Pantry Stockpile

{a few shelves of my “pantry” area in our basement}

I’ve been known to have a VERY well-stocked pantry. I guess that comes from my mom — growing up, we always had 4 or 5  more of everything down on the pantry shelves in the basement.

And although Dave and I don’t really have a true “pantry” in our kitchen, we have several shelving units in our basement that house all our extra canned goods, baking supplies, cereal, chips, snacks, beverages, and loads of other non-perishable food supplies.

These shelves have seriously saved my butt many times when I run out of a specific ingredient in the middle of making a recipe. Instead of wasting time running out to the store, I can simply head down to the basement and “raid my stash”!

{my pantry right after we moved… I have since re-stock it many times!}

I have to laugh because I honestly thought it was completely normal to have shelves and shelves of extra food in the basement! After all, my mom does it, my grandma does it, Dave’s mom does it, so everyone must do it… right?!

But then I posted this picture of a couple of my pantry shelves {in our old house}… and I immediately started getting comments, facebook messages, and emails from people asking what items I keep in my pantry, how I keep it organized, how long I keep certain items, etc. etc.

{my “pantry” in our old house}

So I guess this might not be as “normal” as I thought! 

If you’ve never taken the time to create/use a pantry in your home, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Designate a place for your extra food.

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You don’t need a fancy pantry in your kitchen — I’ve never had one and that certainly didn’t stop me! Start with one shelving unit in your basement or garage {you can find cheap shelves on Craigslist!}. If you don’t have a basement or garage, use plastic storage tubs that fit under your bed… or in a hall closet.

It doesn’t have to be a huge spot, just one designated place to store your extra food supplies.

2. Stock up when items goes on sale.

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I save LOTS of money by having a well-stocked pantry… because I always buy the items when they are on sale and I have coupons. Just last week, my mom told me about a deal on Kellogg’s cereal and I was able to get TEN boxes completely free {and we eat lots of cereal}!

Obviously, you don’t need to go crazy here {think Extreme Couponing} — the purpose is not to stock up just so you can say you have 5 bazillion packages of something! The idea behind a pantry stockpile is to save yourself time and money by not running out of certain supplies you use on a regular basis. So keep that in mind as you stock up!

If you are new to stockpiling, here is a free printable that will allow you to track all the items in your pantry and help you know what you might need to stock up on!

3. Organize food by type.

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Obviously, it’s much easier to find what you need when you need it if you have some method of organization. My method is nothing special, I usually just designate one shelf per item {Here’s a list of foods I always try to keep in my pantry.}

For example, I have one shelf for pasta, one shelf for canned fruits and veggies, one shelf for cereal, one shelf for chips, one shelf for crackers and other snacks, one shelf for baking supplies, etc. etc.

And of course, I use shoe boxes to organize smaller items like extra condiments, spices, seasonings, etc.

4. Put newer items in the back.

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If you’re like me, you will most likely add to your stockpile on a weekly basis. I stock up on different items each week, depending on what’s on sale — this way, my pantry is never empty. However, when I buy more items, I always make sure to put them in the back… even though that may take a little extra work on my part.

If you don’t take the time to continually rotate your items {oldest items in front, newest items in back} you run the risk of things expiring before you use them… and that’s a huge waste!

5. Create meal plans around your pantry stockpile.

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I use a really simple meal-planning method that gives me lots of flexibility and options each week. However, I always try to integrate as many pantry staples into my meal plan as possible.

Like I mentioned before, one of the main reasons I keep such a large stock-pile of food on hand is to save time and money — but if I create a meal plan that doesn’t use the ingredients I already have in the house, then I still waste time and money making a special trip to the store.

And every couple of months, I’ll challenge myself to make an entire weekly meal plan using ONLY the items in our pantry and freezer. Not only do I save a TON on groceries that week, but it also gives me an opportunity to clean out some of the pantry staples that might have been around for awhile!

6. Re-stock your pantry.

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Obviously, in order to maintain a well-stocked pantry,  you should have some type of system in place for re-stocking your pantry supplies.

As I mentioned in #4 above, I try to restock mine on a weekly basis — but I don’t stock everything each week. For example, if cereal and crackers are really on sale one week, I’ll buy a whole bunch {probably enough to last us 4-8 weeks}. The next week, peanut butter and salad dressing might be marked down so I’ll stock up on those items, but I won’t buy any cereal or crackers.

I think you get the idea! Just keep looking for those sales and stocking up on specific items each week.

Another thing I do is keep a running list of items I’m running low on. When I bring up the last bottle of syrup, I write it on my list. When I open the last bag of cheddar chips, I put that on my list. That list helps me remember what to look for and assures that our stockpile never runs out.

Stocking and organizing a pantry really doesn’t have to be a lot of work.  In fact, I don’t even think about it anymore — it’s just second nature! And honestly, I’ve saved SO much time and money by keeping my pantry stocked and ready for my next freezer cooking day, massive baking extravaganza, or just unexpected company.

Do you have a “pantry” somewhere in your house?

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Since the back-to-school season is essentially here {yup, I know…summer’s almost over} I’ve been thinking more about quick, simple breakfast and lunch ideas that will help us transition into this busy time of year.

Growing up, one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast was a warm bowl of oatmeal – and even on a hot, sticky summer morning, a bowl of brown sugar/cinnamon oatmeal still hits the spot!

source:

Since I normally don’t have a lot of extra time in the morning, I usually resort to packets of instant oatmeal — which I know are not that healthy. However recently, I came across a great recipe in The Frugal Foodie Cookbook – Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix! I knew I had to give it a try.

I did make a few changes to fit my tastes… and I think you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

INGREDIENTS for ONE serving:

• ½ c. instant oats or quick oats {not Old Fashioned oats}

• 2 t. dried milk powder

• 1 T. brown sugar

• 1 t. cinnamon

• Handful of dried fruit or nuts {optional}

• Honey, maple syrup, more cinnamon, sugar, etc. {added AFTER you cook the oatmeal}

INGREDIENTS for 10 servings:

• 5 c. instant oats

• 1/3 c. dried milk powder

• 2/3 c. brown sugar

• 3 T. cinnamon

• 2 c. dried fruits or nuts {optional}

• Honey, maple syrup, more cinnamon, sugar, etc. {added AFTER you cook the oatmeal}

DIRECTIONS to make the MIX:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl {you can reserve the dried fruit and nuts to put on top of your oatmeal if you want.}

2. If making individual serving, simply package the ingredients in snack-size zip top bags or other small containers {or of course you could just skip this step and eat it right away!

3. If making the mix in bulk, mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight storage container.

DIRECTIONS to make the OATMEAL:

1. When you’re ready to eat the oatmeal, simply dump your portion {a heaping ½ cup} into a cereal bowl.

2. Add 3/4 c. water or milk and stir until dissolved {I like using milk, but water is cheaper}

3. Microwave on high for about one minute {depending on your microwave}

4. Let sit for another minute and add more milk or water as needed to reach your desired consistency

5. Add dried fruit, nuts, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, sugar, etc to taste.

Eat and enjoy!

This recipe is really simple, and practically fool-proof. You can add whatever “extras” your family likes, or just leave it plain and let them add their own extras after the oatmeal is cooked.

This recipe also makes it really easy to prepare a bunch of packets in advance {we store ours in the freezer}, and it’s the perfect meal for busy school mornings when you’re in a hurry but might want just a bit more than cold cereal or a slice of toast.

Plus, it’s a lot healthier {and cheaper} than the store bought instant oatmeal!

More Quick Breakfast Ideas::

• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Breakfast Burritos
• Homemade Granola
• Homemade Yogurt
• Homemade Granola Bars

Oh, and if you’re looking for a few simple, fun lunch ideas…

• Simple Alternatives to Sandwich Lunches
• Simple School Snack Ideas
• School Lunch Inspiration

What are YOUR simple, go-to school breakfast and lunch ideas?

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Now that it’s oficially summer, I am thankful that our weekly schedules have slowed down a bit.

We have almost no sporting events, committee meetings, school functions, etc. etc. It’s a wonderful change of pace and one that I lo0k forward to every year.

One of the reasons I always look forward to our slower summer schedule is because it gives me a little extra time to go through our pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and take stock of everything that has accumulated over the past 6 months. I do this at least twice per year — once right before the holiday season and then again each summer.

I often have a bit more time to plan and prepare dinner so I try to get creative and use up as much of our extra stockpile as possible.

Benefits of using up our stockpile:

• It helps us significantly reduce our grocery bill for 2 or 3 weeks.
• It gives me and opportunity to test my cooking and baking abilities {which really are nothing special!}
• It forces us to try new foods that we might not have tried before.
• It keeps our kitchen more organized and prevents wasted and expired food.

If you haven’t cleaned out your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer in a while, now might be just the time to do it.

Read my simple tips for cleaning out your stock pile over at Plan to Eat.

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We eat a good amount of fruits and vegetables all year long, but every Spring, I have a burning desire to eat even more delicious fruits and veggies. It sounds like many others have the same desire for spring produce because lately, I’ve received several emails asking how to save money on produce.

I had a few of my own money-saving tricks, but I also asked for your ideas on facebook and twitter — and I’ve compiled the results here.

1. Grow and preserve it.

OK, so this is the most work out of all my ideas, but we do save a lot of money by growing our own produce, or buying it from local orchards, and then canning it to eat year round. Not only is this a great way to save money, it also tastes SO much better than canned food from the store!

Here are some of my favorite recipes:

• Apricots
• Apple Butter
• Jams
• Peaches and Pears
• Tomatoes

I also can all our applesauce and salsa, but don’t have those recipes posted yet.

2. Buy frozen or freeze your own.

I buy lots of frozen vegetables — especially because they often go on sale for less than $1.00 per bag and I always have multiple $0.50 or $0.75 off coupons. This allows me to get a full meals worth of vegetables for pennies. Plus, I’ve heard that frozen veggies are actually pretty healthy.

I usually don’t buy frozen fruit {it always seems to be much more expensive} but I do freeze tons of fruit every summer and fall to use for pies, shortcake, pancakes, etc. all year long.

Here’s a pretty thorough list of the things I freeze.

3. Buy what’s in-season.

I try to stick to this money-saving “rule” as much as possible, because buying fresh produce in season will most definitely be your cheapest option. Unfortunately for Michigan, this means we have a limited selection of “cheap” produce during winter months, but that’s when my frozen and canned stockpiles come in handy!

4. Shop the discount produce rack.

Most grocery stores have some sort of discount produce rack that is filled daily with near-expired produce. The downside to this discount produce rack is it’s always hit or miss so I can’t ever count on it.

I know some people are against “old” produce, but I’ll often buy it to bake with or to freeze. For example, I’ll buy mushy bananas and apples for banana bread, apple sauce, apple butter, or apple crisp. I’ll buy peppers, squash, broccoli, etc. for stir fry, soups, stews, vegetable bake, or just to freeze for later. I’ve also had great luck with finding slightly over ripe berries, which are perfect for shortcake or any other dessert.

5. Join a co-op.

Even if you don’t want to grow your own produce, you can join a co-op {by yourself or with a friend} and you’ll get loads of fresh produce every week from spring through fall. You don’t have to do any of the work… just pay a seasonal fee — which is usually pretty reasonable. And if you end up with too much produce, simply freeze it or can it.

6. Buy smaller quantities and smaller sizes.

There is nothing worse the spending your hard-earned money on expensive produce and then watching it go bad in your fridge or on your counter. I hate throwing food away, so when I do buy full-price fresh produce {yes this does happen} I only buy small quantities to assure we eat it all.

I also buy the smallest sized fruit I can find — especially for fruit like bananas and apples, because we only eat one at a time no matter how large or small they are, and I’m paying by the pound!

These are a few ways I manage to save money on produce – what are your money-saving tips?

{top image credit}

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I have saved a lot of money over the years by keeping a well-stocked pantry and freezer; I learned this trick from my mom! I usually spend less than $20.00 per week on groceries; but you would never guess that by the amount of food we have around here! {Keep in mind I have a small obsession with coupons and rebates!}

I also save a lot of time planning our meals for the week (or the month) because I have a place to start. I don’t need to run to the store before every meal.

Here’s a look at my pantry shelves in our basement. Plus this.

In my Pantry:

• Baking: flours, sugars, baking soda/powder, powdered milk, spices, chocolate chips, cake mixes
• Beverages: hot coco, coffee, tea, lemonade mixes,
• Canned foods: applesauce, fruits, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, corn, salsa
• Condiments: peanut butter, jams/jellies, syrups, honey
• Dried foods: raisins, craisins, cherries, beans, slit peas
• Herbs and Spices
• Nuts: almonds, pecans, walnuts, roasted peanuts
• Oils: vegetable and olive
• Paper Products: sandwich bags, parchment paper, cleaning supplies, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper
• Produce: garlic, onions, potatoes
• Sauces: pasta/pizza sauce, soy sauce, salad dressings
• Snacks: crackers, chips, granola
• Starches: pastas, rice, grains, oats, cereals, tortillas, good bread
• Vinegars: balsamic, red, white, cider

In my Freezer:

• Cheese: (I buy large blocks of cheese to shred and slice. It freezes well)
• Frozen fruit and veggies
• Meat: chicken breasts, bacon, sausage, ground turkey
• Pizza (we always have at least one hanging around!)
• Stock or Broth (I freeze it in one-cup servings)
• Sweets: cookies, bars, quick breads, pie crusts (I do lots of baking once a month)

In my Fridge:

• Condiments: ketchup, mustard, relish, dressings
• Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, sour cream, mayo
• Produce: Carrots, celery, apples, oranges
• Lots of leftovers!

Cooking with these Staples:

Some of my favorite meals come from the items in our freezer and pantry. There is something so comforting about creating an entire meal out of  leftovers and items we already have on hand. I don’t like wasting food {I got that from my mom too!} and cooking from my pantry is a perfect way to reduce our waste.

Here are a few meals we love to make with our pantry and freezer staples:

1. Breakfast: Stale bread is excellent for French toast. Add a few eggs and some bacon or sausage and you have a delicious meal. Don’t have any bread? Make pancakes, omelettes, or a quiche.
2. Pasta: Mix your favorite pasta with homemade or canned pasta sauce. Add a salad,  chicken breast, and cheesy garlic bread and you have a gourmet meal for a fraction of the price.
3. Grilled Sandwiches or Wraps: Load leftover meats, cheese, condiments, and veggies on your favorite bread or wrap and grill it in a pan or on a griddle. You’ll feel like you’re at Panera Bread!
4. Casseroles: My husband LOVES casseroles. I don’t share his intense passion, but I frequently make casseroles to use up extra ingredients we have on hand. These one-dish meals also make for easy clean up.
5. Soups and Stews: I love using up extra veggies and meats to make delicious hardy soups and stews. I always make a double batch for the freezer.

Do you keep a well-stocked pantry and freezer? If so, what are your favorite ingredients to keep on hand? What are your favorite “pantry meals”?

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{Recipes to come!}

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