Organize your kitchen's best asset in 6 steps
Who doesn’t adore images of a well-organized pantry? I drool over shots of pristine shelves lined with neatly labelled matching storage containers, organized by colour, shape and size.
My pantry is small, just like my kitchen. I keep it tight and do not stockpile - preferring a minimalist approach. Fundamentally, I have little choice - space constraint is a godsend.
But compared to those pin-worthy pantries - mine is a ramshackle culinary depiction of a four-year-old's toy box.
I am a cook, and my minimum requirements are still a hodge-podge mix of mismatched cans of beans and tomatoes competing for shelf space with a barrage of sauces and selections of vinegar, oils and sweeteners from an eclectic lineup of purveyors. Part bags of rice and pasta tightly secured with rubber bands (just like my grandma kept things fresh) piled up alongside mason jars of dried lentils, beans and grains. Nuts reside between the crackers and bread for practical reasons rather than neatly nestled on shelves between macaroni and oatmeal - as alphabetic organization might predict.
The shelves themselves are too deep for my comfort, and I’m routinely on my hands and knees stretching into the depths of lower recesses for ‘once-in-a-while’ ingredients like custard powder, icing sugar and shortening - (shh, this is also where I hide the good snacks).
It's a mess to the outside world, not the least bit pretty, but I’m not even embarrassed by the reality of my pantry.
I have a theory: pretty pantries aren't very practical - and I think they must be found only in homes where inhabitants eat take-out. A very long time ago, I learned to stop beating myself up over the aesthetic of what lies behind my cupboard doors and focus more on the practicality, freshness, and dependability of the contents.
A well-stocked pantry, routinely culled and rotated, composed of practical essentials and always ready for whatever your dinner plans demand, is a cook's best companion in the kitchen.
How to Reset Your Pantry and Make it Work for YOU. - 6 Easy Steps
At least four times a year, I dismantle my pantry and give it a good overhaul - a tune-up that ensures things aren’t overlooked or wasted and that valuable real estate isn’t occupied by stale crackers or too many cans of chickpeas.
Start from Scratch Clear off your counter to make room for this exercise. Empty out your dry food (pantry) storage cupboards. All of them, every single shelf, all at the same time. Leave no shelf unturned. Clutter the counter, kitchen table, stovetop and every other available flat surface.
Clean Wash down the shelves - get rid of the grains of loose rice, powdered cheese, and cocoa remnants. Wipe up the ground pepper, oregano flakes and ‘cupboard dust.’
Plan Set a plan in your mind. Where will you group oils and vinegar? Where’s the best spot for baking supplies, canned goods and daily used items like breads and spreads? Where will you keep the good snacks? Where will you keep the things for school lunches and healthy snacks?
Put it Back - (But don't put it all back) Start putting things mindfully back into the cupboards using the following as a guide for what goes back and what stays out:
Toss anything past its expiration date.
Any unopened items you haven’t reached for in the past three months should be re-homed to a neighbour, friend, college student or local foodbank (be mindful of expiry dates)
Any bags/containers of grains, flour, pulses, pasta and spices that have been open for 3 months or more should be discarded.
Examine boxes of cereal and crackers for freshness - this means taste it for flavour and crispness. Toss what doesn’t meet your freshness standard.
Place rarely used but perpetually fresh ingredients like sugar and salt in see-through canisters/containers or mason jars.
Place the newest purchases to the back and keep the oldest items at the front for first use.
Store oils, vinegar and spices away from heat and out of direct sunlight.
Take Stock Now that you have things back in the cupboard, inventory items.
What did you toss out that you need to replace? Buy the smaller bag, box or container so you don’t throw out excess in 3 months again. A bargain is only a bargain if the money stays out of the bin.
Take a discernible look at the items you are throwing out or re-homing - what are you routinely buying that no one is eating? Put them on a ‘no buy’ list.
Maintain a Clean Slate Cleaning and organizing the pantry is a significant and daunting job riddled with a good dose of guilt, but a clean slate will do amazing things for your kitchen love. You’re halfway there! Next is maintenance, the real trick to a practical, fresh, dependable pantry. Do this each week
Before grocery shopping, do an inventory and clean out your pantry the same way you prepare your fridge for the groceries and the week to come.
Toss any questionable items.
Make a note of any staples that need replenishing.
Decide what needs to be used up and plan meals to accomplish this.
Buy small quantities of one-off items.
When you bring the groceries home, place the newest items in the back and move the oldest items to the front.
Once you open items like cereal, crackers, grains, and flour, use transparent airtight containers like mason jars and ziplock bags to keep them fresh. Label with the date you opened the original package. For items with cooking instructions on the package, place the entire package inside a zip lock bag once opened so you retain all the original package information.
Get your family onboard with the ‘place for everything’ organization you establish so everyone knows where to look - especially the cook!
Once you get your pantry in shape, maintaining it is a simple weekly task that takes less than 5 minutes. It boosts confidence, reduces guilt, saves money and improves the overall quality of your meals.
Lastly - Embrace a Practical Pantry
Let go of the shame if your pantry fails the magazine cover look.
You will reap the rewards of a practical, well-cared-for pantry that functions well and fits your ‘cooked-in’ kitchen much better.
Did this inspire you to tune up your pantry? ... How did it go? Share your story in the comments - What is the one thing you realize you keep buying that nobody eats? In our house, it was cereal.
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