Organic pantry staples: what to buy, where, and how to store it
For many households, the pantry is the easiest place to start buying organic. Dry goods keep for months, they're easy to buy in bulk, and the price gap with conventional products is often smaller than for fresh food. This guide covers the staples most people use, how to check they're certified, and how to store them so nothing goes to waste.
The core organic pantry
You don't need all of these. Start with what you use most.
Grains and cereals - Rolled oats and quick oats - Plain and wholemeal flour, plus spelt or rye if you bake - Rice: white, brown, basmati, jasmine or arborio - Pasta and noodles - Quinoa, millet, buckwheat and polenta
Legumes - Dried or tinned chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans and split peas
Oils, vinegars and sauces - Olive oil, plus a neutral oil for high-heat cooking - Apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar - Tinned tomatoes, passata, tomato paste - Tamari or soy sauce, coconut milk and stock
Nuts, seeds and dried fruit - Almonds, cashews, walnuts and peanut butter - Sunflower seeds, pepitas, chia and sesame (and tahini) - Sultanas, dates and apricots
Sweeteners and baking - Raw or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup - Cocoa, baking powder (check it's certified if you want a certified organic bake), vanilla
Herbs and spices - Your everyday favourites: cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, oregano, pepper
How to check pantry products are certified
The rules are the same as for any organic food in Australia.
- Look for a certifier logo and number, such as ACO, Demeter, OFC or SXC. You can check the number on the certifier's public register. See How to check an organic certificate.
- Read the wording. "Certified organic" generally means at least 95% organic ingredients. "Made with organic ingredients" means 70–95%. For details, see our guide to organic logos and label wording.
- Don't confuse other claims with organic. "Cold-pressed", "extra virgin", "stone-ground", "wholefood", "non-GMO", "gluten-free" and "natural" can all be useful, but none of them means organic.
Imported staples
Many organic pantry staples are imported, especially rice, pasta, coconut products, cocoa, spices and some olive oils. You'll often see overseas marks instead of, or as well as, an Australian certifier's logo:
- The EU organic leaf (a leaf made of stars on a green background) with a code such as "IT-BIO-xxx" identifying the certifier.
- USDA Organic on American products.
- JAS on Japanese products.
These are genuine certification schemes. An Australian register won't list an overseas certified brand unless it's also certified here, so look up the code on the overseas scheme's database if you want to check.
Check the country of origin label too. If Australian-grown matters to you, the kangaroo logo and the bar showing the share of Australian ingredients tell you quickly. Queensland is home to organic flour millers and grain growers on the Darling Downs, for example, so local options exist for some staples.
Buying in bulk
Bulk bins at co-ops and refill stores are often the cheapest way to buy organic staples. They also cut packaging.
- Ask about the source. A good bulk store can tell you which certified brand or supplier each bin comes from.
- Check separation. If a store sells both organic and conventional versions of the same product, they should be in clearly labelled, separate bins with separate scoops.
- Is the store certified? A shop that repacks organic goods from bulk into its own bags should ideally be certified as a handler. If it isn't, the product may be organic, but the shop's own packs aren't certified.
- Bring clean, dry containers. Weigh them first (most stores will tare them for you).
- Buy what you'll use. Bulk is only good value if you finish it before it goes stale.
Storing staples so nothing goes to waste
Queensland's warm, humid climate is hard on the pantry. Pantry moths, weevils and mould are common, organic or not.
Containers - Use airtight glass jars or sealed plastic containers. Paper bags and folded packets let moths and weevils in. - Label each jar with the product and date.
Temperature and moisture - Keep the pantry cool, dark and dry, away from the oven, dishwasher and sunny walls. - Store wholemeal flour, nuts and seeds in the fridge or freezer in summer. Their natural oils can go rancid in the heat.
Keeping pests out - Freeze new flour, grains and dried fruit for a few days before putting them in the pantry. Many people do this to deal with any eggs already in the product. - Wipe the shelves and check old packets every few months. - If you find moths or weevils, throw out the affected product, clean the shelves thoroughly and check everything nearby.
First in, first out - Put new stock behind old stock so the oldest gets used first.
Making organic staples affordable
- Buy the big bag of the things you use every week, such as oats, flour, rice and lentils. Unit prices are usually much lower.
- Share a bulk order with friends or family, or join a co-op or buying group.
- Cook from dried legumes instead of tins. Soak and cook a big batch, then freeze it in portions.
- Watch for specials at organic grocers and stock up on long-life items.
- Prioritise. Choose organic for the staples you eat most, and don't stress about the rest.
Pantry staples on Blueberry Bear Organics
Our Pantry category will feature certified organic staples from Queensland sellers, including local millers, grocers and co-ops. Every product will show its certifier and certificate number. Where a shop sells certified brands but isn't certified itself, we'll show "Certified product, retailer not certified" so you know exactly what's been checked. At the moment, products on our site are clearly marked SAMPLE.
Checked 16 October 2026. General information only.
— the Blueberry Bear Team