I personally find that cooking and shopping is much easier when I have basic ingredients on hand, and only need to shop for the extra things weekly. I have compiled a list of items that I use regularly when I cook and which I consider to be the staples of the kitchen cabinet.
You will see that I have jars of ginger and garlic on the list – these are two of my short cuts that make my life easier in the kitchen. I still enjoy using fresh garlic and ginger, but when I don’t have much time to grate or crush (or am just feeling lazy), these “pantry essentials” come in very handy.