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Use this shopping list to keep your pantry stocked with the good foods you’ll want to have on hand throughout your cancer treatment and recovery—and beyond!

In the Pantry:

You can build a quick meal or snack around pastas, beans and canned fish; use cereals and soups for simple fallback meals. Spices, sauces, cooking oils and vinegars embolden meals when taste buds need tempting.

• Canned and dried beans: black, pinto, kidney, chickpeas, lentils, refried, baked
• Rice: brown, long-grain, rice mixes
• Pasta and noodles, preferably whole-grain
• Other grains: cornmeal, farro, quinoa, quick-cooking barley
• Whole-wheat crackers, breadcrumbs
• Onions
• Garlic
• Canned tomatoes: diced, whole, seasoned, sun-dried, sauce, salsa
• Canned and dried fruits: applesauce, fruit cups, pears, pineapple, cranberries, prunes, apricots
• Sauces: pasta, pizza, tomato
• Soups: canned soups, reduced-sodium broths
• Canned protein foods: canned chunk light tuna, salmon, sardines, minced clams, chicken
• Meal-replacement shakes
• Pudding cups
• Gelatin cups
• Cereals: shredded wheat, bran flakes, rice cereals, cream of wheat
• Rolled oats
• Peanut butter
• Peanut-butter cracker packs
• Protein bars and/or granola bars
• Nuts and trail mixes
• Evaporated milk
• Unsweetened coconut milk
• Nonfat dry milk
• Vinegars: balsamic, red-wine, white-wine, rice, cider
• Dried herbs: bay leaves, dill, crumbled dried sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon, Italian seasoning blend
• Spices: allspice (whole berries or ground), caraway seeds, chili powder, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, coriander seeds, ground coriander, cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric
• Oils: olive, canola, peanut
• Cooking spray
• Pure maple syrup
• Honey
• Sugar, granulated and brown
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips
• Whole-wheat flour and whole-wheat pastry flour (Store opened packages in the refrigerator or freezer.)
• All-purpose flour

In the Refrigerator:

Seek out a colorful assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables; vary them with the season, enjoying them when they’re freshest and tastiest. (Note: Cancer patients, who often have weakened immune systems, are sometimes told to avoid raw vegetables and fruits, to minimize exposure to disease-causing organisms. But many cancer experts agree that for most patients, eating raw produce is fine—as long has it has been thoroughly washed, and handled with good food-safety practices. Check with your health care team about what makes sense for you, or for the person you’re cooking for.)

• Fruits and vegetables in season, especially oranges, grapefruit, apples, pears, pineapple
• Long-keeping vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, carrots
• Salad greens (romaine, baby spinach, spring mix)
• Cooking greens (kale, spinach, collard greens, mustard greens)
• Lemons, limes
• Fresh ginger
• 100% vegetable and fruit juices
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Cheeses: Cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Monterey Jack, cottage, good-quality Parmesan
• Sour cream and cream cheese
• Hummus
• Tahini
• Water-packed tofu
• Whole-wheat and corn tortillas
• Eggs
• Sauces: barbecue, Worcestershire, soy, teriyaki, chili, curry paste, Sriracha
• Ketchup and mustard (spicy and Dijon)
• Mayonnaise
• Salad dressings made with olive oil

In the Freezer:

Keep meal-building staples here, like fish, poultry, meats and breads, and a stash of frozen vegetables to slip into soups, sauces and casseroles. Have an assortment of frozen fruits, berries and green leafy vegetables for making smoothies, and freezer treats for times when you need something cool and creamy.

• Frozen vegetables: peas, spinach and other greens, broccoli, bell pepper and onion mix, corn, chopped onions, small whole onions, uncooked hash browns
• Frozen (unsweetened) fruit: strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, mango
• Breads: whole-grain breads, dinner rolls, English muffins, bagels, pitas
• Proteins: fish, chicken breast, ground turkey breast, extra-lean beef
• Ice cream and frozen yogurt
• Popsicles and fruit bars

As previously posted on EatingWell.com