Stocking your kitchen cupboards with the right foods and equipment makes healthy cooking a piece of cake. Pamela Allardice shows you how.

1 Come clean — Chuck out chipped crockery and broken tools. Give what you don't use to charity. Check expiry dates on every packet, bottle and can; toss anything that's outdated. Take a hard look at what's left: if you haven't used that sauce mix you bought on special two months ago, you probably won't: add it to the charity box.

2 Get good tools — The bare minimum you need is: a vegetable peeler, chopping boards, non-stick saucepans, frypans, a heavy-lidded casserole, toaster, grater, colander, mixing bowls, baking dish, can opener, measuring cups, wooden spoons, ladle, tongs, spatula, masher, egg slice, strainer, one small paring knife, one all-purpose chopping knife and a serrated one. Buy the best knives you can afford: cheaper ones dull easily. Also useful are: a coffee-grinder, wok, steamer, salad spinner, silicone muffin pans (easier to clean than metal ones) and oven thermometer. A food processor and hand-held blender save time-intensive dicing and whisking, respectively.

3 Stock up — Make sure you have these essentials in your freezer, pantry and fridge:

• PROTEIN Milk (low-fat, fresh, long-life), low-fat dairy products, canned beans and legumes (baked beans, vegetarian chilli, water-packed chickpeas and lentils), water-packed tuna, soyfoods (milk, cheese, burgers), frozen seafood and chicken, eggs.
• CARBOHYDRATE Quick-cook brown rice, multigrain flour, whole-wheat pasta (at least one long and one short type), couscous, oats or instant porridge. Wheatgerm and oat bran are handy for adding to soup and batter mixes and smoothies.
• FRUIT and VEGETABLES Dried cranberries, bottled pasta sauces, canned or bottled vegetables (olives, tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms, corn) low-fat vegetable soups and frozen berries keep summer’s bounty on your shelves year-round. Buy all the fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs you want, especially those that last well, e.g. carrots, capsicums, onions.
• NUTS and OILS Extra-virgin olive, sesame and walnut oils, peanut or almond butter and nuts and seeds, e.g. pecans, pine nuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds.
• ZINGY EXTRAS Garlic, mustard, salsa, raisins, dried herbs and spices (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, ginger and cayenne are the most versatile), sea salt and pepper, vinegar, and low-salt soy sauce, stock cubes or liquid.

• Store like with like, e.g. all the canned goods together.
• Match things you use often, e.g. tea and coffee, with easy-to-reach spots.
• Use all available space, e.g. a ceiling frame for saucepans and narrow racks inside doors for spices.
• Put baskets or turntables in awkward corners so you don't lose things.
• Keep bench tops clear of decorative canisters unless they hold frequently-used items.
• Store dry ingredients in transparent glass or plastic containers. Rectangular ones are more space-efficient.
• Put a battery-operated light in a deep cupboard or pantry so you can see what's in there.
• Keep track of what you're about to run out of with a list.

YOUR SAY: Do you have great tips for organising your kitchen? Share them below!