Get fully stocked and prepared for cool weather with fall pantry staples.

From football game snacks and tailgate parties to quick dinners in cooler fall evenings and back to school school lunches on warm fall days these fall pantry staples are the ingredients you will reach for all season long and well into winter.

Planning for and stocking these fall pantry staples will ensure fewer last minute grocery store runs. You’ll be prepared for everything from hot cocoa and tea to spicy chilis and warm chowders. Your pantry will be well-prepared for the cold winter weather ahead.

All the ingredients mentioned below are in a one page printable fall pantry shopping list.

Warm drinks for brisk weather

Make sure you have hot cocoa on hand for cool evenings as well as warm tea on sunny brisk days. Mulled cider is another option–don’t forget the cinnamon sticks.

Apples are fall pantry staples

Speaking of mulled cider, fresh apple cider or hard cider are traditional fall beverages. Fresh cider can’t be stored for very long but hard cider (which is fermented and contains alcohol) can be stored indefinitely in the pantry or cellar. You can even make your own.

Apple pie, apple sauce, dried apples, and baked apples evoke fall in New England. Apples keep longest in a cool root cellar or the refrigerator crisper, but will also last a while stored on the shelf of a pantry or a bowl on the counter. Keep apples in storage away from potatoes–apples exude ethylene gas which accelerates potato sprouting and spoilage.

Hearty Fall Pantry Staples

Overnight oatmeal with fruit (fresh or dried fruit) and a dollop of yogurt is a wonderful fall breakfast.

Starches for hearty fall meals call for potatoes (more on those below) breadcrumbs, crackers for chowders and soups, and flour for dumplings and pies and bread.

Have you tried any alternative grains like freekeh, wheat berries or farro? Rice noodles are a great gluten-free fall pantry staple. We have an illustrated list of ten gluten-free grains.

A fall pantry has plenty of beans to make chili and baked beans, as well as bean salad and pasta with beans.

Stock your fall pantry with canned chowders and soups, tomatoes and sauces (hello lasagna and spaghetti), canned pumpkin for pies (pumpkin pie also calls for condensed milk), pasta and cheddar for homemade macaroni and cheese.

Salsa and chips are a good fall snack (and a great way to use up extra tomatoes if you make your own salsa). Add some spicy chicken or beef, mozzarella cheese, beans and guacamole for hearty nachos.

Fall is also a great time, with cooler weather, to make your own bread and try some made from scratch biscuits. We have a recipe for you right here.

Potatoes and root vegetables

Fall is when potatoes are ready for harvest, and you can lay in a nice supply of potatoes for winter if you can store them in a dark cool area. Carrots and onions will last for a while. Store these away from apples, as mentioned above, to prevent premature spoilage.

Storing foods in fall for cool weather always brings to mind the Little House books on putting away food stores for the winter in their cabin in the woods, or the surveyor’s house on the lake.

Flavorful Fall Pantry Staples

Flavor your fall pantry with fennel, garlic, and onions.

Coconut milk and curry paste are good options for spicing up fall meals.

If you haven’t already, make up some pickled beans or cucumbers from your garden or market–fresh dill, kosher salt, pickling spice, distilled white vinegar, and canning jars are all you need for puckery pickled goodness in a jar and a taste of summer you can bring into the winter.

Supplies for the Fall Pantry

Finally, some other supplies to consider:

• Dehydrator for final harvests – chop jalapeno peppers into slices and dry for a kick of heat in winter soups and stews.
• Mugs for teas and cocoa – for home and to go
• Big stew pot – a thick bottom to prevent scorching works well.
• Back to school lunch containers – love wooden bento boxes to reduce plastic waste.
• Pie boxes. In case you have, um, more than one pie to carry.
• Cooling racks are great for baked goods, as are new oven mitts.

What’s in your fall pantry that isn’t covered here, or specific to your region or country? Drop us a line and let us know.

All the ingredients mentioned below are in a one page printable fall pantry shopping list (click and print).