Are you ready to up your pantry game? One of the easiest ways to elevate your everyday cooking is to stock up on a variety of oils and vinegars. Integral to everything from sauces to stews, maintaining a wide-ranging stock of vinegars and oils allows you to vary the flavors in your dishes and expand the scope of your cooking.

Most of us have standards such as olive oil and white vinegar on hand. However, now might be the right time to branch out and add a few new pantry staples. 

Coconut oil

With its creamy, fatty quality, coconut oil is outstanding for baking, adding richness to your cakes, cookies and muffins. It also happens to double as a stellar beauty product, with uses as a moisturizer, makeup remover, cuticle treatment, and more.

Balsamic vinegar

If you don’t have balsamic vinegar in your arsenal yet, it’s time to add it to the rotation. Dark, sweet, and rich, it produces gorgeous salad dressings and marinades. In a pinch, you can also simply drizzle balsamic vinegar and olive oil over your salad as a substitute for dressing.

Sesame oil

With its intense sesame flavor, it only takes a teaspoon or two of this fragrant oil to make a big impact on a dish. Use sesame oil to sauté vegetables, cook rice, drizzle on soups, or even as a mix-in for popcorn. It’s also the key ingredient to the ultimate cold noodle salad.

Apple cider vinegar

Forget making bread—it’s time to get into pickling! If you want to try your hand at pickling your favourite vegetables or preparing gorgeous antipasto, apple cider vinegar is an ideal choice to add rich flavor to your brine. And since it has the added benefit of making you feel full longer, there is some evidence to show it can help with weight loss.

Rice wine vinegar

Also known as rice vinegar, rice wine vinegar is subtly sweet with just a touch of acidity. It’s perfect for Asian cooking, whether you’re preparing a stir fry, a dipping sauce, a marinade, or you’re looking to give a batch of rice a little something extra. Oh—and don’t forget to try it on your fries. It might just be the ultimate French fry dip!

Avocado oil

It’s a bit of a splurge, but if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to traditional vegetable oil, avocado is a great option. With a neutral flavour and a high smoke point, it’s ideal as a frying oil for your favourite stovetop dishes.

Red wine vinegar

Made from fermented red wine, this tangy vinegar is an all-purpose workhorse. Like most vinegars, it is great for crafting salad dressings or marinades. But because of its potent flavour, it also pairs well with red meats and other heartier foods, making it a perfect addition to stews, soups, and glazes.

What are you waiting for? Pick up a couple new cooking options and start experimenting. You’ll be glad you broadened your culinary horizons.