. It doesn’t need to have a fancy name or expensive price tag: Just grab something like tahini (sesame paste) or curry paste in a tube. Don’t be afraid to drop an extra five dollars here and there to try something new!

Below I’ve described all of my favorite staples—the ingredients that get me ready to make the recipes in my cookbook, and so many other snacks and meals. Don’t feel pressured to buy everything in this list at once; instead use it as a guide that will help you grow your cooking skills. I will be honest and admit that items such as beef jerky, Sour Patch Kids, pretzel thins, and booze are also among my pantry staples. But that’s just me—they are optional for you!

Ryan's Favorite Fridge Staples

Beer

Did you know you can use this as a fantastic meat tenderizer, marinade, or base for a fluffy frying batter? In my house, I am usually double-fisting beers—one for cooking and one for drinking.

For more uses for beer, check out Who Knew's 20 Ways to Harness the Power of Beer (Besides Drinking It)

Better Than Bouillon

Forget those old-fashioned bouillon cubes and keep a jar of Better Than Bouillon paste in the fridge; it comes in flavors that range from beef to chicken to vegetable. It’s a MSG-free intensifier for soups and sauces, as well as an amazing base for marinades and rubs.

Biscuit dough

You can easily transform refrigerated biscuit dough into appetizers, desserts, and even the main event, all of which will have people begging for the recipe.

Crumbled blue cheese and feta cheese

It’s good to have a cheese with a lot of flavor on hand. If you’re new to these cheeses, they can smell overwhelming, but when used with other ingredients they will heighten the flavors of your food.

Unsalted butter

An emulsifier and a binder, butter makes quick sauces. You should be in control of the salt in your dishes, especially when baking, which is why I always use unsalted butter.

...

Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips