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| Start A Pantry -
Save Time and Money
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carl_Copeland]Carl
Copeland
A well-stocked and well-maintained pantry is the trademark
of an organized kitchen. It is important for every home to
have a reserve of regularly used food items, sundries and a
few special items on hand to welcome surprise guests. What
is the main purpose of creating and keeping a pantry? You
want to make sure it is stocked properly and regularly will
reduce stress and save money. It’s important to always have
those items on hand that are necessary for your family‘s
needs. For example, if it is properly stocked, you won’t run
out of toilet paper, paper towels, flour, sugar, or other
staple items.
Also, if for some reason an illness, job loss or natural
disaster occurs, a pantry enables a family to continue
eating and living well despite their circumstances. How does
someone get started? There is a standard: if you have an
item that is open, there is one back up on the shelf. It’s a
good idea to have at least a three-day supply of both food
items and hygiene supplies to provide for your family plus
at least one extra person. Always use the FIFO method: First
In, First Out. When you purchase new items, rotate the older
items to the front to be used first.
If you are a planner and prefer to have more supplies on
hand, it would be wise to include substitutes for fresh
foods. Examples might include powdered milk, protein
products, dried fruits and dried vegetables. These items
might simply save a trip to the grocery store if you
accidentally run out of a fresh item, which means you have
saved time and money!
Only purchase what you and your family will actually use and
eat. Money will only be wasted if you purchase items no one
eats and extra time will be taken with cleaning out all of
the unused items. Each household is in a different stage of
life and their pantry items will reflect those differences.
For example, those families with young children might have
cold cereal, diapers, wipes, pretzels, crackers, and canned
ravioli in their pantry. Homemakers who are dedicated to
baking and creating meals from scratch might have plenty of
flour, sugar, baking powder, chocolate chips, dried
buttermilk, and oatmeal on their shelves. Couples who are
retired typically don’t eat large meals three times a day
and they tend to eat out a bit more often, so their items
might be limited to snack foods and a few items on hand in
the event that guests arrive unexpectedly.
Organization is key to keeping a well-stocked pantry. Mount
a small dry erase board or notepad with a writing utensil
right in the storage area so you can add items to the list
as they are used. Your shopping list will always be in
process.
Any space can be used to store your items and if you have a
larger family, your pantry will probably be spread over
several different locations. Use boxes, baskets, shelves,
plastic tubs with lids, or anything you like to store your
items in an organized manner. Store your cookbooks in your
pantry too. That way, you can look up a recipe and look for
the needed ingredients all at the same time.
Building a pantry isn’t difficult, it simply takes a bit of
planning and organization. From then on, just keeping on top
of it makes life much easier!
Carl Copeland is motivated to bringing information and
resources to others regarding Food Storage, Food Safety, and
Food Preparation and its benefits for everyday life. Save
money by having your food last longer. More Info at
http://www.Food-Storage-Info.com/
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carl_Copeland
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