Beans, Rice and Dry Storage: The Fundamentals of a Well-Stocked Pantry

The backbone to every great kitchen is the well-stocked pantry.  Every good home cook keeps their pantry stocked with a few key ingredients that can be used in a variety of combinations to create any one of the meals in their repertoire. In order to make the most of your pantry, you should take location, containers and inventory into consideration.

Beans, Rice and Dry Storage: The Fundamentals of a Well-Stocked Pantry

An important factor to consider is the location of your pantry. Houzz.com says to consider your specific household needs and your available workspace. Consider the areas around your refrigerator, cooktop and sink. Next you must consider the amount of pantry space needed versus the space available.  This could mean repurposing a kitchen cabinet or utility closet.

In keeping a pantry, you also must consider the types of storage, in some cases you could keep foods in their original packaging, this makes for easy identification.  However, in some cases this is not possible. According to Wirecutter, dry foods must be kept in airtight containers and preferably stackable ones for easy storage.  Some foods come in bags or boxes that cannot be tightly re-sealed.

Keeping track of inventory is crucial. Knowing what you have and how long it’s good for will save you money in the long run.  Shelfcooking.com recommends several ways to do this, from keeping manual written lists, to spreadsheet software.  There are even smartphone apps designed to help with this.  The important first step is to take all the food out of your pantry and log it in as you put it back, keeping track of expiration dates.

Those of us who know the joy of cooking, know that it is an expression of our love for those around us, our family, our friends, and our community. Having a well-stocked pantry is a way to make sure that we are ready to show that love when it is needed most.  If you have need our culinary facilities feel free to contact us.