A few random facts about me:
- I love to cook.
- I hate to shop.
- I’ve lived through power outages, ice storms, job losses, and now a pandemic.
- Also…I like to stick my hands in dough and pretend I am Caroline Ingles, Angeline Wilder, or Elizabeth Robinson…in jeans and boots.
Because of these facts (and others), I keep a well-stocked pantry. We don’t live in fear, hoard hand sanitizer, or have a secret bunker. We’re actually rational minimalists. (That isn’t to say we aren’t a little nuts. We’re just semi-organized, well-prepared, happy nuts who eat great food!)
Since the shortages and restrictions brought by COVID-19, many of our friends and coworkers have expressed interest in our lifestyle. Liam and I had to chuckle, because, both of us had coworkers change from gentle teasing to serious interest. Several friends have enviously said, “I bet this hasn’t changed much about your food situation”. To an extent, that’s true.
We rarely eat at restaurants. We raise most of our meat. We had enough canned/frozen fruits and vegetables to tide us over until they became available. Our pantry is filled with enough staples to allow us to eat normally for a long while. Moreover, we’re used to cooking most of our meals. However, we did change our meals to extend our pantry. We wanted things to last until we knew the shops were restocked.
Our pantry and lifestyle provide a bulwark. Friends have said they want the same security but on a smaller scale. However, some aren’t sure how to begin. They mention foods like dried beans and peanut butter (both great proteins). Yet, they aren’t sure how to cook dried beans (post coming) and PBJs without bread or jelly don’t quite work. So, I decided to offer a few pantry building tips for those just starting out.
Consider Your Space
- Our home has plenty of storage space, but many folks don’t. That doesn’t mean they can’t stock up! When we lived in town, I converted a linen closet, a laundry room, a coat closet, and under bed spaces to pantry annexes. (I promise it wasn’t an episode of Hoarders! I had six people to feed, and three were teenaged boys!) What I’m saying is consider alternative spaces, but be logical. No one wants to see a loved one buried under Ramen noodles, dried beans, and toilet paper!
Consider Your Budget
- If you have the budget or a windfall to drop on stocking a pantry, it’s a good investment. However, most of us aren’t able to do that and meet the monthly nut. So, change your mindset. Think incrementally.
- If you can cut your shopping bill, spend the difference on a few pantry staples or shelf-stable items. I shop loss-leader sales and stock up. If I get 50% off milk, it frees a chunk of my budget to stock up on other things.
- If there’s no slack in your budget, it’s obviously harder to stock up. There are times when getting by is more pressing than getting ahead. We’ve been there, and we remember! The important thing is to be patient and focused. When there’s money to spare, no matter how little, spend it wisely. Eventually, those wise choices will free up enough cash to buy extra food during sales. Those sales can help you get by, but will also free money to stock up further. Also, if you’re in this situation, I hope things improve for you soon!
Consider What You Eat
- Seventeen pounds of peanut butter, six number 10 cans of green beans, and a five-gallon bucket of wheat may be great choices for some, but not those just starting pantries.
- I know you’re wondering. So, for the record, I do stock up on PB (remember, teenage boys). I don’t buy number 10 cans of anything. Also, I’m the only one who can eat wheat at my house, so I don’t buy large quantities. However, I do buy 25 lb bags of gluten-free flour and bread mix (four GF adults).
- If you can’t cook, don’t start your pantry with flour and yeast. Instead, if you normally eat convenience foods, stock those. Canned soup, heat-and-eat meals, jarred sauces, and dry spaghetti are more useful than flour, dried beans, and yeast if you don’t know what to do with them.
- However, learn to cook the basics! Emergency preparedness aside, it’s healthier, tastier, and cheaper to eat ingredients rather than packages. (Don’t worry, I’m closing my eyes and dodging around that soapbox!)
- Don’t stock up on canned tuna if your family doesn’t like it! People seem to think that if a food is healthy and they’d eat it before starving, they should fill a shelf with it. So wrong! Stock up on what you eat in-real-life, not some imaginary cataclysmic scenario!
- We like dried beans. They store well and are healthy. So, I keep at least 25 lbs of dried pintos on hand. I know that sounds nuts, but hear me out: 2 lbs per batch x 2 batches per month= 24 lbs per 6 months. Each batch provides a minimum of 12 servings. We don’t eat naked beans, y’all! Those beans make Texas Red Beans and Cornbread, refried beans for Tex-Mex, Cajun red beans and rice, etc… Again, stock what you eat!
Consider ‘First In, First Out’
- Don’t buy a ton of food and lock it in your super-secret bat-cave bunker and wait for it to expire. If you eat canned tuna and stock canned tuna, then eat the tuna you stock! Just be sure to replace what you eat.
- Let’s say you have and want to keep 10 lbs of rice in your pantry. If you both eat and buy three pounds this month, you’re eating what you normally would and your rice gets FIFO’d (First In, First Out).
I think this is more than enough information for today! I’ll continue to post on the ways we fill and use our pantry. Please, comment if you have a question or suggestion! Previously, our SimplyLivingTheDream readers shared great information, and I’m sure you will too!
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