Give Your Pantry A Makeover

Does your kitchen pantry feel out of control? Have items gotten piled up or pushed to the back of shelves, or have you forgotten about canned goods that have been there for too long?

If you don’t have room for even one more item, but have no idea what’s taking up the space, it’s time for a pantry makeover. Set aside a day to remove everything in your pantry, and figure out what to keep, donate, or throw away. Keep only items that you use on a regular basis, donate goods that are usable but that you’ll never need, and toss out any foods that are expired, or have been opened but remain unused.

Now that you have an empty pantry, sweep the floor, clean off the shelves and replace torn shelf paper. Now you can begin the process of organizing your space in a new, improved way.

Every household has different food needs. Your family might be vegetarian, or opt for organic foods. Maybe you’re an avid baker who makes regular use of staple ingredients. Based on a list from MarthaStewart.com (which provides a more extensive list for people who cook a variety of meal types on a regular basis), we recommend that the average American household store the following essentials in the pantry. (Of course, you will alter this list depending on personal tastes.)

• One or two boxes of pasta each, for the sizes and shapes you use regularly
• Sugar, granulated, and powdered if you use it, and brown sugar if you bake with it
• Flour, white and whole wheat
• Baker’s chocolate squares, if you bake with chocolate
• Canned tomatoes or tomato sauce
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Red-wine or Balsamic vinegar
• Peanut butter
• Dried or canned beans used regularly for salads or other meals
• Rice
• Favorite nuts, whole or sliced, for snacking, salads, or baking
• Prepared foods that your family uses on a regular basis, such as marinated artichokes, olives, soups, and children’s favorites

When you’re thinking about what to store in your pantry, try to minimize packaging. This is a good choice for anyone who cares about the environment, and will also help you use more of your space for food, rather than the bulky, unnecessary packaging many companies incorporate into their products. When you’re shopping for staples that can be stored for extended periods, chose large or bulk sizes rather than smaller or individual portions. Buy products that don’t include unneeded packaging (such as juice boxes, for example, that are packaged in individual portions, have plastic straws wrapped in plastic taped to the side of each box, and include shrink wrap around the whole thing). The Daily Green has published a list of worst offenders, including individual portions of packaged cheese, raisins and prunes, and even organic and health foods.

As you place items back in your cleaned-out pantry, HeartofWisdom.com recommends that you group them according to when you’ll need them. For example, use separate areas for snacks, baking staples, breakfast foods, and dinner foods, with the goods used most often located nearest to the door. Invest in airtight containers for items such as sugar and flour to stay organized and use minimal space. Foods that kids need to reach should be stored on lower shelves.

It takes a little time and forethought, but once you’ve finished your Pantry Makeover, you’ll enjoy an easier, more organized kitchen experience. Good luck!