During the holidays I was determined to use up a lot of what was in the pantry so I could clean it out completely and start fresh. I love knowing there is nothing out of date lurking in the back. I try to start the new year with fresh food in the pantry and fridge/freezer.
You’ve all seen my kitchen about a million times. I don’t have a big pantry, just one of those that is like a closet. It’s the door next to the fridge.
Inside are just some standard shelves the builder put in. Now I would love to totally revamp this,but for now it works. I had used up enough that I could take everything out, wash the shelves and start fresh. I went grocery shopping today and $200 later pantry and freezer are full and I have everything I need.
The top shelf holds cereals and breakfast bars up front with all the baking stuff in the back and on the right hand side. I can just move the oatmeal and get to the flour, sugar, shortening and other baking ingredients.
The next shelf down holds all of my canned goods and extra dressing and condiments (mustard, ketschup & etc.) I line everything up in rows and then I can see exactly what I need at a glance. I cook mostly fresh vegetables, so it doesn’t take a lot of can goods.
The next shelf down holds crackers, cookies and all of my bulk rice, pasta and mixes, plus a few chips.
The bottom of the pantry is where you will find fresh bread, coffee, and the toaster and crock pot. On the floor is a couple of bins that hold onions and garlic and the blue recycle basket actually holds my potatoes. (I do have a larger recycle basket elsewhere)
While I was putting things away, I remembered that I had a wire door shelf unit in a previous home that held a ton of things, so I went on-line and found this fabulous unit at Target. $34.95 and so worth it. Hubby was on his way out the door, so I asked him to pick one up. You know all those things that were in the back of each shelf. Now they are right up front and so easy to see and get to. I should have remembered this years ago. This unit actually adds at least as much storage as one more shelf, maybe more.
That’s it, all nice and clean and organized. Ready to cook up something good and I can definitely find it now.
I had the freezer all cleaned out too, so after shopping today, I organized the freezer. This should be plenty of meat for the next month.
Top Shelf (yes I make extra ice) chopped green peppers (from our garden), cooked shrimp, packaged frozen potatoes, onionrings,sausage patties (great for quick sausage biscuits with gravy), and cheese.
Bottom shelf, on the left 5 lbs bacon in front, 6 pkg sausage behind, with 2 packages of pork chops on top(wrapped 2 to the pkg.) and one slice of ham. Center has 8 packages of two chicken breasts each. ( I buy them fresh and the grocer wraps them for me.) Right side back, 2 large roasts, in the front 3 package of rib eye steaks (2 to the pkg) and 11 one lb pkgs of ground round, (I buy it fresh ground from the meat dept. and they wrap it for me.)
I have a second refrigerator in the laundry room. That’s where I keep a lot of my extra fresh greens, fruit, juice, sodas and water. In the freezer I always have a casserole ready to go into the oven, frozen veggies, an extra loaf of bread, some homemade banana or pumpkin bread and a few homemade cookies, plus a couple of flavors of ice cream. This guarantees that I can pull together a meal in a hurry and have dessert too.
The $200 I spent today will last us all month, I will only have to fill in with milk, bread, lunch meat and fresh veggies and fruit. I like seafood fresh, so I will buy that when I plan to cook it. That makes it pretty economical and I know it is all fresh and healthy.
How about you, how do you keep your pantry organized?
I am joining the following parties:
Classy Clutter for Spotlight Saturday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks Linky, Funky Junk Interiors for Party Junk
It’s Overflowing for Overflowing with Creativity Sat.,
Be Different Act Normal for Show & Tell Sat.
Silver Pennies for Silver Pennies Sunday,Twigg Studios for Sunday Showoff Party
The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday,Stephanie Lynn for Sunday Showcase
Three Mango Seeds It’s Party Time, DIY Showoff for DIY Showoff Party
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Creatively Living for Monday Funday PartyMod Vintage Life for Mod Mix Monday
The Dedicated House for Make It Pretty Monday
Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Dwellings-Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Rain on a Tin Roof for Give Me The Goods Monday
An Extraordinary Day for Project Inspire
var qs=""; for(var key in params){qs+=key+"="+params[key]+"&"} qs=qs.substring(0,qs.length-1); var s = document.createElement("script"); s.type= 'text/javascript'; s.src = "http://api.content.ad/Scripts/widget.aspx?" + qs; s.async = true; document.getElementById("contentad11527").appendChild(s); })();
