Spring cleaning is upon us, my friends! And that can only mean one thing: It's time to tackle .

This is something I do two or three times a year. I yank everything out of the pantry to check any expiration dates, and empty out any or . That includes, you know… half-eaten bags of Fritos... any excessive number of congealed condiments... a tub of Crisco shortening from 1975. At this stage, the limit does not exist.

It really helps to have a small workspace inside the pantry like we do at . That way, I can lay it all out on the countertops outside of a busy kitchen that's otherwise overrun with hungry cowboys.

Once I've gone through it all, I head to the store with a shopping list and stock up with everything we need. The result is pure pantry perfection. (Say that five times fast.)

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I've broken this list down into three categories: the pantry, the fridge and the freezer. Baking ingredients can be stored in the pantry, but I listed them in a separate subcategory for all you bakers out there.

Keep in mind that all the items on this list fall under the category of staples and are meant to be filled in with perishables like fresh produce, eggs, milk, etc. on a weekly basis as needed.

For you, this might mean once or twice a week. For us, that's a two-hour drive into town and stock-up once, twice or three times a year. (Hey, that's life on the ranch!)

Here's the handy-dandy printable version of my list for those of you who'd like to take it with you to the supermarket on your next trip. Have fun stocking up!

Kevin J. Miyazaki

My motto: It's better to buy it now than need it later and be without it.

(Of course, that's how I ended up with 17 cans of green chiles in my pantry, but that's a different story...)

Here's everything you need for cooking, well, anything. I like ready-made dishes. Take a day where you cook up bulk recipes to be stored flat in zip-up freezer bags, or just gradually build them up over time. Store both large and small quantities so you can easily feed a crowd or just yourself, and just reheat by adding to a large pot with a little water. This applies to other recipes, too: Homemade pasta sauces, chili, soups or stews and even *weird* seasonal ingredients like —portion into 1- or 2-cup quantities so you can easily use them in your cooking.

You'd be surprised how often you'll turn to these shelves for a little dash of flavor or a handy substitute for something else. Jarred pesto is an easy way to inject big flavor into soups, pasta, quiches, chicken salads, dips and dressings when you don't have access to fresh basil. Panko breadcrumbs are good to top , coat fried mozzarella, mix them in meatballs and meatloaf. Same deal with dried beans: Put 'em in . Put 'em in . Cook 'em in a pot with a ham hock. Make refried beans.

Stocks and broths are all great for making soups, braising briskets or cooking a . Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can be pureed with mayonnaise for a great salad dressing or veggie dip.

is mostly used in baking, of course, but you can also dissolve a little in water and add it as a , soups and chilis.

Of course, you'll want to stock up on all kinds of seasonings, herbs and spices: Kosher salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, ground thyme, oregano, parsley, turmeric, Worcestershire, Tabasco sauce, etc.

Canned tomatoes (crushed, whole, diced, tomato paste or RO*TEL)Dried pastas (in every shape and size imaginable)Rice (long grain, brown and Arborio for risotto)Peanut butterHoney (to sweeten yogurt smoothies or drizzle on hot biscuits)Jellies and jams (strawberry, apricot and jalapeño are my go-to flavors)Real maple syrupChipotle peppers in adobo sauceRoasted red peppersCanned artichoke heartsAssorted olives (pimento-stuffed, black or kalamata)Jarred peppers (jalapeño or pepperoncini) Shortening and vegetable oil Olive oil Vinegars (white distilled, white wine, apple cider, red wine or rice wine) Chocolate chips and other forms of baking chocolate (semi-sweet, bittersweet and unsweetened)Oatmeal and other grainsEvaporated milkSweetened condensed milkCornmealMasaKetchupMustardBarbecue sauceMayonnaisePotatoes (store 'em in a basket so air can circulate)OnionsGarlicDried beansStocks and brothsJarred pesto and specialty relishes Jarred salsaPanko breadcrumbsSeasonings, herbs and spices

Buff Strickland

Even if you're not a sweet tooth yourself, someone is in your family: bake a , a pie for the holidays or cookies for the kids. are pure heaven—make them for everyone in your life.

Bulk flour (all-purpose, whole wheat or self-rising)YeastGranulated sugarBrown sugarPowdered sugarBaking powderBaking sodaKosher saltBaking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves)Flavored extracts

The key here is to think: long-lasting. For fruit, that means lemons, limes and apples. For vegetables, think: different , cabbage and beets. For cheese, pick up blocks of long-lasting varieties like cheddar, parmesan and feta. The one exception to this rule is cream cheese, which I use in desserts, as a dip with or chutney, or in like baked artichoke or spinach. I list bacon here but this can be a freezer item, too: Make BLT sandwiches, top burgers, or cut into bits and fry with onions as the basis for some pasta sauces and soups.

As for , you need salted and unsalted. (Yes, you need both. Trust me on this: The more buttah, the bettah.)

Fresh fruit Fresh vegetables Butter (salted and unsalted) Cheese Cream cheeseBacon Corn tortillas

If stored properly, frozen groceries seem to last forever but here's the catch: Packaging makes a big difference and everything is packaged differently.

So for instance, should be wrapped in butcher paper. Cuts of chicken should either be flash frozen then stored in zip-up bags or vacuum sealed.

Pizza dough and should be stored in zip-up bags (let them thaw for 30 minutes or so before rolling out to use in cooking). Nuts like pecans, almonds, and walnuts should be shelled and packaged in zip-up bags or else they go rancid. See? The list goes on and on.

The freezer is where I stock the veggies that aren't all that great in canned form. Think: green beans, peas, spinach, Brussels sprouts, lima beans, carrots and corn. These non-acidic vegetables stay so much more delicious and nutritious in the freezer. (Freeze your own by blanching them, dousing them in ice water, then drying, then flash freezing, and throwing them into larger zip-up bags.

) Similarly, frozen fruits like peaches, berries and cherries are awesome stand-ins for , crisps, and when they're no longer in season. And here's an even easier idea: Just throw frozen fruit right into a blender for whenever you want.

As an aside, this is where I must sing an ode to : I love those little store-bought balls of dough. They rise and bake up so beautifully, and you can slather them with butter and chopped rosemary or turn them into something entirely different—like say, roll them out and use them to make or mini pizzas. Always a crowd-pleaser in this house.

BeefChicken (breasts, wings, legs or thighs)Raw shrimpSausage (breakfast sausage, Italian sausage or chorizo)Bread loavesPizza doughFrozen dinner rollsPie crustPecans and walnutsFrozen fruitsFrozen vegetablesChiliPasta saucesSoups and stews

Did I forget anything? Let me know in the comments! I'll be heading to the store, well, eventually. 🤪