Ah, my pantry. So humble, so full. The irony of that last sentence is not lost on me. Neither are some of my childhood years when I was food insecure. Could I feed a family of four for six months from this pantry? Yes. Did I collect this food in case that happens? Not really.
As most of us already know, pantry goods still have a shelf life. Olive oil can turn rancid, pasta can become brittle and tasteless and most spices are like makeup…meant to be used or tossed after six months. So why stock up?
It’s cheaper to buy in bulk. Shop the circulars and stock up on the things you know you will use. If you don’t make lasagna, then a six pack of lasagna noodles are still a bad investment.
It’s easier to get through the week. Pantry staples like rice, beans and pasta are the building blocks of any fridge meal. Grab a handful of bucatini, a can of tomato paste and a shallot and you suddenly have Alison Roman’s perfect pasta.
It’s a load off your mind to have inexpensive food in the house. Life moves quickly and with work and other obligations we don’t always have time to make it to the grocery store. And when we do, we aren’t always thinking clearly abut what we have at home. A stocked pantry frees you up to buy fruits, veggies and protein and call it a day.
I’m sharing two resources with you for your pantry-stocking goals:
Use this STOCKED pantry checklist (complete with typos) as a starting off point for your pantry stocking. It’s free for subscribers but I am making it free for anyone this month.
Please consider using Nude Foods in Boulder. They are a zero waste grocery chain and they also deliver to Denver.
Let me know how it goes in the comments. What sort of things do you keep in your pantry that I may have missed. Happy stocking.
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What I’ve been up to:
Cooking: Pho; Lunchtime Chinese; Pork Green Chile
Reading: Feeding Each Other; A Grief Observed; Heartbreak
Watching: Gossip Girl (first time around); college football
Listening to: Happy Days (on repeat…thanks to my 4th grader); New Coco Rosie; New Gregory Alan Isakov; Amanda is Dying
Traveling: Virginia, Oregon, Tulum