Honestly, OP, I have wasted so much food that now I shop by meal planning. Kitchen space also fills up quickly no matter how much space you think you have!

I plan what I am going to make for the week, and buy accordingly. I cannot 'cook on the fly' so this works for me. You'll just have to remember to buy EVERYTHING you need for the recipe (down to salt, pepper, olive oil, etc.). If you want to make your kid cookies, pick up that bag of toll house chips and write down every ingredient.

If you do this every week, then eventually, you'll have a full pantry catered to the dishes you make. Works better than having more crap than you actually will every use, and spices do go bad after 6 months to a year.

One big thing for your to-do list is to buy onions and fresh herbs and chop them up and freeze them for future use. I have found that trick a total lifesaver! (You can even buy pre-chopped onions, peppers, etc. at most supermarkets now too.)

And don't forget to buy baking soda for your fridge.

I second Aldi, and check your weekend newspaper for coupons. When we moved into our apartment 3 years ago, here was the list I emailed to my husband for our first Home Depot and grocery store run - it's a mix of pantry and not, but I removed all the produce from the list. Note that this is VERY dependent on what kind of cuisine you make.

coffee filters
garbage bags
hand soap
can opener
ice cube trays
toilet paper
paper towels
flash light
all purpose cleaner
dish soap/dishwasher soap
mop/bucket
sponges
broom
dustpan
plunger
toilet brush
doormat

salt
pepper
spices (old bay, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion salt)
canola oil
olive oil
red wine vinegar
whole wheat pasta, spaghetti and shells
2 jars pasta
bag of lentils
bag of chick peas
bag of black beans
bag of white beans
sun dried tomatoes
jar of olives
2 cans tuna
Dukes Mayo
yellow mustard
Dijon Mustard
ketchup
peanut butter
jam
Bisquick
coffee
apple sauce
raisins
walnuts
honey roasted peanuts
brown rice
vanilla extract
oats
cornmeal
all purpose flour
baking soda
baking powder
1 large can diced tomatoes
Tabasco
Worcestershire sauce
soy sauce
bouillon cubes (chicken & beef)
honey
maple syrup
salsa
brown sugar
white sugar


I'd add potatoes, onions, garlic, cold cereal, crackers, tortilla chips, tortillas, bread, frozen veggies and meat, and basic produce depending on what you like (bagged salad, apples, carrots, lemons, etc.).

Don't forget you can use Amazon for bulk delivery, too - snacks, drinks, etc.... With free shipping.

17:40, I'm pretty good about sticking to a budget. I don't make much and if I overspend on groceries, something else essential has to go. Trust me, if I had more money, my grocery budget wouldn't be $250/mo.

While I do a weekly meal plan, part of what I love about cooking is the grocery shopping and spontaneous spending/choosing something different or new at the store. I used to be a member of a CSA and I really enjoyed having to be creative with things I wouldn't normally have chosen to bring home.

And honestly, I can't imagine spending $10 on a delivery fee every week. That's $40/mo. That's almost a 1/5 of my entire monthly grocery budget! I can see it being a good deal for someone with more money to spend, but for me, it's not worth it.

While I won't have a car, my family does live nearby and I'll most likely be able to borrow one of their cars (or at least snag a ride home) once a month or so. Truly bulky things or visits to places like HMart can be saved for those trips.

After you initially stock up, try Peapod for grocery delivery. It does charge a small delivery fee, but it curbs splurges and spontaneous spending so it helps stick to a budget. You can get weekend delivery. And you can order bulkier things!

Shopping at Aldi has saved my family a ton in our grocery bill. There is one in Hyattsville and a newer one accross from the Safeway at RFK. Go there and you will save $$.

OP here.

Thanks for the posts so far! You're reminding me of things I'd left off (coffee and honey for example). I haven't really cooked in a year, so I'm having a hard time remembering what I actually use.

I'm also so excited to have my own place again that I'm having trouble prioritizing. I want to buy it ALL right now!

I'm also going to need to get things like garbage bags, sponges, dish soap, etc.

Any recommendations on where to shop? (like PP who said check ethnic markets for spices)

My normal grocery store will probably be the Columbia Heights Giant (the apt is near Ft. Totten Metro) and I'm selling my car this month, so bulky things will be a PITA once it's gone.

Canola oil
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
White vinegar
Flour
Sugar
Baking powder
Cocoa
Tea
Coffee
Honey
Canned tomatoes
Canned beans
Canned fish
Rice
Pasta
Barley
Breakfast cereal
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
Garlic
Oregano
Basil
Chipotle or other pepper
Bay leaves
Mustard
Ketchup
Mayo

One of those herb gardens in a pot.
Jarred sauce
Pasta
Parmesan cheese
cinnamon
nutmeg
chili powder
vanilla
coffee
olive oil
rice vinegar
balsalmic
flour
baking soda and b.powder
salt, pepper
cocoa
almond butter
shelf-stable milk of whatever variety
frozen fish fillets---think salmon, cod, etc. Much cheaper than fresh and they're already at home
frozen shrimp
chicken dogs and sausage
froz veggies

Rice
Flour
Baking soda and powder
Condiments
Spices you use on a regular basis (for me it would include oregano, black pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, thyme)
Canned tomatoes
few jars of pasta sauce
packages of dry pasta
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Red and white wine vinegar

And rice. We don't eat much rice, so I forgot that one.

Well, it really depends on what you guys eat daily. Do you usually make a protein, veggie, and starch for dinner? Is your 3 year old getting meals in day care? Or at home? Or being packed to take? I would start from your daily diet first.

I'll put out some ideas in case they sound appealing:

whole wheat pasta selection
beans, lentils, etc.
oats, oatmeal
chicken broth
canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and/or tomato sauce
flour (whole wheat and/or white)
sugar
baking soda and baking powder
salt and pepper
cinnamon
oregano (add spices as needed. purchase from the ethnic market or the ethnic aisle in your store. much cheaper than McCormick, etc.)

Then I'd move to freezer stuff, which keeps longer than fresh, of course.
Bagged frozen veggies that you like. They are often cheaper than fresh, more nutritious than canned. You can steam them, add seasonings, or use them in soups.
Cuts of meat, individually frozen. I buy fresh chicken breasts on sale and freeze them separately, or two at a time, to make small meals

Then buy condiments you use often:
ketchup
mustard
mayo

And root veggies that last (if you use them):
potatoes
onions

Then buy fresh foods as needed, once or twice a week.

Help me stock my pantry!

I've been living with family for the past year and am moving out in 2 weeks to an apartment. I have appliances, cookware, dishes, etc, in storage but nothing edible and nothing disposable. No spices, no canned goods, no paper products, no cleaning products. So, I'm starting from scratch.

My monthly grocery budget will be about $250 once we're moved in, I've got an additional $250-$300 to spend to stock my kitchen with staples.

It's just me and a 3yo that mainly subsists on nuts and cereal (I know his diet is abysmal, I'm working on it). I love cooking, but work FT, so simple and quick is a must. I don't eat a lot of red meat, it's mainly pasta, chicken and seafood. I don't mind making things from scratch if I can do it on the weekends and it saves me money-homemade tastes better anyway. Organic is good, but only if it's affordable and really makes a difference. I don't have a ton of space (no actual pantry, apt is only 750sqft), so don't want to buy too much in bulk. Reusable and multipurpose is great. I have about $200 to spend on other things for the apartment (vacuum cleaner, toiletries, misc).

I have a list, but I know I'm forgetting things.

What would you buy right away to get your pantry functional?