My Home #12: inexpensive way to build a kitchen pantry

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This is part 12 in a 13 part series: My Home

Goal: to have a pantry full of foods to provide you for the next 6-12 months or so (ex. from harvest season to harvest season)



2 Inexpensive strategies 

  1. Buy one more:  when doing your weekly shopping, instead of one set of supplies for a meal, (a meal that you like to eat), buy two. You, then, have a meal in storage for when a storm hits and you can’t get to the store, for example. 
  2.  Buy some canning jars: rather than investing in jars all at once or panicking because you can’t find any, buy a case of jars when you see them and starting gathering your supplies for preserving. 

These two strategies take very little investment in the moment but, little by little, your pantry will start to fill up. In a year’s time, you will be amazed at what you have been able to do! 

Buy it and forget about it - until you need it. 

Different ways to preserve food

  • Buy and store dry goods
  • Freeze foods
  • Dry, dehydrate or freeze-dry foods
  • Ferment foods
  • Can/jar foods (water bath or pressure cooker methods)
  • Store vegetables such as potatoes, squash cabbage,  in root cellars

Different Pantry Options

  • Shelving - on a wall, in a closet, in a basement 
  • Cupboard spaces 
  • Food-grade plastic storage containers 
  • Wooden crates
  • Fridges and freezers
  • Old suitcases slid under a bed - be creative

Things to consider

  • Insects and rodents (sealed containers) 
  • Humidity/ moisture (not wet)
  • Temperature (not too hot)
  • Sunlight (away from direct sunlight)

Benefits

  • buy local, in season, in bulk - when things are the cheapest and the most highly nutritious (and support the community)
  • Conscious shopping, buying what fits with your beliefs, goals, and tastebuds 
  • Preparing for winter storms, unavailability of items, loss of income, and when foods aren’t in season locally 
  • Saving money in the long-run
  • Providing for your family
  • And ???

All good reasons to have a pantry!

Happy pantry-ing, 
- Debbie



a simpler life