13 Pantry Staples Worth Getting At Dollar Tree

Unless you never cook and always get takeout (which is probably not at all common), you prepare meals pretty much daily. You may also enjoy baking. To do these fun and essential things, you need ingredients that are typically stocked in the pantry. Whether it's a cabinet or a separate room, there are some things you should always have on hand in a well-stocked pantry. Many of these staples have uses other than just cooking, which adds to their value. This is where Dollar Tree enters the conversation.

You don't have to spend a ton of money stocking up. The Dollar Tree has many essential items for a price just north of a buck. There's even one that's less than one dollar. You should know about these. Just as we presented 16 kitchen supplies worth getting at Dollar Tree, we have compiled a list of pantry staples that are worth getting at the discount chain.

If you like to watch cooking competition shows, you frequently hear judges telling contestants, "It needs more salt." This most essential of seasonings is used in all kinds of cooking and baking. There is more than one kind, and kosher salt belongs in every kitchen. This coarse grained variant gets its name from its use to cure meats and remove the blood. Observant Jews are forbidden from consuming blood, which is why cured meats, like pastrami and corned beef, are on the menu of the best Jewish delis you can find in the U.S. Kosher salt is used to label any kind of coarse salt, so it's not necessarily kosher in the strict sense of the word.

Now, you don't have to be Jewish to use kosher salt. The coarse grains are perfect for seasoning meats prior to cooking them. It's also good for decorative seasoning, since the crystals catch the light and enhance the look of the food. If you are even halfway serious about cooking, you should have kosher salt in your pantry. Dollar Tree carries Supreme Tradition kosher salt in a 16-ounce jar for just $1.50. This brand is one the chain's best sellers. At this price, it is easy to keep a jar or two in your pantry at all times so you never run out.

The kosher kind is not the only salt you need in your pantry. You should also have table salt, called fine salt for its small, powdery crystals. It is the most commonly used type of salt, and the one you see on restaurant tables. It's easy to shake over a plate of food to season your meal to taste. The other advantage is that it is much easier to measure precisely than kosher salt. If your recipe calls for a teaspoon of salt, it's best to have that exact amount, especially in baking. Also, you can use it to pre-season meat should you somehow run out of kosher salt. Just be sure to avoid the seasoning mistake that's ruining your burgers.

Dollar Tree has a great deal on this pantry staple. You can get a 26-ounce container of Us Superior iodized salt for the low price of 79 cents. How many grocery items cost less than a buck?  The low price makes it very easy to stock up on, ensuring you never run out of this essential staple.

When you think of salt, pepper immediately comes to mind. They are the dynamic duo of seasoning, and rare is the case when you cook with one and not the other. Now, you can use pre-ground black pepper from a shaker. It's a bit more convenient. However, professional chefs prefer to grind whole black peppercorns for several reasons. First, because the essential oils found inside the peppercorns are not exposed to the air, they don't dry out and the pepper retains a maximum of flavor. Second, you can adjust how finely you grind them, which gives you more control over the amount of peppery spice you add to a dish. 

Dollar Tree has another of its best sellers to fill this spot in your pantry. Its Nature's Promise culinary seasoning black peppercorn and grinder is just $1.25 for a 1.58-ounce container. It's nearly as convenient as pre-ground, you just have to put in a bit of effort to twist the container. You could also open it up and use a pepper grinder to control the fineness of the seasoning. This is another item you should stock up on.

Every cook needs oils in the pantry for a variety of uses. One type that should always be stocked is vegetable oil. It is important to know when you should swap vegetable oil for olive oil. In general, vegetable oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which makes it the better choice for deep frying and sautéing at high temperatures. In this situation olive oil tends to break down and create fumes that will add unpleasant flavors to the food. Speaking of flavor, the vegetable type is a neutral oil, meaning it is flavorless. This is why it's called for in many baking recipes. It adds moisture without affecting the taste of the baked good. 

Where are you going to get this staple? At Dollar Tree, naturally. A 16-ounce bottle of Golden Chef vegetable oil is only $1.50. You may wonder how long cooking oil is good after being opened. The answer is 12 to 18 months, which is a pretty long shelf life. So, head to Dollar Tree and pick up a couple of bottles for your pantry.

Perhaps the queen of cooking oils, olive oil is an essential in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and no pantry should be without it. There is more than one kind of olive oil, and — as you most likely already know — extra virgin is the cream of the crop. Olive oil has an earthy flavor, which is why it works so well for dressings and marinades, and is an essential ingredient in pesto. It also works well for low-temperature frying and sautéing. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are helpful in promoting healthy cholesterol, and its antioxidant content helps prevent disease. It's easy to see why you should keep olive oil in your pantry.

Now, you might be surprised how many olives it takes to make a bottle of olive oil. The answer is more than 11 pounds. This is partly why it tends to be expensive, especially the imported brands. Fear not, Dollar Tree to the rescue. You can get an 8.45-ounce bottle of Bertolli extra virgin olive oil for $3.75. This is higher than most Dollar Tree items, but still a bargain that can help keep you supplied with this essential pantry staple.

Vinegar is a true pantry staple for its many uses. There is more than one kind and they are all handy. One you want to be sure to have on hand is balsamic. Balsamic vinegar, in particular, comes from fermented grapes that are aged in a barrel for long periods; generally years. It has some sweetness along with the typical tartness. It is most often used to make salad dressings, but it can be used for other cooking applications as well. Balsamic vinegar is a great marinade for meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables. You can make some nice desserts by marinating sweet fruits, like strawberries, in balsamic. There are even some people who drink a bit for a tonic. (Not for the faint of heart.)

Keeping your pantry stocked with balsamic vinegar is not hard if you shop at Dollar Tree. The store has a 10-ounce bottle of Pampa balsamic vinegar for just $1.50. This staple has some health benefits, as well. It is low in calories and some studies suggest it may help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. That's a nice plus.

Another kind of vinegar with a completely different flavor profile that you will want in your panty is apple cider vinegar. As its name implies, this type of vinegar is made from apple cider that goes through a double fermentation process. The result is vinegar with a nice, sweet, apple taste combined with the typical acidic tartness of vinegar. There are filtered and non-filtered types with the latter having a stronger apple flavor and a cloudy appearance. 

With its unique flavor, apple cider vinegar makes great dressings and marinades and can be used in soups, for roasting vegetables, and even in baking. It has some interesting non-food uses as well, such as repelling insects, unclogging drains, cleaning, and washing fresh produce. Some people have heralded apple cider vinegar as an almost magical health booster. Those claims are greatly exaggerated, but it may have some of the same benefits as balsamic. You can purchase a 32-ounce bottle of Old Style apple cider vinegar at Dollar Tree for $1.50. 

All purpose flour should probably be called "many purpose flour," since nothing does everything. Nevertheless, it is an item that belongs in every pantry. It's made from wheat and usually has a ratio of 80% hard to 20% soft wheat. This gives it its versatility. Flour is essential to most baking, including cakes, brownies, cookies, and more. Rest assured, all purpose is up to the task. Additionally, if you like to bake bread and fry chicken, meats, fish, or vegetables, dredging in flour is the way to go. Flour also is a good thickening agent for stews and gravies. It is just too useful for you not to have it on hand at all times. 

Thankfully, Dollar Tree has you covered for this pantry staple too. You can get a 2-pound bag of Nancy Jane all purpose flour for only $1.50. It's bleached (which gives it a softer texture) and enriched (meaning it has iron, folic acid, and B vitamins added).

If ever there was a true pantry staple, it's baking soda. As its name implies, it's useful in baking. It can act as a leavening agent, adding fluffiness to baked goods by retaining air in the dough or batter. But, this particular staple has many more uses than that. You may not know it, but if you mix baking soda in water, you can soak meat in it to tenderize it. Spaghetti sauce a little too acidic? No problem. Neutralize it with a bit of baking soda.

Baking soda with its rough texture makes a great cleaner for scrubbing stubborn stains off counters and inside your oven. Mix it with our old pal vinegar, and it's even more effective. You can add it to your washing machine for cleaner clothes, uses it to wash fruits and vegetables, and even as toothpaste or mouthwash. Easy to see why you need baking soda in your pantry.

Dollar Tree is a great place to stock up on this staple. You can get a 1-pound box of Arm & Hammer baking soda for $1.50. Not a bad idea to pick up more than one. Keep one in your refrigerator to deodorize it.

Vanilla extract is certainly a staple for bakers. It takes the flavor of vanilla beans and makes it easily useable in liquid form. Bakers can add that flavor to cakes, cookies, or any other yummy treats. The light and delightful flavor can also be used in savory dishes, such as an aioli for sweet potato fries, a dressing for Caprese salad, or as an accompaniment to goat cheese in salads. 

Vanilla extract can boost the flavor of hot beverages, like tea or coffee, and also work with some creative cocktails. Beyond its culinary uses, vanilla extract can serve as an air freshener or it can be dabbed behind your ears or on your wrists as a perfume. 

Dollar Tree is a good place to shop for this staple. You can get an 8-ounce bottle of Supreme Tradition imitation vanilla extract for just $1.50. Although its flavor is artificial, it still adds that vanilla scent and taste and it's easy to stock up on at this price.

Along with salt and pepper, sugar is one of the undisputed pantry staples. There is more than one kind, and granulated is the most commonly used. You might put in it your coffee or tea or sprinkle some on your cereal. Naturally, it is a very common ingredient in baking and desserts, but also has savory applications. You might add some to tomato sauce to balance out the acid taste. Many recipes for potato salad, dressings, and marinades call for some sugar.

Sugar has a number of non-food uses, too. Adding a bit to your soapy hands will help clean off grease and grime. You can also make a soothing sugar scrub, treat your tongue if you burn it with hot food, and use it to feed your plants. Some studies have even found that sugar may help heal wounds. Pretty useful staple to have on hand. 

Dollar Tree sells a 1-pound box of Domino granulated sugar for just $1.50. This is one of the most popular brands and at this price, so you can always have a box ready for any of its many uses.

As we mentioned, there is more than one kind of sugar, and there is another that you should have in your pantry. Confectioners sugar is also called powered sugar for its powdery look and consistency. It's easy to tell apart from the shiny crystals of granulated sugar. Generally, you will see "10X" on the package. This means the sugar has been milled and processed 10 times, which is how it becomes powdery. It usually has corn starch added to prevent it from caking. If you bake, this is an essential item. It is used to make frostings and icings for cakes, cookies, and pastries. Confectioners sugar dissolves much more quickly than granulated, so it is perfect for these kinds of recipes. It's also great for dusting over finished baked goods for decorative purposes. 

With its faster dissolving, confectioners sugar is a good choice for sweetening coffee, tea, and other hot liquids. It's also useful for balancing the taste of acidic sauces. If you're working with sticky ingredients, like marshmallows, dried fruit, or candies, confectioners sugar is great for preventing things from getting stuck to each other.

You can get a 1-pound box of Domino's premium cane powdered sugar from Dollar Tree for the same $1.50 as the granulated. Grab a box, and put your two sugars side by side in your pantry.

Honey is another good ingredient most people keep in their pantries. It's a natural sweetener that people have been harvesting since prehistoric times. It's a great way to sweeten your tea, and can be used to make condiments, such as honey mustard. There are, of course, many recipes for baked goods and desserts that call for honey. You can also use it in cocktails, like the tasty Bee's Knees. It has a lower glycemic index than sugar, and is a healthier sweetener. 

Honey can also be used for medicinal purposes and has be used that way for centuries. It has antimicrobial properties and can be used to help treat wounds or burns. It also works well against coughs and sore throats, which is why you find it in some cough drops. There's the case for honey as a pantry staple. Now you need to get some. You can get a 6-ounce bottle of Global Brands 100% pure grade A all natural honey for $1.50. It comes in a convenient squeeze bottle for easy measuring. Grab one for your pantry.

To find the prices and which pantry staples Dollar Tree sells, we naturally went to its website. Prices and availability are accurate as of May 2026. As for determining what constitutes a staple, some, such as salt, pepper, and sugar, are just common knowledge. For others, we went to food blogs, cooking websites, and sustainability bloggers. 

These same sources were valuable for discovering the many culinary and other uses of these pantry staples. The National Library of Medicine was an excellent source for the medical and other properties of honey. The BBC's website reported on the healing properties of sugar. These sources together, allowed us to help you keep your pantry stocked at the budget prices of Dollar Tree.