Summer Pantry Essentials

  in Blog

Heading back to your summer cabin or planning to rent a home this summer? Having your up-north pantry stocked with a variety of meal components and pantry essentials will get your lazy summer days off to a great start. Make Oryana your first stop for pantry basics!

Some thoughts on summer vacation cooking.

Summer is all about spending as much time outdoors as possible. So even though you probably have go-to meals in your normal rotation, opt for simpler meals that don’t require too many special ingredients. This will vary depending on your cooking preferences, but you might not need, for example, poppy seeds or tamarind paste while on vacation. But make sure you have a good quality olive oil and your favorite vinegar to use in vinaigrettes for salads and marinades. With a fully stocked summer pantry, you’ll be able to plan great, easy meals and impromptu picnics around fresh, local vegetables, in-season fruits, fresh seafood, and meats.

Here is a list of suggested items to have on hand, or replace if they’re expired.

Summer cooking pantry essentials:

  • Dry goods: pasta, canned beans, broth, tuna, tomato sauce, pasta sauce, cereal, pancake mix, coffee, tea, bread, peanut butter, jelly/jam
  • Shelf stable produce: garlic, onions, potatoes
  • Seasonings: good quality salt, black pepper, seasoned salt
  • Sweeteners: maple syrup, granulated sugar, stevia
  • Oils: olive oil, one other cooking oil of your choice
  • Condiments: mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, mayo, soy sauce
  • Refrigerator: butter, eggs, coffee cream, milk (dairy or plant-based), yogurt (dairy or plant-based), orange juice, cheese, lunch meat, bacon
  • Freezer: tortillas, fruit (for breakfast smoothies), ground beef, chicken breasts, plant-based “meats”
  • From the bulk section: herbs and spices you use a lot of, legumes, grains, (especially quick cooking grains like quinoa, white rice, bulgur, and couscous) coffee beans
  • Beverages: wine, beer, sparkling water, soda, kombucha
  • Don’t forget cleaning/paper supplies: dish soap, hand soap, paper towels, toilet paper