Evaluation Time: Prepper Pantry/ Working Pantry?
I have been working with a small emergency food and supply stash now for about two years. I am a member of a great skill building and survival group, SoulVival Life, and we had a pantry building challenge right at the end of 2019. I started out with just one tote which was more of a "grab and go" box for a emergency situation. I slowly expanded it to one and a half utility shelf units.
First efforts: The Grab and Go Box
I am thankful that we underwent the Prepped Up challenge seeing how things jumped off at the beginning of 2020!
First efforts: The Prepper Pantry
I set this pantry up in a spare bedroom thinking it would be temporary but I now think it may become a permanent fixture. Now it's time for me to evaluate how this has been working, what I could do better, what I have been really pleased with and are there any revelations.
The Alphabet is Your Friend
I started out very loosely alphabetizing everything which was really helpful but it needs to be redone because it’s really in “sort of” alphabetical order. But alphabetizing really helped me keep track of what I have.
Increased Awareness
Overall, having a prepper pantry continues to be a challenge for me because my diet so heavily focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables, and other perishables. And even though the pantry is said to be for "one day", I don't want the items to just sit there. That is why I use the term "working pantry". I want it to be a constant rotation of staples that my family uses regularly. That said, as much as I like to eat a wide variety of things, I think it’s best for me to keep my pantry items limited. It’s has an adequate variety for me and if I had to rely on it for a while I could do a lot with it…but it is mostly canned beans (Black beans, red beans, chili beans, chickpeas, lentils), canned tomatoes, spaghetti sauce and salsa, vegetable broths, and oats. Those are the main things that are in active rotation. I regularly buy these things at the grocery store to replenish what I have used. I do have a nice variety of pasta and some rice. Those have an extremely long shelf life which is good because I have realized and accepted that I just don't eat pasta or rice that often. This whole process had helped me be aware of things that I eat a lot of and things that I don’t really eat.
Keeping it a little more simple also helps me manage best by dates. I have found that I’m not really good with finding something in the pantry that is past its best by date and immediately putting it on the menu for that night if its something I didn’t really want or use in the first place and I don’t really want it now. But I did have some tasty successes:
Those instant mashed potatoes… they were delicious turned into Shepherd's Pie! I have not added any more instant tates to my stash but maybe I will.
The cherry juice and coconut water that needed to be used got made into a yummy homemade electrolyte drink using this recipe. Add a squeeze of lime juice for a cherry-lime version!
Pantry to the Rescue!
I will say that this small prepper/working pantry has come in handy on more than one occasion. When I was sick and feeling too ill to even cook, it was nice to be able to grab a can of soup or a box of mac and cheese. And I was pretty darn pleased at the "from scratch" soup I was able to pull together from pantry egg noodles and boxed veg broth combined with frozen turkey, and fresh vegetables (I had purchased a precooked turkey breast in anticipation of holiday meals that didn't happen. I ended up cutting half into cubes and slicing the other half for future sandwiches. I divided it into smaller portions in freezer bags.) This was so hearty and delicious! I found out a friend was sick the day after I made it and immediately filled a large mason jar with homemade soup and took it to her.
Don't Should On Myself
There were times when I got excited by something that COULD go in the prepper pantry but that didn’t necessarily mean that it SHOULD go in the prepper pantry. Like jams and jellies. I hardly everrrrrrrr use jams or jelly, as much as I like the idea of them. I made a small stash of autumn olive jam that has been in the refrigerator and serving my jam needs just fine. The organic mango preserves that just seemed so tasty on the grocery store shelf? I have never used. I think that I will use that eventually (got some recipe ideas brewing) but I know I did not need to get it in the first place and I am having to dedicate way to many synapses to figuring out what to with it.
I Like My Stash!
I really appreciate having a small stash of olive oil, dish soap, toothpaste, scouring powder, and Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soaps! This has a great "Whew!-factor". Nothing better than coming across that extra tube of toothpaste when needed! … although I do sometimes forget that it’s there and end up buying more.
I Am a Genius! The Baking Box
The creation of my baking box was GENIUS! (if I do say so myself) It's a large airtight bin with all of the flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, powdered sugar, cornstarch and other items for baking inside. I just love that when I take it out it has everything I need for baking anything and I just tuck it all back in there and put it all away! And those items don’t take up room in my kitchen cabinets. I may add a second smaller one for dried fruits and nuts.
The Baking Box
Do I Even Need Kitchen Cabinet Space?
Speaking of kitchen cabinets. I recently did a deep clean of my kitchen cabinets and realized I was still tucking things up there and not really using them in a timely fashion (like the three cans of pumpkin I got around the holidays. Those can go in the pantry now.) There are also things that were purchased with the best of intentions, like the can of jackfruit, that have just never been used. I need to address that.
If I am honest, probably all of the canned goods in my kitchen could go in the pantry. I could try leaving one shelf free for things I want to use that week? I'm still working on this. I want to get the glass canisters of oatmeal, pasta and rice off of the countertop and up into the cabinet so I have to free up some space. This goal has come about from my attempt to minimize things in the kitchen that are visually cluttery. So I'm experimenting with having my countertops basically empty. I like the idea of putting everything in the pantry and then seeing what items make their way back into the kitchen out of necessity. That would really help me figure out my usage patterns.
Overall I am pleased with the way this is worked out and am ready to move to the next level. #Goals:
Rearranging everything so that it is truly in alphabetical order
Making a digital shopping list for pantry items
Reorganizing my herbal medicine inventory in a similar manner
This feels like a good way to move into the new year. How about you? Do you have or did you start an emergency pantry stash? What has the experience been like for you? What have been you secrets or strategies for success? I would love to hear all about it! Thank you for reading.
Wishing you wellness!
Lottie
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
For more information on Best By dates, and food pantry storage, check out:
USDA Food Safety and Inspection - https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/food-product-dating
USDA Dept of Agriculture - https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/06/27/you-toss-food-wait-check-it-out
Still Tasty - https://www.stilltasty.com/
Eat By Date - http://www.eatbydate.com/