The Organized Pantry
I am always seeking better and more efficient ways to organize. Since I cook often, I got tired of looking at my jumble of a pantry and decided I needed to streamline. I also liked the idea of having my food in airtight glass containers versus plastic. After some trial and error and a little research , here are a few ideas I came up with to edit your pantry.
Next up : the refrigerator!
Take Inventory
The first thing to do is to take inventory of what is in your pantry. Look at dates, throw out any old or expired goods. Take note of your most used goods: coffee, grains, pasta, nuts, etc and make a list.
2. Choose Reusable Containers
When you start to look at your pantry, you will notice how so much of our daily items are packaged in plastic. When you invest in some initial containers, it becomes easier to see and access ingredients and allows for you to bring your jars to grocery store to buy things in bulk to reduce waste. I like to use these the bags for shopping : the net ones for produce and the linen bags for things like rice, nuts, etc.
Choose clear, airtight jars. I like Weck and Le Parfait brands that I pick up at the Container Store. You can also use canning jars such as Ball or Mason.
If you are aesthetically crazed like I am, choose one or two styles and stick with that. You can always add more jars.
For spices, I love these little white jars from the Container Store.
3. Label
After organizing your pantry items into jars, it is important to keep track of what is what. I recently upgraded my labeler to a Brother P-Touch Cube Plus where you can design labels on their app and wirelessly print. I also love washi tape to write expiration dates and stick to the bottom of the container. I especially love these for my spices which I don’t go through as quickly.
