When it gets dark earlier outside, hardly anyone wants to go shopping every evening. A well-planned pantry saves time, prevents spontaneous emergency orders and makes it easier to cook something sensible even on stressful days. You don't need overcrowded cupboards for this. With 15 versatile basic ingredients, you can put together bowls, soups, pasta, curry, breakfast and quick dinners.

Especially at the beginning of October, the topic also fits well with the German campaign week "Too good for the bin!", which in 2026 focused on conscious planning, shopping lists and using up leftovers.

Table of contents

What belongs in a good pantry kitchen?

A good pantry is not made up of as many foods as possible. It is made up of ingredients that you actually use and can combine with each other.

Foods that are ideal:

• keep for a long time,
• go with several dishes,
• are easy to portion out,
• can be combined with fresh or frozen vegetables,
• not be bought for just a single recipe.

The BZfE names pasta, rice, dried pulses, flour, canned goods, strained tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices as typical foods for the pantry, among others.

For everyday use, this list can be trimmed down to be a little more practical.

1. Lentils

Lentils are among the most versatile pantry products.

Red lentils cook particularly quickly and are suitable for:

• Soups,
• Dal,
• Curries,
• Tomato sauces,
• Spreads.

Brown or green lentils hold their shape better and go well with:

• Salads,
• Bowls,
• Stews,
• Oven dishes.

Dried pulses keep for a very long time when stored in a dry, protected place.

Quick combination: red lentils + strained tomatoes + curry + frozen spinach.

2. Chickpeas

Chickpeas are ideal if you want to have as few different products in your cupboard as possible.

You can make this from them:

• Hummus,
• Curry,
• Salad,
• bowl,
• roasted snacks,
• Soup ingredient.

Dried chickpeas need soaking and cooking time. For quick dishes, jarred or canned versions are practical.

Quick combination: chickpeas + couscous or quinoa + frozen vegetables + tahini.

3. Beans

Kidney beans, white beans, and black beans work especially well for savory autumn dishes.

For example:

• Chili,
• Stew,
• Tomato sauce,
• Salad,
• Bread spread.

The BZfE explicitly names dried beans as shelf-stable and inexpensive pantry products.

If you need it to be quick, precooked beans in a jar or can are also useful.

4. Oats

Oats don't just work for breakfast.

You can use them for:

• Porridge,
• Overnight oats,
• Muesli mixes,
• Pancakes,
• Patties,
• Crumble,
• Baking.

Especially in autumn, warm oatmeal porridge is one of the easiest ways to make breakfast from just a few ingredients.

With apple, cinnamon, and walnuts, you hardly need any fresh specialty ingredients for this.

5. Brown Rice

Brown rice works well as a base for:

• Bowls,
• Curries,
• Vegetable pans,
• Chili,
• Stews.

It keeps you full longer than a small side dish alone and can be combined with almost any protein source.

When storing, keep in mind that brown rice has a shorter shelf life than white rice due to its higher fat content. According to the consumer advice center, when stored properly, it lasts about one year according to the best-before date.

So buy amounts that you will actually use.

6. Whole-Grain Pasta

Whole-grain pasta is one of the easiest ways to upgrade a quick dinner.

Often, these are enough:

• strained tomatoes,
• Lentils,
• Frozen spinach,
• Mushrooms,
• white beans,
• roasted seeds.

They are also suitable for cold pasta salads and meal prep.

15-minute idea: Whole-grain pasta + tomato sauce + white beans + Italian herbs.

7. Quinoa or Buckwheat

You don't need five different exotic grains.

Choose one or two alternatives that you really like.

Quinoa is good for:

• Bowls,
• Salads,
• stuffed vegetables,
• warm breakfasts.

Buckwheat works for, among other things:

• savory bowls,
• Side dishes,
• Porridge,
• Pan-fried dishes.

Important: Quinoa and other higher-fat dry products can go rancid faster than classic pasta or white rice. Therefore, store them in a dry, cool, and dark place.

8. Strained Tomatoes

One package of strained tomatoes saves an astonishing number of dinners.

It forms the basis for:

• Pasta sauce,
• Chili,
• Lentil soup,
• Curry,
• Shakshuka,
• Tomato stew.

Together with onions, legumes, and spices, they make a complete meal without a big shopping trip.

The BZfE also counts strained tomatoes and tomato paste among useful pantry products.

9. Nuts

Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or cashews are suitable for:

• Breakfast,
• Salad,
• Porridge,
• Curries,
• Baking,
• Snacks.

You don't need five opened packages at once. Two varieties are usually completely enough.

Walnuts, for example, go exceptionally well with:

• apple,
• Pear,
• oats,
• Pumpkin,
• Red cabbage.

Nuts should be stored dry and protected from light. For longer storage, freezing can also be useful.

10. Seeds and kernels

A small selection is enough:

• Pumpkin seeds,
• Sunflower seeds,
• Flaxseeds,
• Chia seeds,
• Sesame.

They are suitable as a topping for:

• Salads,
• Soups,
• Porridge,
• Bread,
• Bowls.

Pumpkin seeds are especially practical for autumn cooking because they go well with pumpkin, salads, soups, and bread.

11. Nut butter

Almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter can do much more than be a spread.

You can use it to:

• refine porridge,
• make sauce for bowls,
• make curry creamier,
• Mix dips,
• Complement desserts.

A quick dip is made from:

Nut butter + lemon juice + water + a little salt.

This works similarly to tahini and does not need a long ingredient list.

12. Tahini

Tahini is one of those products that seem unremarkable in the cupboard at first and then suddenly are needed all the time.

It goes well with:

• Hummus,
• Bowls,
• Roasted vegetables,
• Pumpkin,
• Chickpeas,
• Salads.

For a quick dressing:

• 1 tbsp tahini,
• Lemon juice,
• a little water,
• Garlic,
• Pepper.

Done.

13. Spices

A good pantry kitchen does not need 40 spice jars.

With just a few basics, you can cook very different dishes:

Mediterranean:

• Oregano,
• Basil,
• Garlic,
• Paprika powder.

Oriental:

• Cumin,
• Coriander,
• cinnamon,
• Paprika.

Curry:

• Turmeric,
• Cumin,
• Curry blend,
• Chili.

Autumnal:

• cinnamon,
• Nutmeg,
• Ginger,
• Clove.

Spices should be stored dry, dark, and well sealed. They can also be infested by pantry pests.

14. Plant oil and vinegar

With a good oil and vinegar, you already have the basis for:

• Dressing,
• Marinade,
• Roasted vegetables,
• Pan-fried dishes.

Practical options include:

• rapeseed oil for versatile use,
• Olive oil for Mediterranean dishes,
• Apple cider vinegar or balsamic for dressings.

You do not need a new specialty oil for every recipe.

15. Frozen vegetables

A pantry kitchen does not end at the kitchen cabinet door.

Frozen vegetables are especially practical for days when there is no fresh vegetables left.

Good options include:

• broccoli,
• spinach,
• peas,
• green beans,
• mixed vegetables.

The BZfE explicitly counts frozen vegetables among sensible household pantry items.

This turns pasta and strained tomatoes into a more complete meal within minutes.

5 quick meals from the pantry

1. Red Lentil Tomato Soup

You need:

• red lentils,
• strained tomatoes,
• Vegetable broth,
• Curry or bell pepper,
• Frozen spinach.

Let everything simmer for about 15 minutes.

Wholegrain bread goes well with this.

2. Chickpea bowl

You need:

• quinoa or rice,
• Chickpeas,
• frozen vegetables,
• tahini,
• Pumpkin seeds.

Stir tahini with water and lemon juice into a dressing.

3. Quick bean pasta

You need:

• whole-grain pasta,
• white beans,
• strained tomatoes,
• Garlic,
• Italian herbs.

Everything together makes a warm dinner in about 15 minutes.

4. Autumn porridge

You need:

• oats,
• apple,
• cinnamon,
• Walnuts,
• Nut butter.

If you have frozen berries at home, they go well with it too.

5. Improvised curry

You need:

• chickpeas or lentils,
• frozen vegetables,
• curry powder,
• strained tomatoes or coconut milk,
• Rice.

That gives you a basic recipe that can taste different every time.

This is how you store dry products properly

A food is only a good pantry item if it doesn't spoil at the back of the cupboard.

Dry products such as:

• rice,
• pasta,
• flour,
• legumes,
• Grains

should be stored dry, cool, protected from light, and as well sealed as possible.

The consumer advice center recommends tightly closing containers for this and especially warns against moisture, temperature fluctuations, and pantry pests.

A bad spot is, for example, directly:

• next to the stove,
• above the dishwasher,
• on the sunny window.

There, temperature and humidity fluctuate more.

This is how you keep your pantry from becoming a food museum

The most common mistake in stockpiling isn't buying too little.

It's buying too much.

Three simple rules help:

1. First in, first out

New packs go to the back. Older ones to the front.

That way you use up first what has been in the cupboard longer.

2. Take inventory once a month

Take a quick look through:

• What's open?
• What will expire soon?
• What do you have three packs of?
• What's really missing?

The consumer advice center points out that many dry foods can still be edible beyond their best-before date. What matters is storage and a sensory check.

3. Shop by dishes, not by trends

If you never cook amaranth, you don't need a kilo bag of amaranth just because it keeps for a long time.

A good pantry fits your kitchen.

If your go-to dishes are pasta, curry, and porridge, your cupboard should make exactly those dishes easy to prepare.

Fewer ingredients, more possibilities

A good pantry doesn't have to look like a small supermarket.

With:

• three legumes,
• two grain products,
• oats,
• tomatoes,
• nuts and seeds,
• a nut butter,
• tahini,
• spices,
• Oil and vinegar,
• Frozen vegetables

you can improvise surprisingly many dishes.

This saves shopping and at the same time helps you actually use up the food you already have.