Check out our pantry area
This is the last of the pantry series. As promised I have included pictures of my “pantry”. It's nothing beautiful or even decent but it works for us. Functionality is the most important thing. I can easily see everything I have and it's all in one place so it's easier for me to know what we have and what we need more of. Plus I am able to create boundaries for myself on items. I know that once I get a row full of ketchup that I don’t need to buy extras of those. I know to only buy what will fill that space and what will get used before my next shopping trip.
Buying extras is only temporary, once you build up your ideal amount then it's just rotating those items and only replacing what you've used.
Very few items need to be repackaged based on where your storage is. I like to repackage everything that is in cardboard or bags like noodles, rice and marshmallows. (marshmallows are a necessity around here with random little bonfires and lots of hot chocolate!) When I repackage those items I just store in a mason jar that I have sealed shut. I use our vacuum sealer but there are attachments you can buy to do this as well. Some foods like spaghetti and fettuccine noodles I don’t have a tall enough jar for, so I just buy what we will need and store in a large plastic container.
Another tip of mine is you don’t have to keep everything in stock. Just your most basic foods that you buy the most often. If you only use olives a couple times a year just buy one or two cans and that's it. Or sometimes you like to use a special salad dressing. You don’t have to buy a case of those. Just keep an extra bottle. The key is to keep extras on hand to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store or to ride out a little snow storm at home without having to deal with the packed grocery stores. Or sometimes it's as simple as your kids are sick and you're just way too tired to do a full grocery trip. Then there is always something that can be made from your pantry items. Even if it's just spaghetti.
If you haven’t learned to can this is a great way to buy bulk produce and keep it longer. Fresh peaches in the summer are just delicious! Being able to preserve them and eat all year round is like opening a can of summer at any time.
Grains like flour and oatmeal store well in just a food grade bucket. I currently have three of those buckets with a gamma lid that open easily and I can buy bulk of those items just a couple times a year.
Sugar is another big item we like to keep on hand. Between sweet tea all summer, sugar needed for canning plus any baking. This can also be stored in buckets with a tight seal. I do want to note that I only store white sugar and keep a jar of molasses on hand to use to make brown sugar. This makes less to store and keeps it more functional. Especially with the long shelf life of the molasses.
All of this takes time and extra money. That is why I will always encourage you to go slow and only buy a little at a time. It's not helpful to buy a case of something that you end up throwing away later anyways.
I hope I encouraged you to keep a few extra meals on hand just in case. To think differently about preparedness and to think about buying in bulk to save time and money in the long run.
