Stocking Your Green Pantry

Photo: Elke Dennis / istock

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Now that you’ve made the decision to convert your pantry to an organic one, you’ll want to take stock of what you have and what you’ll need to shop for. Little by little, add more ingredients to your sustainable cooking arsenal. Pick up a few new organic items a week starting with those common ingredients that you use on a regular basis.

No matter where you live, it’s unlikely you’ll have access to every organic ingredient during all times of the year. But with a little effort and perseverance, over time, your pantry will become a healthier, sustainable one.

Organic Pantry Basics:

Bulk dried beans and lentils

Butter

Canned beans

Canned tomatoes

Canned chili peppers

Capers

Cooking wine

Cornmeal

Cornstarch

Dried fruits

Dried herbs and spices

Fair Trade coffee

Fruit preserves, jams, jellys

Garlic, fresh

Grains

Local Honey

Maple Syrup

Molasses

Mustards

Nut butters

Nuts

Oils

Olives

Onions, fresh

Organic baking soda

Organic broths and stocks

Organic certified dairy (milk, eggs, and cheese)

Peppercorns

Potatoes, fresh

Rice

Salad dressings

Sea salt

Soup

Sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

Teas

Unbleached flours

Unrefined sugars

Vanilla

Vinegars

Whole grain baking mixes

Whole wheat flours

Whole wheat pastas

Yeast, dry active

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