A Hungarian once said, "Saute onions and garlic, then decide what's for dinner." I use peppers, onions and garlic in A LOT of my dishes, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
We used to give my grandmother a box of pantry goods for Christmas and for her birthday. We’d include the smallest cans available because she lived alone. Canned seafood and small cans of soup, small packets of cornbread or muffins. Everything we bought was scaled for one. She loved to get our gifts to see what we had chosen. She liked to bake and did a bit of canning from the small garden she had so we made sure she all necessary ingredients necessary to do both.
When my sister moved into a new apartment in my area, I gave her a 'starter' kitchen box. Pretty much all of the dry ingredients that you listed. She was blown away.
I saw someone comment that they got their sister a box of a bunch of these types of ingredients when she moved into a new apartment-that’s what my sister got me for Christmas this past year, since I moved in the middle of December! She also made all our family homemade vanilla extract-now that was a fantastic gift and an amazing way to acquire that pantry staple!
I don’t usually comment but just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed your videos over the years. When I was teaching my at-risk, low-income high schoolers, I’d watch your videos for inspiration before teaching my cooking lessons. You spoke to people without the big pantries, without all the fancy cooking appliances, and without much background knowledge. Especially your old videos on shopping with a food stamps budget. Keep up the amazing work! I love listening while I do dishes or cook myself. 😊😊
You are so right about that. One day I picked up some cinnamon from the spice section of my grocery store. Later saw cinnamon in the Mexican section and the same size container was $1 less!!
I would add a meat category. Tuna, salmon, chicken, sardines, herring. I also have pickles, olives, sauerkraut stocked up for lunches, quick snacks and gut health.
I had 3 pantries, 2 freezers, and a fridge full of food. Then……our house burned (along with our only vehicle). Insurance takes a long time so it is up to us to slowly restock in the meantime. This is exactly how will build back up what we had before. Great info. Thanks!
Very sorry to hear your home burning. Our home burned 22 years ago. You are so right about insurance being slow! Ours took a total of 3 years to get all my $$ from them so we had to list things in order of importance, beds, computer, appliances, furniture…one of the very last things we bought was a tv. Realized we didn’t really miss it! Hardly watch today, no cable or satellite or steaming services. Just a plain old antenna!
You could also do away with brown sugar and make your own! Molasses lasts for YEARS. It’s VERY shelf stable and it doesn’t need to be refrigerated once opened. 🙂 You can pick that up instead of brown sugar, and you’ll have molasses on hands, too!!! Molasses cookies or gingersnap cookies are delicious- wonder how I know?! 😂
Great info for anyone setting up their kitchen for the first time. Spices can get pricey when you're buying a lot of them, so we gave a basket filled with spices (everything from S&P to turmeric and red pepper flakes) as a gift to newlywed friends. They were so excited to have such a wide selection without paying for them.
Great video. This is how I built up my pantry: I divided my monthly grocery budget by 5. So 1/5 for each week and then 1/5 to build the pantry. Once the basics were achieved, I use that 1/5 for loss leaders and restock. My Aldi has spices at 79 cents, which is a great deal.
If you buy the baking capsule and have the baking soda and corn starch you can actually make your own aluminum free baking powder by adding a jar of cream of tartar! Cream of tartar is also great to have on hand for baking and other projects like making your own play dough 😊
Wow, thank you! I spent some time figuring out how to make this one, and I have a really talented editor who helps me piece it together! I’m glad it was helpful. :)
Great video Mindy! I have had my own home for 35 years and grew up helping in the kitchen so most of this was known to me but what a great tutorial for someone newly single or someone just starting out who maybe didn't have a cook in the family from whom to learn. I am sure many will find this beneficial!
Cinnamon in particular from the Dollar Tree has just been found to contain high levels of lead. The FDA has a list of brand names and lot numbers. Thank you for a great video for beginners! This will help a lot of people just starting out.
@brg2743 I drain salmon(I use boneless, skinless one), use beaten egg, crackers crushed to consistently wish. I add dried onion or onion powder occasionally. Pan fry in lightly spayed pan or on stone in oven.
@brg2743 you could but I just used the olive oil spray . Can add salt and pepper to taste also. Draining it some I think helps with that fishy taste also. Good luck!
Always love your videos. Our household can't live without canned pineapple and mandarin oranges. We use them for everything from desserts, fruit salads to side dishes.
LOVE the format of this video! It's especially great because my twin daughters just graduated college last May and are now in their first townhouse - several states away from me! 😮😭 I sent some basics with them for baking, and the other categories you cover here, but they had limited space in their stuffed-to-roof car when they left, so they had to round things out after they got there. This is a fantastic, succinct video for new-home YAs to watch, thanks!! ❤❤
Get the fire roasted tomatoes if possible... aldi is good price usually. It helps add complexity of flavor. And you likely won't use a full can of paste, sometimes just a tablespoon is needed to add flavor. Portion the rest of the can in one tablespoon "blobs" to freeze.
Frozen, dried, and canned fruits for smoothies and simple desserts, and we like to have a few jams or jellies as well. And Sriracha or other hot sauce and toasted sesame oil for Asian dishes.
Great video on inventory. Can you please do a cooking episode on carbs.I want to incorporate the beans and lentils more in my diet. Let's face it meat it expensive
12:47 we do potatoes more than rice. Can whole or sliced potatoes. Also the small packets of (flavored) instant potatoes are so easy and smaller portions for carb control.
Also you can make an easy homemade bisquik copycat with your ingredients. I do mine with shortening so it is shelf stable and we love it for biscuits and it makes an amazing fried chicken tender if you coat it in a wet mixture of water and biscuit mix made to about pancake batter thickness and then coat in dry powder and fry. Yum! You can also make homemade pancake mix. I think that you have a great list and I know I have most of those things stocked normally. Great list to help start a pantry and lower your grocery budget 😊
Yes! I’ve don’t that before, too. I thought about doing a video all about scratch versions of mixes like cake mixes, brownies mixes, baking mixes, etc.
@@SeeMindyMomyes please!!!!! I think it's so much better to make stuff yourself. I started making my own chili and taco mixes. Easy and doesn't have all the ingredients that make my stomach hurt! ❤
@@krisqueen5939 a small can of tomato paste, several cans of water, usually about two cups but it's really a matter of taste. You can also add milk or cream to make it richer. I add at least a tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning. But that's also a matter of taste. Just combine the paste and water and whisk until blended and add enough liquid to thin to your taste. Very easy! And dirt cheap!
Those 7Up biscuits are AmAzInG! I have made them with homemade baking mix, sparkling unflavored water, low carb baking mix, all sorts of substitutions, and they are great every time.
Regarding honey, I've built up a nice supply of honey packets from Bojangles over the past few years by asking for a few packets when I order a sausage biscuit. Honey lasts forever so you could use it decades from now. If it crystallizes it just needs to be warmed back up.
In my pantry I would always have oats on the starches section (cut some pasta selections to add it to the first set of basic starches) and I would always have some canned tuna and at least one cream of mushroom soup for quick casseroles. I always have a jam, too.
A lot of fast food places have salt and pepper packets with the condiments. I always snag some to throw in my purse in case I buy hard boiled eggs for my lunch
I agree with everything you said. My kids are so used to a well-stocked household, they wouldn't know where to start when they get their own places. Sharing this!
This ABSOLUTELY should be shown to every single person in high school, home economics classes giving kids robot babies to parent but doesnt even try to teach normal daily tasks to be an adult in this world!
I know this has nothing to do with cooking, but would you please do a video on how you do your hair style? I love it! What size curling iron do you use? And the $10 at a time basics stockup is a great idea!
I'm not into baked goods... but soy sauce,garlic and brown sugar can make a yummy stir fry sauce. If you don't have fresh, ground ginger is a great spice to have on hand as well.
Losing my kitchen for a month or so, as it's being remodeled. Have a stove and fridge available, but needed to keep out the frequent flyers... I actually laughed out loud as you were giving your list... the only spice I "packed" was cinnamon... cuz I'm hoping to have a kitchen before I need to bake anything more than mixes! Thank you for sharing! ❤
Such a great video! I wish something like this had been around when I was first starting out - I just tried to copy my mom’s kitchen and ended up with way too many specialty ingredients I never used. I’m sending this to my nieces and nephews who are all on the cusp of college/first apartments/etc.
Always love your videos and recipes! I never buy powdered sugar, I make me own. Just throw 1 lb of granulated sugar (I only do 1 cup at a time) in a blender and blend on high until it's powdered (up to 1 minute) 😊
Having been a single mom raising 3 sons on Social Security disability, Idid basically what you recommended but I would make these changes. I hope they help someone. Because there's already onion powder and garlic powder in the first capsule, in the third capsule I would get fresh celery and carrots. They last a long time in the fridge, are the basis of multiple recipes and make great snacks and add vegetables to your pantry/staples. I might even make this part of my second capsule and change the other spices to third capsule.
As a single person, I always stayed away from some fresh veggies because they would go bad before I could use them up. I like shopping Aldi and they don’t sell individual onions or potatoes so I have to buy the bag. Then I finally learned the power of freezing. It’s actually been such a time saver to be able to reach in the freezer and grab chopped frozen celery, carrots, onions and potatoes. Not to mention frozen grapes, which are a delicious treat.
@@grandmaspocketbookyes! Taught my daughter this trick as well. While the cutting board & knife are out, do the whole bunch/bag. Peppers also freeze beautifully. That one chopping session is a great time saver for weeks to come!
@@itsallperfectlynormal9805 It took me many years of being alone to figure this out. My mother never did it because she fed a family of 6. I never did it early on because we were a family of 3. But when you’re alone, fresh produce requires extra care to avoid food waste.
@@grandmaspocketbook how do you freeze the potatoes, do they turn out grainy? Thanks. North Pole Alaska here, we freeze a lot of things in the winter, just need metal box to keep the critters out, lol😊
Except for adobo. I mainly use white vinegar for cleaning. It is cheaper than buying cleaners. I have recently started to make my own taco, fajita, cinnamon sugar, salad dressings, and seasoned salt. It is much more economical than buying them already made. Some of them I don't use a lot so I don't need to make a lot of it. I can also substitute the salt with no salt or reduce the amount since I need to cut salt in my diet. I found out that if I freeze yeast, It lasts longer. I used to throw away the ones that were expired because I don't make bread that often. As you said, stock up on pantry items you use a lot. I get rice in 20 or 25 lb bags because it is a daily staple where potatoes and beans are not. Cream of soup, tomato soup are also frequently used in casserole dishes. It is easy to make your own bechamel sauce. Fresh milk is versatile and used in many recipes. But , I just cannot finish a gallon of milk before it spoils so I do keep dry milk, even though it costs more than fresh milk because it is shelf stable and I don't use it often. If you make your own bread you may need to get different kinds of flour bread flour, whole wheat, and all purpose. Cornbread mix or cornmeal is good for making more than cornbread Honey keeps just about forever as long as no water gets in it. I don't use much sugar, but I use a lot of stevia. Bisquick mix, or you can make your own if also very versatile as well as oatmeal as budget meal by itself or in recipes. I also keep ramen noodles around. It can be used as a base for other noodles dishes. Canned tomato products, tomato sauce, crushed tomato, diced or stewed tomatoes, whole tomatoes are called for in many recipes unless you are canning your own, these are staples in my house. I prefer to stock up on frozen vegetables because they have less salt and have better color and texture than canned. Cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, unsweetened cocoa are also staples. So is chocolate. I always have some chocolate for snacks in the frig. It takes me about 6 months to finish one bag of minis. It is a sweet indulgence. I keep some other things that is not common like char siu, nori, spam, dried shitake mushrooms, black bean sauce, chili sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, Japanese vinegar, long rice ( vermicelli), and specialty noodles like soba, Korean noodles which I use frequently enough so I like to keep them on hand Especially, since some things are only available in specialty markets. Since I don't go to these placese often it usually costs more than $10 to stock up.
Fantastic video with tons of useful suggestions, Mindy! Thank you so much. This truly is one of the most informative ones I've viewed in quite a long time!!!
Thank you so much Mindy! You always have the greatest ideas. It really helps people save. In this economy every penny helps!! God bless you for all you do!!
You can get super cheap prices on some spices if you buy them in the bulk section, allowing you to get only what you need & refill your own container at home. I get most of my spices this way & it saves me a ton of money over time.
I frequently purchase dollar tree spices and I have to say they are pretty decent for the price. I haven’t noticed any difference and they have a good variety ❤😊
If you are cooking dry beans, I found a great way to flavor is throw in a little bouillon with the water. Especially if beans aren’t exactly your family’s favorite food.
You can make powdered sugar by food processing white sugar down to a powder. I havent heard any American RUclips mention caster sugar but it is a finer granular sugar and it can be made at home too. I just found out you can make a homemade sweetened condense milk. Its pretty dear in Australia.
A Hungarian once said, "Saute onions and garlic, then decide what's for dinner." I use peppers, onions and garlic in A LOT of my dishes, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That is so true. So many recipes start with “sauté onions and garlic” (usually in butter or even bacon fat!)
We used to give my grandmother a box of pantry goods for Christmas and for her birthday. We’d include the smallest cans available because she lived alone. Canned seafood and small cans of soup, small packets of cornbread or muffins. Everything we bought was scaled for one. She loved to get our gifts to see what we had chosen. She liked to bake and did a bit of canning from the small garden she had so we made sure she all necessary ingredients necessary to do both.
That is such a sweet and thoughtful gift!
When my sister moved into a new apartment in my area, I gave her a 'starter' kitchen box. Pretty much all of the dry ingredients that you listed. She was blown away.
Such a great idea.
Oh that's a great idea!
Oh, I am so copying this.
That's a wonderful housewarming gift!
That would make a great bridal shower gift, as well.
I saw someone comment that they got their sister a box of a bunch of these types of ingredients when she moved into a new apartment-that’s what my sister got me for Christmas this past year, since I moved in the middle of December! She also made all our family homemade vanilla extract-now that was a fantastic gift and an amazing way to acquire that pantry staple!
I don’t usually comment but just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed your videos over the years. When I was teaching my at-risk, low-income high schoolers, I’d watch your videos for inspiration before teaching my cooking lessons. You spoke to people without the big pantries, without all the fancy cooking appliances, and without much background knowledge. Especially your old videos on shopping with a food stamps budget. Keep up the amazing work! I love listening while I do dishes or cook myself. 😊😊
Love your videos too !!!
@@irmapatino167 aww, thank you! 🥰
Check out the mexican sections in the store for spices. Most of the time they are cheaper.
You are so right about that.
One day I picked up some cinnamon from the spice section of my grocery store. Later saw cinnamon in the Mexican section and the same size container was $1 less!!
It's crazy because at a Mexican store they are outrageous.
Forget capsule wardrobes. I love the idea of capsule kitchen stocks. This is such a great, sensible video if you don’t have a stocked pantry.
Thank you so much!
Absolutely the best cooking from scratch food inventory video on the internet, EVER!! Clear, concise, and achievable.
Wow, thank you!
@@SeeMindyMom JUST A HEADS UP ON DOLLAR TREE SEASONINGS... MY DOLLAR TRUE OFTEN RUN OUT.. SO I'D SAY IT'S SAFE TO BUY THEM THERE
I would add a meat category. Tuna, salmon, chicken, sardines, herring.
I also have pickles, olives, sauerkraut stocked up for lunches, quick snacks and gut health.
Agree! And asian section: soy sauce, sriracha etc
@@irinam8709 oh yes!
I had 3 pantries, 2 freezers, and a fridge full of food. Then……our house burned (along with our only vehicle). Insurance takes a long time so it is up to us to slowly restock in the meantime. This is exactly how will build back up what we had before. Great info. Thanks!
I am so sorry to hear you are going through that! Glad I can give some ideas, and I hope you and yours have everything you need as you rebuild!
Praying you and your family a quick recovery and thank God you all are safe I know it’s not easy starting over
Ouch. Sorry. Prayers.
That sucks! So sorry to hear that
Very sorry to hear your home burning. Our home burned 22 years ago. You are so right about insurance being slow! Ours took a total of 3 years to get all my $$ from them so we had to list things in order of importance, beds, computer, appliances, furniture…one of the very last things we bought was a tv. Realized we didn’t really miss it! Hardly watch today, no cable or satellite or steaming services. Just a plain old antenna!
You could also do away with brown sugar and make your own! Molasses lasts for YEARS. It’s VERY shelf stable and it doesn’t need to be refrigerated once opened. 🙂 You can pick that up instead of brown sugar, and you’ll have molasses on hands, too!!! Molasses cookies or gingersnap cookies are delicious- wonder how I know?! 😂
Great info for anyone setting up their kitchen for the first time. Spices can get pricey when you're buying a lot of them, so we gave a basket filled with spices (everything from S&P to turmeric and red pepper flakes) as a gift to newlywed friends. They were so excited to have such a wide selection without paying for them.
Great idea!
My brother is newly divorced and I'm sending this video to help him. Thank you for all you do, Mindy.
Thanks for watching!
@@SeeMindyMom you're so very welcome, sweet friend.
Great video. This is how I built up my pantry: I divided my monthly grocery budget by 5. So 1/5 for each week and then 1/5 to build the pantry. Once the basics were achieved, I use that 1/5 for loss leaders and restock. My Aldi has spices at 79 cents, which is a great deal.
That’s a great strategy!
This is excellent,but I would add Ziploc bags for freezer storage to save leftovers, foil, plastic wrap and paper towels.
Great video. Especially for a beginner. My honorable mention would be a selection of condensed soups.
The Mexican food isle has better prices for spices vanilla pasta especially if your starting out. Thanks again.
Another must have item along with eggs is 🧈 butter or margarine. I prefer butter because it is so versatile. And, of course, milk.
If you buy the baking capsule and have the baking soda and corn starch you can actually make your own aluminum free baking powder by adding a jar of cream of tartar! Cream of tartar is also great to have on hand for baking and other projects like making your own play dough 😊
Home Economics 101! Really thoughtful, helpful and needed. I hope it becomes one of your most viewed because it can help so many people. Thank you!
Wow, thank you! I spent some time figuring out how to make this one, and I have a really talented editor who helps me piece it together! I’m glad it was helpful. :)
Great video Mindy! I have had my own home for 35 years and grew up helping in the kitchen so most of this was known to me but what a great tutorial for someone newly single or someone just starting out who maybe didn't have a cook in the family from whom to learn. I am sure many will find this beneficial!
That’s my hope! Thanks!
Cinnamon in particular from the Dollar Tree has just been found to contain high levels of lead. The FDA has a list of brand names and lot numbers. Thank you for a great video for beginners! This will help a lot of people just starting out.
Several people have mentioned that! I don’t usually buy spices/seasonings from DT so I’m glad I mentioned that.
This video clearly shows your core values Mindy! Thank you for being so helpful and meeting everyone where theyre at!
Potato flakes are cheap and versatile.
You're such a MOM!!! I love it. You have a very inviting voice and vibe. No shame, just ideas to make your life easier :)
Canned tuna, salmon, chicken are for quick meals in my house. Great video!
How do you make salmon patties without the strong fish taste? They are so overpowering to me with the smell. Tuna is fine.
@brg2743 I drain salmon(I use boneless, skinless one), use beaten egg, crackers crushed to consistently wish. I add dried onion or onion powder occasionally. Pan fry in lightly spayed pan or on stone in oven.
Thanks. We did crackers and egg, but it was too strong. Maybe the onion sweetens it a little? Also, do you fry it it in butter?
@brg2743 you could but I just used the olive oil spray . Can add salt and pepper to taste also. Draining it some I think helps with that fishy taste also. Good luck!
Thank you. Appreciate it!
Always love your videos. Our household can't live without canned pineapple and mandarin oranges. We use them for everything from desserts, fruit salads to side dishes.
LOVE the format of this video! It's especially great because my twin daughters just graduated college last May and are now in their first townhouse - several states away from me! 😮😭 I sent some basics with them for baking, and the other categories you cover here, but they had limited space in their stuffed-to-roof car when they left, so they had to round things out after they got there. This is a fantastic, succinct video for new-home YAs to watch, thanks!! ❤❤
Thank you so much! I’m glad it was easy to follow and helpful. That was my goal. :)
This is pretty much how I’ve stocked my pantry for years. I love it cause I can restock my staples when they’re on sale.
Get the fire roasted tomatoes if possible... aldi is good price usually. It helps add complexity of flavor. And you likely won't use a full can of paste, sometimes just a tablespoon is needed to add flavor. Portion the rest of the can in one tablespoon "blobs" to freeze.
Frozen, dried, and canned fruits for smoothies and simple desserts, and we like to have a few jams or jellies as well. And Sriracha or other hot sauce and toasted sesame oil for Asian dishes.
Great video on inventory. Can you please do a cooking episode on carbs.I want to incorporate the beans and lentils more in my diet. Let's face it meat it expensive
12:47 we do potatoes more than rice. Can whole or sliced potatoes. Also the small packets of (flavored) instant potatoes are so easy and smaller portions for carb control.
I always keep instant mashed potatoes on hand😊
I love this concept and the way you explained it. I would add a $10 grouping for applesauce and canned fruit products.
❤ from Iowa
Great idea!!
Also you can make an easy homemade bisquik copycat with your ingredients. I do mine with shortening so it is shelf stable and we love it for biscuits and it makes an amazing fried chicken tender if you coat it in a wet mixture of water and biscuit mix made to about pancake batter thickness and then coat in dry powder and fry. Yum! You can also make homemade pancake mix. I think that you have a great list and I know I have most of those things stocked normally. Great list to help start a pantry and lower your grocery budget 😊
Yes! I’ve don’t that before, too. I thought about doing a video all about scratch versions of mixes like cake mixes, brownies mixes, baking mixes, etc.
@@SeeMindyMomyes please!!!!! I think it's so much better to make stuff yourself. I started making my own chili and taco mixes. Easy and doesn't have all the ingredients that make my stomach hurt! ❤
And Bisquick makes the best coffee cake! My mother would put one together in the morning and take to work for meetings!
This is such good advice. If I were starting out with a new kitchen, I'd follow this to the letter. And...7-up Biscuits??? OK, I'll be making those!
Canned tomatoes are the bomb. They are so handy! I make tomato soup with tomato paste.
How do you do that, I have a lot of tomatoe paste. Thanks😊
@@krisqueen5939 a small can of tomato paste, several cans of water, usually about two cups but it's really a matter of taste. You can also add milk or cream to make it richer. I add at least a tablespoon of dried Italian seasoning. But that's also a matter of taste. Just combine the paste and water and whisk until blended and add enough liquid to thin to your taste. Very easy! And dirt cheap!
Good suggestions!!! My daughter will be getting out on her own and with the price of housing, she will need to learn extreme budget cooking.
"Butter" salted butter, is another hint of flavor for some foods.
I’d add a couple cans of store brand evaporated milk. I use it to replace cream and with a splash of vinegar to replace buttermilk
I always appreciate your videos and this particular one has to be among the best ever…such great advice… ✔️✔️✔️
Wow! Thank you! I appreciate that!
Those 7Up biscuits are AmAzInG! I have made them with homemade baking mix, sparkling unflavored water, low carb baking mix, all sorts of substitutions, and they are great every time.
Could you share the recipe and variations? Thanks😊
Regarding honey, I've built up a nice supply of honey packets from Bojangles over the past few years by asking for a few packets when I order a sausage biscuit. Honey lasts forever so you could use it decades from now.
If it crystallizes it just needs to be warmed back up.
Wow!
We don’t have bojangles where I live but I noticed at KFC the ‘honey’ packets aren’t actually honey anymore….. It’s HFCS.
It's do great that you made this video and provide the list as well. This is going to help a lot of people.
In my pantry I would always have oats on the starches section (cut some pasta selections to add it to the first set of basic starches) and I would always have some canned tuna and at least one cream of mushroom soup for quick casseroles. I always have a jam, too.
SUCH a good video! This isn't where I'm at anymore, but a video like this would've been mind-blowingly helpful when I first lived on my own. Brava!
Mindy, I love your "Let Me Overthink This" tee! Do you remember where you purchased it? It's a classic!
I think I got it at Walmart last year 😂 I had to have it when I saw it!
Thanks, Mindy. It describes me perfectly!
@@SeeMindyMom
One thing you can do with Jiffy is use it in meatloaf instead of bread crumbs or any other binders...makes for a very good meatloaf
A lot of fast food places have salt and pepper packets with the condiments. I always snag some to throw in my purse in case I buy hard boiled eggs for my lunch
I agree with everything you said. My kids are so used to a well-stocked household, they wouldn't know where to start when they get their own places.
Sharing this!
This would be a great idea for a monthly care package for college kids
This ABSOLUTELY should be shown to every single person in high school, home economics classes giving kids robot babies to parent but doesnt even try to teach normal daily tasks to be an adult in this world!
Incredible concept for a video, Mindy. Your creativity never ceases to amaze me!
Perfect plan for building a pantry on a budget ❤️
Good video. This is very helpful information. I would have to include butter as a basic item for all those baking recipes.
What an amazing video. So well organized and planned. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! For me, it's butter - love it and have to it!!
Butter is a staple for me, too. Milk as well. I was trying to stay away from perishables though, at least for this video. :)
Watch the Betty Crocker cake mixes. They have shrunk by 2 ounces. Great Value has won taste tests for White & Yellow cake mixes.
What a helpful video! Thanks!! I would add potatoes. I use them regularly as a starch.
I know this has nothing to do with cooking, but would you please do a video on how you do your hair style? I love it! What size curling iron do you use?
And the $10 at a time basics stockup is a great idea!
I'm not into baked goods... but soy sauce,garlic and brown sugar can make a yummy stir fry sauce. If you don't have fresh, ground ginger is a great spice to have on hand as well.
I use mushroom tin soup canned tomatoes canned beans tin tomato soup and add them with small amounts of meat inaddvbeans vegies stretches meat so much
Losing my kitchen for a month or so, as it's being remodeled. Have a stove and fridge available, but needed to keep out the frequent flyers... I actually laughed out loud as you were giving your list... the only spice I "packed" was cinnamon... cuz I'm hoping to have a kitchen before I need to bake anything more than mixes! Thank you for sharing! ❤
I wish I had this video when I was newly married.
Such a great video! I wish something like this had been around when I was first starting out - I just tried to copy my mom’s kitchen and ended up with way too many specialty ingredients I never used. I’m sending this to my nieces and nephews who are all on the cusp of college/first apartments/etc.
I also thought of brown sugar with baking!
This is an awesome video!!! I learned from it and remembered things I had forgotten. Thanks for your hard work! 😊
Hi Mindy. Great video, Thank You for always looking out for us with your ideas. Hope things are well with you and all of yours. Take Care❤
Thank you! You too!
Always love your videos and recipes! I never buy powdered sugar, I make me own. Just throw 1 lb of granulated sugar (I only do 1 cup at a time) in a blender and blend on high until it's powdered (up to 1 minute) 😊
Great video Mindy. Very helpful for someone starting a kitchen pantry .
Thanks so much! 😊 glad it was helpful!
Wow! Love this! I learned two new things and two recipes! Just from the comments! Thank you all so much!
Having been a single mom raising 3 sons on Social Security disability, Idid basically what you recommended but I would make these changes. I hope they help someone.
Because there's already onion powder and garlic powder in the first capsule, in the third capsule I would get fresh celery and carrots. They last a long time in the fridge, are the basis of multiple recipes and make great snacks and add vegetables to your pantry/staples. I might even make this part of my second capsule and change the other spices to third capsule.
That’s a good point!
As a single person, I always stayed away from some fresh veggies because they would go bad before I could use them up. I like shopping Aldi and they don’t sell individual onions or potatoes so I have to buy the bag. Then I finally learned the power of freezing. It’s actually been such a time saver to be able to reach in the freezer and grab chopped frozen celery, carrots, onions and potatoes. Not to mention frozen grapes, which are a delicious treat.
@@grandmaspocketbookyes! Taught my daughter this trick as well. While the cutting board & knife are out, do the whole bunch/bag. Peppers also freeze beautifully. That one chopping session is a great time saver for weeks to come!
@@itsallperfectlynormal9805 It took me many years of being alone to figure this out. My mother never did it because she fed a family of 6. I never did it early on because we were a family of 3. But when you’re alone, fresh produce requires extra care to avoid food waste.
@@grandmaspocketbook how do you freeze the potatoes, do they turn out grainy? Thanks. North Pole Alaska here, we freeze a lot of things in the winter, just need metal box to keep the critters out, lol😊
This video is so useful, and you look so beautiful ! Love your glasses and your curly hair !
Black pepper $1.25 @ dollar tree🌸
Except for adobo. I mainly use white vinegar for cleaning. It is cheaper than buying cleaners. I have recently started to make my own taco, fajita, cinnamon sugar, salad dressings, and seasoned salt. It is much more economical than buying them already made. Some of them I don't use a lot so I don't need to make a lot of it. I can also substitute the salt with no salt or reduce the amount since I need to cut salt in my diet. I found out that if I freeze yeast, It lasts longer. I used to throw away the ones that were expired because I don't make bread that often. As you said, stock up on pantry items you use a lot. I get rice in 20 or 25 lb bags because it is a daily staple where potatoes and beans are not. Cream of soup, tomato soup are also frequently used in casserole dishes. It is easy to make your own bechamel sauce. Fresh milk is versatile and used in many recipes. But , I just cannot finish a gallon of milk before it spoils so I do keep dry milk, even though it costs more than fresh milk because it is shelf stable and I don't use it often. If you make your own bread you may need to get different kinds of flour bread flour, whole wheat, and all purpose. Cornbread mix or cornmeal is good for making more than cornbread Honey keeps just about forever as long as no water gets in it. I don't use much sugar, but I use a lot of stevia. Bisquick mix, or you can make your own if also very versatile as well as oatmeal as budget meal by itself or in recipes. I also keep ramen noodles around. It can be used as a base for other noodles dishes. Canned tomato products, tomato sauce, crushed tomato, diced or stewed tomatoes, whole tomatoes are called for in many recipes unless you are canning your own, these are staples in my house. I prefer to stock up on frozen vegetables because they have less salt and have better color and texture than canned. Cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, unsweetened cocoa are also staples. So is chocolate. I always have some chocolate for snacks in the frig. It takes me about 6 months to finish one bag of minis. It is a sweet indulgence. I keep some other things that is not common like char siu, nori, spam, dried shitake mushrooms, black bean sauce, chili sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, Japanese vinegar, long rice ( vermicelli), and specialty noodles like soba, Korean noodles which I use frequently enough so I like to keep them on hand Especially, since some things are only available in specialty markets. Since I don't go to these placese often it usually costs more than $10 to stock up.
My family loves corn meal porridge
Fantastic video with tons of useful suggestions, Mindy! Thank you so much. This truly is one of the most informative ones I've viewed in quite a long time!!!
Thank you!
Long time subscriber, first time commenting: this video was your absolute best yet!
Thanks for all you do to help people!
👍❤
Wow, thanks! I appreciate the kind words! 😊
Great video. A-Z foods for the kitchen covered. Thanks! Debi in Vicksburg, MS. 🥰🥰
Thanks for watching!
ffm sent me and im hooked
You really made a great video! Well done and I’m sure very helpful for many ! 🎩 off to you ❤
Thank you so much!
I really appreciate you making this video it has so much information on it thank you
Thank you so much Mindy! You always have the greatest ideas. It really helps people save. In this economy every penny helps!! God bless you for all you do!!
Happy to help! Thank you for the kind words and encouragement!
I saw a video on cornbread and banana. It is delicious. I told 2 of my friends they tried the recipe. They liked it.
Girl, get yourself the OXO garlic press. It is life changing! Worth every penny.
This is a great video I've been searching for something like this
You can get super cheap prices on some spices if you buy them in the bulk section, allowing you to get only what you need & refill your own container at home. I get most of my spices this way & it saves me a ton of money over time.
Such a great video! Perfect for someone setting up a household for the first time.
Glad you think so!
I frequently purchase dollar tree spices and I have to say they are pretty decent for the price. I haven’t noticed any difference and they have a good variety ❤😊
If you are cooking dry beans, I found a great way to flavor is throw in a little bouillon with the water. Especially if beans aren’t exactly your family’s favorite food.
Great info Mindy. I love your hair in this style! I’ve been meaning to say that since you started wearing it this way.🙂
Thank you!
Excellent idea & video!! THANK YOU! 🤗 I'm using it & sharing it!
A great selection of items. Thank you for the video.
Thanks for watching!
Mindy this is an excellent and spot on list !!! I use all the same spices and things you do ! My kitchen is always stocked with them ! !
Dollar Tree has 2lb packs of spaghetti, and both brown and white rice. Lentils and beans are cheap there as well.
I am stocked but this was very educational for newbies ty
Great video!!!! You put a lot of time & energy into ❤❤
Thank you so much!!
Instead of the Jiffy mix I would have gone with cornmeal since you already had the basic baking items. Just a thought. Great video!
You could cut onions into different shapes and make garlic pucks and freeze them.. They will last longer and will be ready to use as needed.
One very important item for baking is butter.
If you have molasses, you can make your own brown sugar.Mix it with white sugar.
You can make powdered sugar by food processing white sugar down to a powder. I havent heard any American RUclips mention caster sugar but it is a finer granular sugar and it can be made at home too. I just found out you can make a homemade sweetened condense milk. Its pretty dear in Australia.
Even though I have a well stocked pantry , I always enjoy your videos. ❤
Thanks so much!