Your pantry
Most cookbooks will suggest a pantry-- items you keep stocked in your cabinet or fridge that are helpful to have on hand, won't spoil and form the basics of good cooking. In one cookbook I read, the pantry items were really complicated and required a ton of prep work just to prepare fancy salts and spice mixes that you might use occasionally. Seemed way too time consuming to me. So here are just some basics that I suggest keeping in your kitchen. These items will almost assure you can whip something together that will taste reasonably good, even on short notice.
Lemons. Just buy 2 of them every week when you go to the grocery. You may wind up throwing one out every once in a while, but especially if you have someone at home on a low salt diet, lemons are key to flavor. And as Bobby Flay once said, always use the lemon zest-- it's free. Zest adds a subtle lemon flavor, not as acidic as lemon juice.
Garlic and onions. Ditto above. Always have them in your fridge. They're like building blocks.
Iodized sea salt. We need iodine in our diets. Salt is the best way to get it. Sea salt tastes really good. Find a good, healthy brand.
Oil. You need extra virgin olive oil at all times. Also good to have another vegetable oil like canola or saffflower on hand for basic frying and baking, where the taste of olive oil would be lost or overwhelming.
Capers and sun-dried tomatoes. Both can be found in large jars, will keep forever in the back of the fridge and add wonderful flavor. They contain salt, but I use them as a salt alternative.
Big hunk of parmesan cheese and a grater. Forget pre-grated parmesan cheese. Buy a big wedge of -- it will keep for months in the fridge and the taste of fresh grated is world's above anything pre-grated or pre-packaged. I also keep a big wedge of pecorino romano. What is available here in the States is nothing like Italian pecorino. But what you get in the U.S. is very salty and adds flavor to pestos and pasta dishes that need a bit more salt.
Nuts. You know they're healthy. They add wonderful flavor, as well as protein to many dishes, and they're great for snacking. Left in the freezer, they will keep for months. I devote an entire drawer in my freezer to nuts and seeds, trying to keep on hand: walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, almonds and raw pepitas. Use them.
Spices. There are so many. Keep your favorites on hand. A basic list might include: red pepper flakes; black peppercorns (for the pepper grinder); cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, curry powder.
Fresh herbs are always better and have cancer-fighting properties. Use them whenever you can, but they're not always available and you might not have them in the house. So consider buying dried oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, dill and tarragon.
And for baking: cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg.
Fresh ginger: Keep a hunk of this gnarly root in the freezer. When you need it, you can grate it right from the frozen piece using a microplane, or cut off a slice, let it thaw and dice as needed. Great in many dishes, soups and smoothies.
For baking: unbleached flour; baking soda and baking powder; granulated and confectioner's sugar; brown sugar if you bake a lot.
Bread crumbs. They are cheap, you can usually find them in the supermarket from local bakeries and if you buy local, will have few additives. Keep well in the fridge.
Pasta, eggs, butter, milk, rice, couscous.
Canned goods. Generally I avoid them, but these few have relatively few or any additives, so they pass the test. They are always good to have on hand in case you have to improvise: organic chick peas; San Marzano whole tomatoes; a jar of passata di pomodoro, which is similar to a can of tomato puree, but better; diced tomatoes; tuna. Chicken broth: I like the smaller pint containers that come in a handy 4-pack. Organic soups in cartons-- these are really good; most kids like them even in unpopular flavors like broccoli cheddar; they have few additives and make a good lunch with some cheese and pita chips.