You live off-campus. You’re hungry. You want to cook a meal for yourself but you are too exhausted to put in the effort. Instead, you call in delivery from some mediocre but fast restaurant and eat your food with flimsy plastic silverware. Sound familiar?

Cooking can be difficult and time-consuming but the benefits of enjoying a home-cooked meal far outweigh the costs of making it. One simple and easy way to start cooking for yourself more is to have the right ingredients on hand so that making a recipe doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store. Here are the basics that every home cook should have in his or her pantry and refrigerator:

Spices

Kitchen

Photo by Mackenzie Barth

Kosher Salt
Pepper
Red chili flakes
Garlic powder
Oregano
Cayenne pepper
Thyme
Cinnamon

Pantry

Kitchen

Photo by Kendra Valkema

Pasta
Bread
Couscous or quinoa
Rice
Tomato sauce
Canned beans
Canned diced tomatoes
Peanut butter
All-purpose flour
White sugar
Brown sugar
Baking powder
Baking soda
Chicken stock

Refrigerator

Kitchen

Photo by Christina Cala

Milk
Butter
Eggs
Cheese
Bacon
Carrots
Lemons
Orange juice
Apples
Tomatoes

Condiments

Kitchen

Photo by Benard Wen

Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Extra virgin olive oil (buy high quality)
Vegetable oil
Balsamic vinegar
White wine vinegar
Mustard (consider powdered mustard)
Honey
Soy sauce

Other Vegetables

Kitchen

Photo by Amanda Gajdosik

Garlic
Idaho potatoes
Yellow onions

Tips

Breads, meats and fish can be bought in bulk and frozen for a very long time.
Pre-frozen vegetables are another great option.
Apples, oranges and bananas are the fruits that keep the longest.