Food Storge Info

Monday, March 24, 2008

Make Your Life Easier, Start a Pantry to Save Time and Money

Start a pantry because a well stocked kitchen pantry and 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 that after you start a pantry, that it is stocked properly and regularly, which 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 well maintained stock level enables a family to continue eating and living well despite their circumstances. How does someone start a pantry? 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 items will reflect those differences.

For example, those families with young children might want to start a pantry with cold cereal, diapers, wipes, pretzels, crackers, and canned ravioli in their storage area. 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. There are also items that older couples might use.

For more info on how to Start a Pantry, and Build a Pantry please visit

http://www.food-storage-info.com/startapantry.html

Take Care and Have A Great Day,
Carl C

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