# What's the collective name for flour, sugar and so on? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 4, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751 "2007-12-04T04:14:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/21 "2007-12-04T16:19:33Z")
But why is she called Goody? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/22 "2007-12-04T16:21:06Z")
Alton Brown refers to it as the Dry Team and the Wet Team. But that’s just him. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/23 "2007-12-04T16:23:29Z")
[QUOTE=Darryl Lict] I was pretty sure that dry goods include foodstuffs. According to [Wiki:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_goods) > [@](#): > > Within the United States consumer goods industry, dry goods refers to any retail products that do not require refrigeration or freezing to maintain. [/QUOTE] That’s a pretty loose definition, since “consumer goods industry” is so wide. By that definition, electronic equipment, nuts, bolts & screws, and engine oil sold at retail would all be dry goods, since none of them require refrigeration or freezing to maintain. There may be regional variation to the meaning within North America. When I grew up in small town Saskatchewan, the two grocery stores also sold clothing, shoes, boots, fabrics, and so on. in that context, “dry goods” meant things you couldn’t eat. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/24 "2007-12-04T17:16:03Z")
At the supermarket where I shop, these items are all found on an aisle marked “Baking Goods”. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/25 "2007-12-04T17:23:41Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] But, is there a collective name for the dry ingredients you use in baking? [/QUOTE] Every recipe I’ve seen calls them “the dry ingredients” when instructing you to mix them together. Sometimes called the “the flour mixture” when you are directed to add it to the wet ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/26 "2007-12-04T17:28:23Z")
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat] At the supermarket where I shop, these items are all found on an aisle marked “Baking Goods”. [/QUOTE] I second this — our markets say “Baking Supplies.” ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/27 "2007-12-04T17:34:18Z")
[QUOTE=GaryM] Alton Brown refers to it as the Dry Team and the Wet Team. But that’s just him. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Wet Works, sometimes, although I can’t recall if he uses Dry Works as the other term… ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/28 "2007-12-04T17:43:42Z")
I’ve heard them referred to as ‘Pantry Staples’ – though that could encompass things like canned goods, as well. I think which term you’d use would depend on what your focus is. Lots of people keep pasta and rice on their counter in canisters, as well, so that would rule out ‘baking supplies’ as the overarching generic term, but it it’s specifically those items you listed, then ‘baking supplies’ is a good description. If you’re more discussing them in terms of things you keep on hand at all times then ‘staples’ is the right term, even though it also includes stuff in cans or in the fridge. ‘Pantry staples’ limits it to things which are shelf-stable. ‘Non-perishables’ is a more technical approach to things that might more closely match ‘things that can sit out on your counter to no particular ill effect’. Canned goods then, are perishables that have been preserved, rather than non-perishable so they’re not quite in this category. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/29 "2007-12-04T19:31:37Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] Her name is Goodie, and she dances on the sand… [/QUOTE] Ahhh, that’s better than the 2000’s style post I was gonna do. (But is sand a dry good?) ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/30 "2007-12-04T19:40:07Z")
_drumroll, please_ I’ve got it… “Dry Staples”. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/31 "2007-12-04T20:05:35Z")
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat] At the supermarket where I shop, these items are all found on an aisle marked “Baking Goods”. [/QUOTE] Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/32 "2007-12-04T21:56:59Z")
[QUOTE=GaryM] Alton Brown refers to it as the Dry Team and the Wet Team. But that’s just him. 🙂 [/QUOTE] .. and the countdown until someone questions which “team” Alton plays for begins … _now_! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2007, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/33 "2007-12-04T22:17:30Z")
I’m gonna call 'em dry ingredients. Thanks for the responses; it’s been informative! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/34 "2007-12-05T02:21:08Z")
Not "Sundries’ either. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/35 "2007-12-05T02:27:58Z")
Victuals? (a.k.a. “vittles”)? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/36 "2007-12-05T02:41:04Z")
Vittles/victuals means all food. In fact, I think it means food that’s ready to eat, not just components. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/37 "2007-12-05T13:25:12Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] Flour, sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, Bisquick and cornmeal. [/QUOTE] Since these are all ingredients used in baking, I’d call them baking ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/38 "2007-12-05T16:18:22Z")
I propose calling them a) the Noble Powders or b)Biscuitizers ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/39 "2007-12-05T16:46:22Z")
Cake mix ? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2007, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751/40 "2007-12-06T07:36:00Z")
In baking these are commonly called “dry ingredients.” Cake and cookie recipes often call for the mixing of the dry ingredients before adding things like eggs, water and oil. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-collective-name-for-flour-sugar-and-so-on/428751.md?page=3)