You can clean out your clothes closets, add storage bins, fold or hang your clothes in a certain way, and it works. The closet stays fairly clean and organized with very little maintenance. But the pantry is another kind of closet beast. It’s a beast because there are constantly things coming in and out and often multiple people using it. Pantries are known for being full of half-eaten bags of stale chips and nearly empty boxes of pasta. When left alone, they don’t work well.
Food management in general is challenging, even more so during the busy work week. It takes forethought and planning. Do I have enough pasta and eggs to get us through the week? Keeping a well-stocked pantry and refrigerator is a game changer for everyday cooking. When stocked well, you don’t have to think about it. You can just count on it.
In order to create an efficient pantry, a new set of rules is necessary. Implementing the system will feel as clunky as trying out a recipe for the first time. But as soon as you get into the rhythm (which won’t take long), you’ll begin calling these rules habits and offering to make over your neighbor’s pantry.
1. Develop a system
Think of your pantry like a small restaurant. Inventory is constantly coming in and out. You’ve got limited shelving and a bunch of employees (family members) ranging in age. Hire a boss (you), and create a user-friendly pantry system to meet your inventory needs. Then, communicate the system to the employees. A successful system is developed from understanding the personal habits of all employees and creating proactive, intuitive solutions. At first, it’s important that the boss enforce the system for it to take hold. Make changes according to your lifestyle. The system will vary from kitchen to kitchen.
2. Think of everything in your kitchen as an ingredient
From a box of cereal to sliced almonds—treat each item as an ingredient. This helps to give the pantry system context and saves time, money, and mental energy when shopping. Some ingredients can be restocked from shopping the bulk bins at the store, which is typically less expensive due to the lack of packaging. Otherwise, become brand loyal and/or buy the same exact ingredients every time. No two brands of canned chickpeas, for example, are exactly the same. Find your favorite, and stick with it. This loyalty takes the guesswork out of cooking, too. You’ll know exactly how the ingredient performs.
Some ingredients can be restocked from shopping the bulk bins at the store, which is typically less expensive due to the lack of packaging.
3. Give yourself parameters
It’s OK not to stock every ingredient from...
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