I am having a problem stockpiling

**bee9984** · 05-31-2009, 09:36 AM

Certain things I am ok keeping stocked like peanut butter (bought 16 jars of it last year for $1 a jar and have 8 left and soup/pasta seem to last). I am having a problem with foods my family loves. For example, if I buy say 8/10 boxes of snack crackers for lunches and snacks they might last the month. I bought 12 cans of ravioli and that lasted maybe 2 weeks.

Should I just tell everyone not to touch my stockpile pantry? Maybe I should tell them to let me know when they are wanting something from in there? Sometimes it just seems like certain foods are eaten up before another great sale comes along so I can stock up again.

Maybe I am just trying to fight a losing battle with trying to stock up with the things they "Love" to eat lol.

Yesterday triscuit crackers were on sale, 4 boxes for $5. I bought 8 boxes and they are larger than normal sized. Dh can sit down and eat a whole box in one day. I don't know how he doesn't gain weight lol.

Any suggestions? I really want to get my stockpile going. Maybe I am doing something wrong. What do you all do to keep your pantry stocked?

**Luckybustert** · 05-31-2009, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by bee9984

Maybe I am just trying to fight a losing battle with trying to stock up with the things they "Love" to eat lol.

On the one hand you want to stockpile things they will eat, but it's very difficult to stockpile if they're going to eat these foods to the exclusion of others when they're on hand. Have you tried setting a menu plan and having the family stick to it? Maybe you could let everyone pick one meal so they'll have an opportunity to enjoy their favorite once a week?

**Debbie-cat** · 05-31-2009, 12:39 PM

I hid alot of the 'yummy' foods in my bedroom. I have them on a shelf unit in the closet and under my bed. I only put one of these foods out once in a while. For instance if it is crackers, I would put a box in the cupboard and when it is gone, I wait for a few days before I put out a new box. This way the 'eaters' don't come to expect them in the cupboard all the time and I can make it til the next great sale.

**Domestic Gal** · 05-31-2009, 04:34 PM

I do the same as debbie cat. It gets hidden and only put out every once in a while. When it does get put out I will bag them up in portion size ziploc bags and put names on them. Otherwise someone will eat it all and no one else will get any. When you eat yours all up you have to wait for the next box to be open. could be a day or a week later.
Plus they have to ask me if they can open up something so I know that it is getting opened and not the same person opening up something all the time just because it is there favorite and no one else getting any.

**Pemberleyan** · 05-31-2009, 04:52 PM

If your family will not agree to limit eating the favorites, I'd hide them. I do this, not so much for that reason, but for long-term storage. I have a pantry, but the "back-up" is under the bed.

**JerryG** · 05-31-2009, 05:08 PM

Yep. Hide it. High or low. The only place that won't get found is my bedroom, but I just find that too weird. . . Food in the bedroom?? Fresh stuff, freeze what you can, cuz' if it's "not in a box" in the freezer, it won't get eaten.

**Contrary Housewife** · 05-31-2009, 05:33 PM

I think you need to set some boundaries for the family. It will be helpful to have a stockpile area (basement, laundry room, extra closet) where you keep the bulk of the storage. Then you can move ONE box of snacks into the kitchen to be consumed that week, and ration out cans of ravioli as *needed* for lunches.

Explain to them that the stockpile is off limits, it is not an all-you-can-eat snack buffet. If they gobble up a month worth of chips in a week, let them go the remaining 3 weeks without.

My DH can eat an entire box of Cheezits too. I have talked to him about portion sizes and asked him to not take the whole box, just put a handful into a bowl to take with him. I have also told him I will only buy them when they are on sale, and they have to last for so many weeks or months until the next sale. When he is out he does without them.

**monkeywrangler71** · 05-31-2009, 08:54 PM

I hide the snacks. My kids are little, it just makes life smoother if they don't know something exists until I bring it out for a treat.
I won't stockpile chips or cookies though because I can't stay out of them.

**Judi Dial** · 05-31-2009, 09:12 PM

I just don't stockpile snack foods. If cookies are on sale say 2 for a good price, we'll buy those, and munch them right up. But usually, we don't buy crackers, cookies, etc. And I don't make them very often either.

Around here, desserts are a real TREAT. We do have ice cream most of the spring-fall, and some fruit. Of course, I have no kids.

If I were you, I'd probably hide the treats. I think this is right up there with buying small (kid sized) apples or cutting one in 1/2 (a trick of my dad's to cut down waste).

Judi

**cheles2kids** · 06-01-2009, 09:43 AM

What I've found is to keep things 'out of sight'.
Once they are brought home, then I go through, mark dates and then they are carried off to the stockpiling shelf.

It's kinda like~outta sight, outta mind kind of thing around here.

I also think that at first, with having so much extra food/snacks in the house, it's kinda cool to everyone.
Then as time passes, they don't pay any attention to the fact that you just bought 18 bottles of juice.

**NewLeaf** · 06-01-2009, 09:52 AM

I don't stockpile alot of snack foods, but when I do I put them on the shelf in the basement in a bag or concealing box. That way no one knows how many I have and I can bring them up to the kitchen one at a time. I also let a few days elapse when a snack food is gone - that way my family has to look for healthy choices. I always have fresh fruit, cereal & yogurt around. And I have muffin mixes bought on sale......

**_kit** · 06-01-2009, 10:13 AM

I do pretty much what everyone else has suggested. I have two cabinets for food. One large pantry cabinet is in my laundry room and that's where I keep the bulk of my stockpile. The smaller cabinet is in the kitchen and that's what we use to cook and eat from. The cabinet in the laundry room is off limits and everything in the kitchen cabinet is fair game. I move things from the stockpile to the kitchen on a fairly regular schedule. That lets me control how fast we go through stockpile supplies and lets me keep things rotated. If we run out of crackers in the kitchen cabinet in 2 days then we're out until the next time I restock.

**Cricketlegs** · 06-01-2009, 10:51 AM

I don't really stock any snack type items. I find canned chili and ravioli will walk away but I just replace it as I can.

I tend to stock canned goods and things like sugar, flour, pickles and the like that must be made into meals so I just don't have much of a problem.

My dd will go through cereal fast but that is okay. I buy it on sale about 6 boxes a month so it just keeps moving off the shelf and getting replaced.

Kepp up with your stockpile even if it means changing what you buy.

**frugalfriend** · 06-01-2009, 10:54 AM

I can't stockpile snacks at all, my family would find them or figure it out if I were hiding them! Worst of all, I'd know they were there and want to indulge, LOL!