At Home More? Cooking More? Stocking Pantry More? Tips From An Almost Lifelong Homemaker

Do you have one designated space that serves as pantry storage?  When we built Hibiscus House I turned a small laundry room into a laundry-Pantry combo. It is small but serves the purpose.

We are all spending more time at home these days and more people are cooking. Today's post is all about stocking the pantry for quick hands-on ingredients that you personally will use for your household.

Once you figure out what you use and run out of the most then you'll know what you need to stock up on.  Even if you're new to cooking you will soon learn what you have to keep shopping for to replenish.

Staples in My Pantry

At a glance, I see replenishment of certain items is needed here.

You can see I use a label maker

It helps me to keep the items running through as used and when they expire

I use Lock & Lock  Airtight Containers 

The ants and weevils don't stand a chance and I'm glad!

We've definitely had an ant problem the last few years!

Dry Goods

1. Flour All Varieties
2. Baking Mixes 
3. Sugar-Assorted
4. Salt
5. Pepper - Assorted
6. Baking Soda
7. Baking Powder
8. Corn Starch
9. Spices - Assorted Overload (Others in Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers)
10. Rice - Assorted 
11. Pasta -Assorted
12. Cereals -Assorted
13. Tea -Assorted
14. Coffee
15. Juice
16. Hot Chocolate
17. Lemonade Mixes
18. Puddings
19. Gelatin
20. Packets -Seasoning for Stews Soups Roasts, etc.
21. Chips -Assorted

Oils

1. Vegetable 
2. Olive 
3. Coconut
4. Lard 
5. Shortening

Pay no mind to the soup on both levels I've overstocked 

Bottled Jar Goods

1. Honey
2. Syrups Assorted Pancake Molasses Corn Syrups
3. Worchestershire Soy Terriyaki Ketchup Mustards BBQ Other Assorted Sauces
4. Salad Dressings
5. Vinegar All Kinds
6. Juices
7. Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip
8. Home Canned Goods

I see spots to replenish 

Canned Goods

1. Vegetables -Assorted
2. Fruits -Assorted
3. Soups and Stews
4. Meats -Assorted Tuna, Chili, Salmon, etc

Fresh Vegetables

1. Potatoes -Assorted stored in a cool dark area
2. Onions -Assorted also stored in a cool dark area
3. Garlic

Many other vegetables go into the refrigerator so they are in the kitchen.

I keep my fresh fruits in the kitchen itself so that it is available for all to munch on and keep an eye on for freshness.

That reminds me I've been using two vegetable/fruit farm produce companies and will do a product review on them shortly.  They are Misfits and Farmbox Direct.

I'm sure I've missed some things but you get the idea

• Now Organize according to the product with older dates upfront of course
• Keep in mind or chart what you have so you can replenish as needed.
• Try to have a spot for what you will need so when you do use you will see the vacant space
• Exceptions great sale prices on items you use regularly splurge and temporarily find a spot to place them.  You will be glad you did when you have saved and have more on hand.
• Know what you have and carry on with quicker hands-on meal preparations.
• Be aware you will need to organize and clean the pantry at least every couple of weeks to keep it clean in order and easy to use. It is an ongoing chore to keep it.

Our freezer is also in that room but that is a blog post in itself!  

 

Friends, I hope this helps you as much as it does me!

Hey if nothing else you got a glimpse into my pantry.

What's in your pantry? 

A Few Steps That May Help

Step 1: Pull all items out of storage.

Step 2: Decide what you use often and organize according to like items

Separate and place them in an area by type, such as dry, canned, and packaged goods.

Step 3: Clean your pantry thoroughly once empty

Step 4: Decide if you need special containers to keep these items fresh. * Note: We had a rodent and ant invasion out here, so we chose safe containers like Lock and Lock to protect our expensive food products. They work so well.

Step 4: Plan where each category will go in your pantry, and keep them together if possible.

Step 5: Get some type of label maker to help you know what is in your containers.

Step 6: Have a Sharpie marker and put the expiration or best-by dates on your cans and stored items.

Step 7: Do this often: Check your products, go through and see what you have and what you will need. This helps you function quickly and well.