What do you always have on hand? Why?
I’d count refrigerated items as pantry staples if they keep for longer than a couple weeks.
One recent addition to my pantry has been dried chillies - great base for red chile sauce for enchiladas. Those plus maseca and some beans (also both staples) and I have a base for amazing enchiladas or tacos or whatever.
In the freezer: minced beef, chicken breast, prawn cutlets, sliced bread, frozen mixed vegetables and packs of diced onion/celery/carrot for soup. Also mozzarella because I buy it by the kilo and like to make Italians cry.
In the cupboard: canned kidney beans, black beans, butter beans, chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, corn kernels, coconut milk. Tuna. Rice, dried fettucine, macaroni and spirals. Red lentils because you can always find them at the supermarket. Jarred pasta sauce.
In the vegetable drawer: onions, carrots, potatoes and (when available) beets, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes. Spinach or lettuce.
In the fridge: milk, margarine, at least three kinds of cheese, sliced ham. Jarred crushed garlic, because I’m some kind of human animal.
In the spice rack: cumin, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, basil, smoked and sweet paprika.