My 12 staples
Add your own
Type an item and press Enter or click Add.
How to use this
Print this page once for your kitchen wall, or just keep the tab open. Tick the boxes for what you already have. The list saves to your browser, so you can come back tomorrow and the boxes will still be checked.
Once you're set up, restocking is easy: skim the list before the weekly grocery run, replace anything that's running low, and the pantry takes care of itself.
The 12 above are the recipe-supporting backbone — the things that sit unused for weeks but earn their shelf space the moment you don't have a plan. The "add your own" section is for the items that matter to your kitchen but not mine: tahini, miso, gochujang, fish sauce, oat milk, whatever your house can't run without.
Why these 12
The full reasoning is in the flexible pantry guide. Short version: this set is the smallest pantry that lets you cook six different dinners without going to the store. Less than this and you'll be running out for one ingredient; more than this and you'll be wasting shelf space on things that go stale.