7 Grocery Items Food Network Staffers Always Buy on Amazon

I live outside the city and it’s sometimes tricky to find good spice blends. That’s why I love having the ability to quickly get them shipped whenever I’m running low. My family is really into the flavors of North Africa and the Levant so Villa Jerada has become my go-to. There are a few things I always keep on hand but this Dukkah is an absolute must. I sprinkle it over salads and grain bowls to perk them up and stir it into Greek yogurt (along with a little salt, garlic and lemon juice) for a creamy and delicious dip to serve alongside flatbreads. If you’re ordering, it’s worth adding a jar of their Shawarma spice blend to your cart too. It makes a great seasoning for crispy chickpeas and slow-cooker shredded chicken.

-Kristie Collado, Digital Programming Manager

Frankie's is my go-to olive oil; it has great flavor and it's really versatile. I use it in salad dressings and sauces like pesto and Romesco, to roast vegetables, meat and fish, for dipping bread; literally everything. I used to scramble to find it at local stores, but now when I get low, I add it to my Amazon cart.

-Michelle Buffardi, VP Digital Programming

I love cooking with pink Himalayan salt. It makes all my meals taste great — and look fancy! Whether I’m grilling vegetables or seasoning meats, I sprinkle it into my dishes for an extra boost of flavor.

-Lauren Tom Cerone, Associate Content Producer

I bought this variety pack once to share with friends at a 72-mile team running event, and I now have to order it regularly for my family — we're all hooked. You get five flavors in every box, and they all taste great (although grape is my favorite!). My kids keep the packets in their soccer bags to add to water bottles whenever they need an electrolyte boost. I admit: They do make drinking water easier, no sugar added!

-Meghan Cole, Associate Editor

I started purchasing vanilla bean paste on Amazon a couple years ago and haven't turned back. Regular vanilla extract is in almost every grocery store, but it's hard to find vanilla bean paste (the more gelatinous product made with vanilla beans and their seeds). Not to mention, if I do find some, it's outrageously expensive. There are many brands to choose from on Amazon, they don't break the bank, and they typically ship within a couple days!

-Amanda Neal, Recipe Developer

My boyfriend loves Mrs. Fanning's Bread and Butter pickles, and they are really hard to find in NYC. They're thicker than most bread and butter pickles and taste homemade and he has always just really loved them, so I surprise him a couple of times a year with a 4-pack from Amazon. (The only place I can reliably find them).

-Amy Stevenson, Recipe Developer

My daughter is celiac, so I rely on Amazon for a fair amount of gluten free products. We have settled on King Arthur Gluten free flour because there is no Xanthan Gum in it and thus is more versatile than most flours on the market. Also, King Arthur Cake mixes are always in our pantry. She has always loved to bake so the diagnosis a couple years ago was a bit devastating. Her hobby was no longer as approachable as there is a fair amount of tinkering and often bad outcomes with gluten free baking. Their cake mixes make it possible for her to whip something up that is easy, fun to decorate and best of all doesn't taste any different from regular box mixes (in fact I would say may taste even better and less artificial). Having said all that, the one other thing that is actually the most important item is Caputo's Gluten Free Pizza Flour. As any good New Yorker does, she adores pizza in all its forms, but the afterschool slice is no longer an option for her. I use this flour to make a stellar sheet pan pizza that conjures up L&B Spumoni Gardens. Thick but light and a crust that fries in plenty of olive oil makes it a total win with the whole family. Topped with good mozzarella and a simple crushed tomato pizza sauce it serves as dinner once a week with leftovers for lunches.

-Ginevra Iverson, Director, Digital Test Kitchen