The Pantry Essential You Need When Your Cupboard Is Totally Empty (Perfect for Quick Dinners!)

Moving into your first apartment is so exciting and a little daunting. You’re finally living on your own (or with roommates), but you’re also taking on more responsibilities — a major one being filling up your fridge and pantry. Whether you’re moving from the dorms to an apartment near campus or freshly out of college, perfecting your go-to grocery list takes time. To help you get started, here’s a first apartment grocery list filled with staples that will set you up right.

I lived in many different setups in college — from my freshman dorm to my first apartment to a house I shared with roommates during my senior year. When I moved into that first apartment, I would have loved a grocery list like this, especially since these recommendations are straight from three cooking and food experts: chef Rob Li (@broccoliraab), private catering chef Aless Mac Carthy, and private chef and influencer Taelor Rankin (@hungrymockingbird).

Here are the must-haves for your first apartment grocery list to make sure you’re set when it’s time to make your first meal in your new place. 

These ingredients are the foundation of most recipes. You’ll discover your go-tos (if you haven’t already) as you cook more, but these picks are a great place to start. It might seem redundant to have both butter and oils for cooking, but they have different functions and flavors. Mac Carthy recommends Kerrygold butter and an Italian 100% extra virgin olive oil. Li suggests having vegetable or canola oil on hand because it has a higher smoking point when you want to sear foods. 

1. Extra virgin olive oil 
2. Vegetable or canola oil 
3. Butter
4. Kosher salt 
5. Pepper 

Make sure you pack (or buy) a can opener for these pantry staples. To get started, Mac Carthy and Li recommend buying canned tomatoes and beans. Li likes throwing beans in dishes like chili or tacos for extra protein. Mac Carthy keeps Bush’s Baked Beans in her pantry for savory breakfast dishes. 

With the emergence of the fancy tinned-fish trend, it might be easy to forget about the tried-and-true canned tuna to whip up a protein-filled tuna salad in a pinch. For another easy meal, Mac Carthy always has ramen, specifically the Momofuku noodles. One of my favorite super easy meals is a box of Cheddy Mac Goodles.

1. Pasta
2. Ramen
3. Rice
4. Boxed mac and cheese
5. Canned tomatoes 
6. Canned beans 
7. Canned tuna 

Mac Carthy says eggs are the easiest thing to keep on hand for a quick breakfast (or breakfast for dinner) when you’re just moving in. Rankin adds that they’re also the foundation of so many meals (and protein-rich, if that’s something you’re looking for). An easy egg breakfast is not complete without shredded cheese, in my humble opinion, and it’s just like Rankin agrees, saying, “I put it in everything!”

Rankin also likes plain Greek yogurt because you can use it as you would any yogurt and also as a sour cream or mayo substitute in a pinch. (Rankin prefers going organic for milk and eggs, but you can choose what works best for you.) 

1. Milk or milk alternative 
2. Eggs
3. Greek yogurt
4. Shredded cheese

Keep these ingredients on hand and you’ll be ready for spontaneous chocolate chip cookie nights or an elevated birthday cake recipe. Even a non-baker needs flour in the pantry — you’ll be glad you have it when you need to bread chicken or thicken a sauce.

1. Flour 
2. Brown sugar 
3. White sugar 
4. Baking soda 
5. Baking powder 
6. Chocolate chips 
7. Vanilla extract 

Flavor preferences are personal, but you need to start somewhere! Li’s best advice for choosing seasonings is to tailor your collection over time as you figure out what you enjoy — don’t buy every jar right away. 

Mac Carthy says herbes de Provence are the easiest way to spruce up a dish — whether it’s cooking a chicken breast or adding it onto vegetables. On the sweet side, Li loves to keep cinnamon on hand to add into morning oatmeal, chia pudding, or a yogurt bowl. 

1. Herbes de Provence
2. Garlic powder 
3. Onion powder 
4. Paprika 
5. Cinnamon 

To complement all of your delicious cooking (or takeout), it’s important to have a few tasty condiments. While Duke’s mayo is a classic and delicious choice, Mac Carthy also recommends Kewpie mayo for an Asian-inspired twist. My personal necessity in every college living situation has been ranch dressing, specifically the classic Hidden Valley ranch, perfect for fries, vegetables and anything else you can dip! To add a little kick to your bites, Li loves Melinda’s hot sauce. 

One of the easiest condiments to throw on a sandwich, rice cake, or cracker is peanut butter. Mac Carthy even jokes it’s the perfect meal for when you still find yourself unboxing packages from move-in. 

1. Mayo  
2. Ketchup 
3. Mustard 
4. Peanut butter 
5. Soy sauce 
6. Ranch 
7. Honey 
8. Hot sauce