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🧭 From the Armchair Pantry

Welcome to the Armchair Pantry—my behind-the-scenes guide to stocking a kitchen that supports cozy, travel-inspired cooking at home. This is where ingredients take center stage, making it easy to cook with intention, flexibility, and a little wanderlust—no passport (or last-minute grocery run) required.

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Whether I’m pulling together a Mediterranean-inspired dinner, planning a themed cooking night, or cooking on the fly between chapters, the pantry is always my starting point. By building a thoughtful collection of staples from different cuisines, I can let stories, seasons, and cravings guide what ends up on the plate.

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This page is all about what to keep on hand, how to use it creatively, and how to make your pantry work for you—especially if you love armchair travel, bookish themes, and simple meals with depth and heart.

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🌿 Pantry Philosophy

 

For me, the pantry is the starting point of every meal — not a backup plan. It’s where flexibility lives, where curiosity begins, and where everyday cooking feels less stressful and more creative.

I build my pantry with intention, choosing ingredients that can move between cuisines, stretch across seasons, and adapt to whatever I’m in the mood for. Some days that looks like a simple Mediterranean-inspired meal with olive oil and herbs; other days it’s borrowing flavors from somewhere else in the world, using what’s already on the shelf.

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I don’t aim for perfection or completeness — I aim for possibility. A well-loved pantry makes it easier to cook on a whim, recreate flavors from books and travels (real or imagined), and turn ordinary ingredients into something comforting and meaningful.

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At its heart, my pantry is about:

  • Cooking from what I have, not what I don’t

  • Letting ingredients guide the meal

  • Embracing flexibility over strict rules

  • Creating cozy, flavorful food without overcomplication

 

Think of this space as a guide to building a pantry that supports armchair travel, seasonal cooking, and everyday comfort — one shelf at a time.

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With that mindset in place, let’s start with the flavors I reach for most — the ones that form the backbone of my everyday cooking and make armchair travel feel effortless.

🍂 The Seasonal Pantry

 

I like to think of the pantry as something that gently shifts with the seasons—not a full reset, just small adjustments that match the mood outside.

 

As the year changes, I naturally lean into:

  • Warmer spices, baking staples, and comforting extras in autumn and winter

  • Lighter flavors, citrus, and simple pantry meals in spring and summer

  • Seasonal add-ins like jams, canned fruit, or cozy drink ingredients

 

The base stays the same, but the highlights change—allowing the pantry to support both everyday meals and seasonal rituals without constant restocking.

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🫒 Mediterranean Pantry Staples

 

The Mediterranean pantry is my home base — not in a strict, traditional sense, but in a use-what-you-love kind of way. These are the flavors and ingredients I return to for meals that feel fresh, comforting, and deeply satisfying without being complicated.

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Rather than following rigid recipes, I use pantry staples as building blocks — mixing, matching, and adapting based on what I enjoy and what I actually keep on hand.

 

Core Staples I Reach For Most

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • Canned chickpeas (my go-to legume)

  • Rice varieties I love: minute white rice, arborio, or bomba

  • Pasta (short shapes + spaghetti are my staples)

  • Canned tomatoes & tomato paste

  • Garlic, shallots (used more often than onions), and lemons

  • Artichoke hearts

  • Feta or hard cheeses (when available)

Herbs & Flavor Builders

  • Oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves

  • Paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes

  • Black pepper and sea salt

  • Fresh or dried parsley and basil

 

These ingredients make it easy to throw together:

  • Simple rice bowls and pasta dishes

  • Cozy soups or one-pot meals

  • Light lunches inspired by café-style plates

  • Comforting dinners that feel nourishing but unfussy

 

✨ A Little Pantry Note

You might notice some classic Mediterranean staples missing here — and that’s intentional.

 

While ingredients like lentils, white beans, couscous, bulgur, farro, olives, and capers are common in Mediterranean cooking, they aren’t part of my everyday kitchen. This space isn’t about cooking “by the book” — it’s about building a pantry that reflects real preferences, real habits, and real comfort.

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If you love those ingredients, absolutely make them part of your own version. If not, there’s always room to swap, skip, or substitute. That flexibility is what makes this style of cooking feel sustainable and joyful.

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🌍 Global Go-To’s

 

These are the ingredients I reach for when I want a meal to feel comforting, familiar, and just a little bit transportive. They’re not tied to one place or cuisine — they’re the kinds of staples that quietly support cozy cooking inspired by books, travel dreams, and everyday cravings.

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You’ll see them pop up across many meals, from simple breakfasts to slow, comforting dinners, and they’re chosen because they work in lots of ways without demanding perfection.

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  • Olive oil or butter for building flavor

  • Pasta and simple noodles

  • Broth or stock cubes (vegetable, chicken, or beef)

  • Canned tomatoes and tomato paste

  • Onions or shallots

  • Garlic (fresh or powdered)

  • Lemons or bottled lemon juice

  • Eggs

  • Oats

  • Flour and baking basics

  • Honey, maple syrup, or golden syrup

  • Jam or marmalade

  • Tea (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, or herbal blends)

 

For adding warmth, depth, or a gentle twist:

  • Mustard (Dijon or grainy)

  • Soy sauce or tamari

  • Sesame oil (used lightly)

  • Curry powder or garam masala

  • Ginger (fresh or ground)

  • Chili garlic sauce or sriracha

  • Coconut milk

  • Bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and oregano

 

And a few cozy extras that make everyday meals feel special:

  • Shortbread or simple biscuits

  • Custard powder or vanilla pudding mix

  • Canned fruit (pineapple, peaches, or pears)

  • Dark chocolate or cocoa powder

 

I don’t use every ingredient all the time — and that’s the point. This list is about possibility, not rules. I cook with what I enjoy, what I have on hand, and what fits the mood I’m in, letting flavors overlap and evolve naturally.

If something here inspires you, take it. If something doesn’t, leave it behind. The pantry should feel supportive, not prescriptive.

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♻️ Use What You Have: Reduce Waste & Pantry Hacks 

Wasting less and cooking more creatively go hand-in-hand. Here’s how I make the most of every ingredient in my pantry and fridge:

  • Pantry swaps: No chickpeas? Try white beans or lentils. No fresh herbs? Use dried or frozen instead.

  • Stretch meals: Bulk up soups or stews with extra veggies, grains, or beans.

  • Freeze fresh herbs: Chop and freeze herbs in olive oil ice cube trays for easy portioning and longer life.

  • Repurpose leftovers: Turn stale bread into croutons, bread crumbs, or even French toast.

  • Use veggie scraps: Save peels, ends, and stalks in a freezer bag to make homemade vegetable broth.

  • Keep a “use-it-soon” basket: Group ingredients nearing expiration to prioritize in your meal planning.

  • Batch cooking: Make extra to freeze or eat for lunches, reducing last-minute cooking stress.

  • Mindful shopping: Buy only what you need and plan meals around what you already have.

 

Flexibility and mindfulness in cooking not only save money but make meals feel like little creative adventures—perfect for the armchair traveler at heart.

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🧺 Pantry Organization Tips

 

A cozy pantry doesn’t have to be picture-perfect—it just needs to work for you. A few simple systems make it easier to see what you have, use it well, and actually enjoy cooking from it.

 

Here’s what helps me most:

  • Use clear jars or bins so ingredients are easy to spot at a glance

  • Label basics like flour, sugar, and grains (bonus points for dates)

  • Rotate older items to the front so nothing gets forgotten

  • Keep a small “use-it-soon” basket for items nearing their best-by date

  • Group ingredients by purpose (baking, quick meals, cozy snacks) rather than cuisine

 

The goal isn’t minimalism or perfection—it’s creating a pantry that feels calm, supportive, and easy to cook from on any kind of day.

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📝 Build Your Own Pantry Checklist

 

Everyone’s pantry looks different—and that’s exactly how it should be.

 

If you want a simple way to track what you actually use, plan cozy meals, or build a pantry that fits your tastes, the Build Your Own Pantry Checklist is designed to help.

 

It’s flexible, customizable, and meant to grow with you—whether you’re stocking from scratch or refining what you already have.

 

👉 Get the Build Your Own Pantry Checklist
(Available in the Wanderlust Library for subscribers)

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🧭 Cooking Without a Recipe

 

Some of my favorite meals start without a plan at all.

 

Cooking without a recipe is about trusting your pantry, your instincts, and the moment you’re in. It might mean tossing pasta with what’s on hand, building a cozy bowl from leftovers, or letting a single ingredient inspire the whole meal.

 

This way of cooking feels slower, softer, and more intuitive—perfect for evenings when you want comfort without complication. It’s not about getting it “right,” but about making something that feels good, nourishing, and just a little bit magical.

 

The pantry is there to support you, not to set rules. Let it guide you, surprise you, and meet you exactly where you are.

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