The basics

So, I am a Facebook junkie. I spend WAY too much time perusing its confines, reading people's mundane daily life adventures, stalking their photos, and giggling at the funny memes they post that I saw on Reddit two months previous. Occasionally, someone of my acquaintance posts something that gets me thinking. Today, for instance, my cousin on my mom's side, Kory, posted a question: 

"What are 5-10 of the most common food items that you have in your fridge/ kitchen at any given time?"

That got me thinking...what do I ALWAYS have in my cupboards and fridge? What do I consider "basics" for my daily culinary needs? I spouted off five of six items in the comments without much thought to it and I wish I hadn't. I wish I had pondered the thought further. I know she was looking for answers partly because she has some immediate ideas mulling about inside her head concerning food. For me, the idea has turned into an academic exercise with broader implications. I wonder what kinds of regional differences one would see if you asked this question of people from around the country, around the world! How has my own idea of what constitutes "basics" changed over the past 10 years? 20 years?

Here's a list of the top ten items I always have in my cupboards/refrigerator:

1. Rice
2. Noodles
3. Butter
4. Flour
5. Sriracha
6. Sugar
7. Potatoes
8. Spices
9. Salt
10. Oil

What's in your cupboards that you cannot do without?