Happy 2025, folks. It’s new-leaf time, a chance for a fresh start in all areas of your life, including the pantry.
With a little planning and minimal maintenance, the pantry can be magical—a place that holds shortcuts to easy meals as well as embellishments that elevate cooking.
Begin the year by tossing out items you’ll never use. Replace them with staples that make life simpler and cooking more fun.
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Pistachios
Called the flavor of the year in af&co.’s 2025 Hospitality Trends Report, pistachios are certainly having a moment, so why not add a bag of shelled nuts to the pantry? Toss with baby lettuces, along with dried cranberries and feta, for a quick winter salad. Add to muffins, cookies and charcuterie boards. Or, use in place of walnuts on an ice cream sundae.
Coconut milk
Creamy and versatile, a can of coconut milk opens the door to loads of global dishes, both savory and sweet. Combine with a few tablespoons of jarred curry paste (another winning pantry staple) and some sautéed proteins and veggies, and you’re steps away from a flavorful Thai curry. Or, use it to make Caribbean rice dishes.
Canned beans
Canned beans of all sorts are the backbone of a functioning pantry. Add kidney beans to chili, black beans to burritos and white beans to a quick sauté of fresh spinach and red peppers. Don’t forget chickpeas, an admirable meat substitute in dishes like chicken salad and veggie curries.
Pasta
If you’ve got pasta on hand, you’ve got dinner. Along with reliable dried spaghetti, keep other shapes and textures on hand to combine with interesting jarred sauces (more on that later). Or, make your own simple sauce with olive oil, fresh garlic and fragrant herbs. Specialty stores like Cannatella Grocery in Mid City sell a variety of artisan pasta lines in rich flavors and colors. And local supermarkets stock the boutique Baton Rouge-made brand Dagostino Pasta.
Tea
Gone are the days when Lipton was the only tea in the larder. From antioxidant-rich green tea to dried hibiscus tea known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, teas are believed to support wellness. They’re also a comforting substitute for alcohol during Dry January and throughout the year. And, they can be used in baking. For example, add dried Earl Grey leaves to sugar cookie batter to impart pleasant floral notes.
Dried fruit
Curb your cravings for refined sugar with dried fruit. Add dried cranberries to oatmeal, green salads and chicken or tuna salad. Stuff whole pitted dates with blue cheese crumbles for an easy hors d’oeuvre or an addition to charcuterie boards.
Anchovies
Before you say “ew,” consider some of the dishes you enjoy. Are you a fan of ramen or pho? A significant portion of Asian cuisine is girded by fish sauce, a sneaky condiment that imparts umami and culinary sturdiness. Anchovies work in a similar, stealthy fashion. Mince a few and cook them down in olive oil as a pasta sauce base. We dare you to not like it. And yes, they’re great for adding to homemade or store-bought pizza. Let’s not forget they were fundamental to former Baton Rouge institution Fleur de Lis’ beloved Round the World pie.
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Jarred sauces
From peanut saté to cacio e pepe, and from roasted red pepper to pesto, there’s a fantastic variety of quality pasta sauces on supermarket shelves that go beyond basic tomato. Trader Joe’s and Aldi are great places to stockpile sauces that can be real lifesavers on weeknights. Toss with cooked noodles, roasted veggies and rotisserie chicken for a ready-in-minutes main course.
High-quality olive oil
A good olive oil will do wonders for your cooking. Baton Rouge’s own Red Stick Spice Co. is an excellent place to source a bottle. Reserve it for dishes where you can taste the difference. Combine with a spice mixture and serve in a shallow bowl for dipping fresh bread. Or, make a standout salad dressing by combining olive oil with flavored vinegar, a peeled garlic clove and a little local honey. Shake in a jar and pour over fresh crisp greens.
Pepper jelly
Southern pantries are remiss without this regionally made essential, available at local supermarkets and farmers markets in a wide range of interesting flavors. Pour over a block of cream cheese or a log of chevre for an effortless appetizer, or use it to glaze pork, chicken or duck. It’s also nice blended with drippings or stock to make a quick pan sauce.