Stocked pantry list

[jilly_beans]

I am looking for a list on stocking the pantry. I know I have seem one on here before but cannot find it now.
If anyone has any handy hints n the best way to do this and rotate, please let me know!

[savvy_sniper]

You should stock up slowly. Buy things when they are on sale and/or you have coupons. You don't want a bunch of one thing that expires all at the same time. Also, stock what you use and use what you stock. You need to figure how long it takes you to go through things to decide how much you need.

Example - You don't need a case of SPAM if your family won't eat it.

There are tons of threads on stockpiling here - [ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=302"]Stockpiling - Frugal Village Forums[/ame]. Just start reading. There is a wealth of information and you will probably learn AT LEAST one thing from each thread.

Good Luck!

[savvy_sniper]

Here is a site with a list to start from and you can keep track of your stockpile.

http://www.trackmyfoodstorage.com/

[frugal-fannie]

To start with I bought Items I used all the time and would buy at a cheap price to hold me over till the next sale came. That way I would save money along the way.Then increase amount. Some people take a certain amount each week or a month and add to their stockpile like a savings account. There are a couple of threads on stockpiling so you could get some ideas there.Some people have space issues. Cricketlegs has the thread and Grainlady has some great advice along with a whole lot of people on FV, Let us know how you are doing.

[Grainlady]

Lists tend to be personalized according to your budget, family, food goals and space for storage, but these links may be helpful. It also depends on whether you use processed convenience foods or you stock your pantry with ingredients (the suggested method of home food storage). I stock ingredients and make my own "convenience" foods from those ingredients. I mill my flour from wheat, so that's a HUGE storage item (hundreds of pounds) that you may not need. So you see how personalized it all is.

http://www.demesne.info/Home-Maintenance/Pantry.htm

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tate55.html

Food Storage Guide: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn579-1.htm

These are the three layers of food storage we incorporate:

1. 72-hour emergency food/water
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/foodstorage/
These are foods that don't require heating or refrigeration that cover all the basic food groups and are contained in one plastic, portable container.

2. Pantry foods
These are foods I use for everyday food preparation.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4473134_keep...ods-fresh.html

3. Long-term Emergency Foods
Large amounts of grains/seeds/beans, #10 cans of milk, large variety of freeze-dried, dried eggs/peanut butter/butter, large amounts of water, canned goods, sweeteners, salt, oil, etc.... These foods get rotated into the pantry.

I started by developing a plan where I devoted $5/week towards food storage with a 3-month supply as my first goal, based on foods our family commonly uses. Eventually I shifted it to a larger plan similar to what Mormons use. Now I purchase food items when they are the lowest possible price because of a well-established storage plan. You'll need to define your storage goals, which will probably change over time.

-I never purchase a large number of foods at one time - such as 24 cans of tomato sauce all with the same use-by dates. I'd rather purchase up to 3 cans of a food so that I don't have 24 of something with all the same use-by date.

Can you realistically use 24 of something by the use-by date? I have to be careful with peanut butter use-by dates. I know we typically use one 16-oz. jar per month, so I keep track of use-by dates and don't go much beyond 5-8 months out. So keep in mind how many of something you can REALLY use within that use-by time from when you purchase it. Once your have things well established, you try to get those dates at least one, and preferably two or more years, out from the date of purchase.

-It's better to have 3-months of a wide variety of foods than a year's supply of one food.

-We all understand stocking our shelves "oldest to the front, newest to the back", your purchases use-by dates can run the gamut and your "newest" purchase may actually fall somewhere between the front and back when you check use-by dates. I line my shelves by use-by dates.

I keep a user-friendly amount in my kitchen, but the bulk of my food is stored in a room designed for food storage in the basement. I mark the use-by date (month/year) on the front of each can with a Sharpie so it's easy to read at a glance, and rotate them by date. I have black, red, and silver Sharpies for marking. It depends on the color of the label which one works best.

-I've had can racks for storage (where you put the newest purchase in the top and the oldest will roll down to be removed from the bottom, but recently got rid of them. The use-by dates never align. Loss-leaders often have use-by dates that are not that far out, which is why they are on sale.... So your dates can vary from months to years out and it was a pain to track the use-by dates in the racks. We switched to "creative" storage for cans that has been WONDERFUL. In an unfinished room in the basement, on interior walls with a finished wall on the other side, we retro-fitted narrow shelves between the studs, which are perfect for holding one can. Now I can see ALL the use-by dates (marked with a Sharpie), and I can easily adjust the cans so they are lined-up by use-by dates. So think beyond your normal food storage area... Deep storage isn't necessarily "good" storage. Things tend to get "lost". Use baskets and other creative storage methods to keep like-kinds of things together.

-I store things like tomato powder, which takes up less over-all space, but can be used to make tomato sauce, tomato paste, pizza sauce, etc. One ingredient with multiple uses. I supplement tomato powder with frozen tomatoes from the garden, and more that have been dehydrated and vacuum-sealed in canning jars in the storage room, and I never buy a can of tomato anything anymore.

-Dehydrated apples are used for applesauce, apple pie/cobblers, snacks, etc. So I don't purchase processed apple products, but rely on home dehydrated apples and fresh apples.

Good luck on your pantry storage. You'll find it will evolve over time as you build your pantry foods.

[jilly_beans]

wow, thanks so much for the tips! I can't wait to get started.

[sinopa27]

awesome tips. Now I have an idea!

[vickilynn]

I started out trying to buy 2 of everything I ran out of, putting one in the pantry. When something came out of the pantry, I put it on the grocery list....we pretty much have 2 of everything we use now...what a relief to know if I need tomato sauce, it's there.

[shoiji]

Some where on this website there is also a list for when the best time to buy pantry items. Basically, during the holidays (right now) is the best time to buy baking items because they go on sale. In January is the best time to stock up on personal care items and vitamins because that is when people start a new years resolution to take better care of themselves. So keep that in mind.

If you do not bake but like things like nuts and dried fruit. Now is also a good time to stock up on those items.

It is best to only stock up on items you use on a regular basis. Always check the expiration dates to make sure you will use it in time. A permanent marker will help you figure out how long it takes to use an item. Example, you open a new tube of toothpaste. Put the date that you opened it on the tube. Once you finish the tube look at the date and this will tell you how long it takes to use the item up.

There is alot of information in the stockpiling area on this site. Take your time so you do not get overwhelmed. Also remember that it may cost a little more to get the stockpile started. I worked on mine for about a year. Now I can wait for really great sales and use coupons to get items very cheap or even free. This past year I did not pay for toothpaste or deoderant. All free with sales and coupons. I gave away extras to people who needed them.

It definately is a journey with the stockpiling. But really, I love being able to say to myself I want to make this, and looking at my stockpile to get whatever I need. I have saved so much money. There has also been times where some unexpected expense came along and I was able to eat out of the stockpile. No worries about food, personal care items, paper products, cat care items.

[rictor]

My S.O. buys way too much and it expires.