how to stock a food pantry

^{3 Simple Steps to a Well-Stocked Pantry}

• Scan your pantry before grocery shopping each week and note the amount needed to top off your jars (especially your go-to staples).
• Purchase that amount from the bulk bins and add to your jars.
• Note: For less-frequently used items, start a new jar with the freshest ingredient at the bottom and top it off with the older ingredient on the top (OR wait until ...

Full Answer

How to stock your pantry like a chef?

The Basic Pantry Staples

• Salt – Table salt is the most commonly used salt in recipes. ...
• Black Pepper – You can purchase ground pepper or a jar of peppercorns to grind in a spice grinder. ...
• Garlic – Garlic is sold in bulbs. ...
• Onions – Red onions, white onions, yellow onions, and sweet onions are the most commonly found varieties. ...

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How to stock a {mostly} Healthy Pantry?

• Salt, including Kosher salt, coarse sea salt and fine salt
• Black peppercorns
• Onions
• Fresh garlic
• Dried herbs: bay leaves, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano, Italian seasoning blend
• Spices: chili powder, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, curry powder, dry mustard, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric, garlic powder

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How to have a well stocked pantry?

Your Grocery List for a Perfect Pantry

• Baking Staples. It's a good idea to keep everything you'd need to whip up a batch of cookies or a cake on hand at all times.
• Canned and Bottled Items. ...
• Dried Pasta. ...
• Flours. ...
• Grains, Rice, Dried Beans. ...
• Nuts and Dried Fruit. ...
• Oils. ...
• Spices and Seasonings. ...
• Sugars and Other Sweeteners. ...
• Vegetables. ...

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How to clean, organize and stock your pantry?

These Five Easy Tips Will Help You Keep Your Pantry Clean and Organized All Year Long

• Clear and Clean. The first order of business is to take everything off of your shelves. ...
• Edit. Editing is the most important part of the organizing process. ...
• Think Seasonal. While you're editing the contents of your pantry, be on the look-out for any seasonal food. ...
• Consider Your Baking Ingredients. ...
• Be Mindful Expiration Dates. ...

How do I stock my pantry for the first time?

How to Stock a Pantry for the First Time on a Budget:Don't Buy Everything at Once. Buy just what you actually need for the next couple weeks. ... Buy in Bulk. ... Buy on Sale. ... Store Brands. ... Shop at Cheaper Stores. ... Accept Food From Others. ... Keep Food Simple. ... Use Substitutes.More items...•

How do you stock a pantry for a year?

A quick and easy list to keep on hand is the following:Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and a manual can opener.Protein or fruit bars.Dry cereal or granola.Peanut butter or Almond butter.Dried fruit and nuts.Canned juices and bottled water.Non-perishable pasteurized milk.High-energy foods.More items...•

What should be in a fully stocked pantry?

A WELL STOCKED PANTRYLegumes. favorite dried legumes: lentils, black beans, pinto, split peas. ... Rice. I love long-grain white jasmine or basmati rice best. ... Pastas. If you are Gluten-Free, my favorite brand is Jovial Brown Rice Pasta.Oils: ... Vinegars. ... Salsas + Hot sauces.Sauces for flavoring: ... Canned Tomato Products:More items...•

How do I stock my pantry for 6 months?

Rice and whole grains stored in airtight containers will last for up to 6 months in a cool, dry pantry or the freezer for up to a year. However, ground whole grains will deteriorate faster and can be stored in the pantry for 1 to 3 months or up to 6 months in the freezer.

How can we prepare for food shortage in 2021?

The more we can encourage and share this wisdom with those around us, the better off we will be as a whole.#1 Don't Panic Buy, Instead Buy Two.#2 Grow a Garden.#3 Buy Locally.#4 Make sure you are prepared with more than just food.#5 Learn Preservation Skills.#6 Buy in Bulk and Buy Whole Grains for Long Term Storage.

What are the best foods to stockpile?

The Best Foods You Need in Your StockpileBottled water.Canned or boxed milk.Canned meat.Packaged dried meat like beef jerky.Canned fruit in juice or water, not syrup.Canned vegetables in water.Canned low-sodium soup.Protein bars.More items...

What food has longest shelf life?

Stay prepared: Foods with the longest shelf lifeBouillon cubes. ... Peanut butter. ... Dark chocolate. ... Canned or vacuum-pouched tuna. • Shelf life: 3 to 5 years after "best by" date. ... Dried beans. • Shelf life: Indefinite. ... Honey. • Shelf life: Indefinite. ... Liquor. • Shelf life: Indefinite. ... White rice. • Shelf life: Indefinite.More items...•

What should I stock up for food shortage?

My Top 10 Foods to Stock Up on Now to Prepare for Food ShortageLegumes: Beans and Lentils.Rice (and Other Whole Grains?)Basic Meats That Matter.Salt.Healthy Fats and Oils.Don't Forget the Flavor.Shelf-Stable Protein Beyond the Meat.The Trifecta of Nuts.More items...•

How do you stock a pantry for a month?

This post is a cheat sheet on how to stock up your kitchen and pantry for a month, in case of emergencies....Fruits:Canned fruits.Applesauce (other fruit sauces)Fruit Leather.Dried Fruits.Frozen Fruits.Frozen Berries.Long Lasting Fruits– Pomegranate, Pineapple, Apple, Citrus fruits like Orange, Grapefruit, Lemons etc.

What does a 3 month supply of food look like?

A three month supply would require 90 breakfast bags, 90 lunch bags (if desired), and 90 dinner bags. It's that easy. Gather your favorite quick and simple recipes and make copies of them. One copy for each time you would like to eat that meal.

How much food should I stockpile?

That's why having an emergency preparedness stockpile is important. All Americans should have at least a three-day supply of food and water stored in their homes, with at least one gallon of water per person per day. If you have the space, experts recommend a week's supply of food and water.

What does a 6 month supply of food look like?

You'll need about 180 cans or 720 pouches for a six-month food stash. 3 Canned Goods: Your average canned pasta, stew, and chili are more cost effective than MREs or freeze-dried food. They're typically ready to eat from the can without the need for extra water, and cans are insect and rodent proof.

What to do with a stocked pantry?

With a stocked kitchen pantry, you won't have to wonder. Make cooking and meal planning easier and save money on groceries by spotting sales on your basics. Have everything you need on-hand with must-have essentials for stocking a pantry that help you savor mealtime with your family.

What are some good baking supplies?

Baking Supplies. Whip up a batch of cookies on a moment's notice. Bake banana bread the kids will devour. Sweeten your ham or cook the best fried chicken you've ever eaten. Baking supplies for your kitchen pantry: Almond Extract. Baker's Chocolate. Baking Powder. Baking Soda.

How long can you shave off a meal with a pouch?

Many foods you probably prepare from scratch are available as special seasonings. When you're in a pinch, these pouches can shave up to an hour off of the time you spend on dinner.

How long to cook pasta and rice in pantry?

Low-fat spaghetti and meatballs and mushroom risotto are just two fast recipes you can prepare in 30 minutes. Pasta and rice for your kitchen pantry:

How To Stock A Pantry

Here is my thought, I am going to post the least expensive foods, at least right now, that hopefully most people can afford. Some of us are already stocked with these, that’s fine, but maybe you can help others to be prepared. I’m not talking about water today, we know what we need. Four gallons per person per day is my recommendation.

Rice

I love rice, especially Jasmine rice. It’s white sticky rice and I buy 50 pounds at a time. I store it in 5-gallon buckets. But, it’s nice to have smaller bags of it in my pantry on the shelf. I live in Utah so we don’t need anything else in the buckets.

Beans

It’s also convenient that this superfood is full of protein and other nutrients, while at the same time, only costing you pennies per ounce. Beans are an especially good food to eat while dieting and helping you lose weight. Are you looking to have a tinier waistline?

Lentils

I will always be grateful to my friend, Janet, who I have never actually met, but who encouraged me to cook with lentils. Janet, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Mark and I love lentils. You can add them to so many soups and stews, and even make lentil tacos.

Quinoa

I’d love to teach you how to cook quinoa. Some of us have never made quinoa because it’s been something almost foreign to us. I’ve used quinoa in so many recipes. Once you learn how to make it, you can also cook it for many of your meals like I do.

Pasta

I love pasta, it’s inexpensive and fills the belly as well. Depending on the pasta, you bring the soup pot full of water to a boil and add the pasta of choice. Follow the directions on the package for the cooking times. Pasta is great with homemade spaghetti sauce, cheese (Mac and cheese), a white sauce, or Alfredo sauce.

Final Word

There is something about cooking from scratch and teaching your family by example. If you have dehydrated onions, celery, carrots, and spices, you can make so many recipes with the items in this post today. It’s all about how to stock a pantry, my friends, we can do this. These basic items are a great start to any pantry storage stash.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Are you the type of person who likes to jump all in and stock everything you’ll need at once? Go for it! Below you’ll find the resources you need to start nerding out and stocking your kitchen with the tools you’ll need.

How to Get Organized

Early in my cooking journey I would buy random bags of lentils, flours, and grains and use them frantically throughout the week. By Friday I’d open up my pantry and ingredients would be falling all over each other like an unorganized mess.

Downloads

Ready to stock your pantry? Jump all in with our Complete Pantry List below. Or, for beginners and those with limited space, our Only the Essentials list is the way to go. Enjoy!

What is considered non-essential pantry items?

Non-essential pantry items are things like snack foods and desserts, fancy sauces, or seasonings, etc. Only you can say exactly what is non-essential to you, but generally aim to get the pantry basics first, then get the extras if there is room in your budget.

What are some perishable foods?

Perishable foods, like vegetables, fruit, dairy, and meat aren’t included so make sure you leave room in your budget for those foods too! Read about how much to spend on groceries. Building your pantry, even for the first time, will help you save money in the long run. It costs a bit upfront, but it’s worth it!

Can you stock a pantry from scratch?

When you’re stocking a pantry from scratch, filling it up can be a huge hit to your wallet! Even buying inexpensive foods like oil, vinegar, beans, and rice can add up when you have to buy them all at once! You could easily spend hundreds of dollars stocking your pantry.

Can you get spices at a bulk food store?

Also, if you’ve never had your own pantry, you may not even know what you will use. That’s why I recommend considering getting spices at a bulk food store. This way you can get small amounts to try and make sure: you’ll use that spice. get small amounts of multiple spices for variety.

Can you stock up on rice and pasta?

If you’re on a budget, you may not be able to stock up on rice, pasta, and flour at the same time. Also, if you spent all your budget on those items, you don’t really have any meals out of it! I recommend getting one item from each of these categories and making sure they go together! cooking oil. grain/starch.

Can you stock your pantry if you only eat for a week?

It doesn’t help you stock your pantry if you only get enough to eat for the week. But it’s totally understandable if that’s all you can afford at first. Try to get at least a few items that will carry into the next week or longer. If you’re able to get more than what you will eat each week, your pantry stockpile will grow over time.

What is the goal of stockpiling food?

Let's make a plan! The goal of stockpiling food is to help you prepare for the unexpected and to save money.

Why is it important to build a stockpile of food?

Building a stockpile of food isn't meant to stir up fear. Instead, it's a great way to make shelf cooking more manageable and to save money in the long run. So, all those disclaimers aside, before you start stocking up, figure out how much of your budget you can afford to allocate to building up your food reserves.

What are some good recipes for shelf cooking?

Soups – A hearty soup is the holy grail of shelf cooking! You don't even need a recipe — throw together some leftovers. If you're looking for inspiration, definitely try this hearty broccoli cheddar soup. Casseroles – We sure do love us some casseroles. Tuna noodle, broccoli chicken, you name it.

How long does butter last in the fridge?

Just so you know, the average shelf life in the fridge is about six months! Cheese – We've never met a cheese we don't love, but here's a quick tip.

How long does food last on Amazon?

If you keep them in a cool, dry place, your food will last for thirty years or more.

Is it expensive to buy spices?

Spices – Spices can be pretty expensive, so don't pass them by if you see a good deal. Definitely make sure to keep salt and pepper in stock. Pro Tip: We put together an exhaustive list of pantry staples! Bookmark it, print it, and add these items to your shopping lists.