OUR PANTRY

Say good-bye to grocery fatigue and shop like a pro!

Fresh ingredients for healthy, easy weeknight dinners: greens, cheese, meat, apple.

Stop wandering the aisles, wondering which brand and items to buy

A well-stocked pantry is key to weeknight dinner success, but well-stocked doesn’t mean crowded or overflowing. Instead, we rely on a few carefully curated and accessible staples that make everyday cooking easy and flavorful. Our time-tested recommendations are below - we reach for these products time and again, and think you will, too. Think of these ingredients as the cooking and flavor foundations of your kitchen.

Watcha looking for?

Jars of spices and seasonings for tasty, quick weeknight dinner recipes

Spices

We love spices - they transform otherwise ordinary dishes and have a fascinating history . These are the ones we reach for all the time, and our preferred brand is Frontier Co-Op - we love their flavor, their cute packaging, and their commitment to sustainability and livelihoods. Other great and easily findable brands include Simply Organic, Trader Joe’s, and Target’s Good and Gather. We also love specialty brands like Diaspora Co. and Burlap and Barrel, and treasures galore can be found in the bulk section of your local co-op and international stores.

A final note on spices: store them in the dark - like vampires, they do best away from bright light.

For salt, Annie swears by Redmond Real Salt, while Grace kicks it old school with Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. You can’t go wrong with either, but we suggest choosing one brand and sticking with it. 

Assorted sauces to enhance easy, quick dinners, perfect for weeknight meals.

Oils & Vinegars

High quality, responsibly sourced fats are an essential part of a healthy diet, and help your body absorb nutrients while keeping you satiated. Meanwhile, vinegars round out your dish by adding a pop of brightness and acidity. 

Condiment bottles for flavoring quick and easy weeknight dinners.

Condiments

Annie loves condiments so much she noted her affection for them in her dating profile. Our absolute faves are below, but feel free to make swaps based on your taste! We included a lemon vinaigrette but go for the balsamic dressing if you prefer that. You want honey or agave instead of maple? We’re here for it. Cholula instead of sriracha? You’ll get no fight from us.

Icons representing ingredients for easy 30-minute weeknight dinners.

Extras

We cannot tell you how many times we’ve thrown a pack of rice into the microwave, fried an egg, topped both with some chile crisp, and called it dinner. Having an arsenal of shelf-stable, pre-cooked grains and proteins means you always have a meal on hand, while having a variety of sauces and crunchy toppings ensures that meal is never boring. We rely on the items below to both simplify and zhuzh up weeknight meals.

Enthusiastic cook ready for easy, quick weeknight dinner preparation

Equipment

Now that you’ve got your pantry in order, you need some things to cook with! You don’t need a ton of gadgets, but we recommend arming yourself with equipment staples you’ll use everyday and will stand up to frequent washing. When it comes to brands, Oxo and Lodge have never failed us. 

Recipe card for quick, easy weeknight dinners, perfect for busy evenings

Cookbooks

The books we reach for time and time again, for instruction, inspiration, and comfort.