Pantry Stocking

[Alix]

I have my own system of stocking our pantry and its really all in my head. The things we use most I tend to pick up extras so I don't run out and then I just keep a sticky list on the fridge for everyone to write on. If we are low on something I expect it to be written on the list (as I don't eat some things the rest of the family do) so that we can keep a decent stock.

In spite of what I consider a good system I STILL have moments when I run out of staple items. Today it was cocoa and butter. (Seriously...BUTTER! I buy butter nearly every trip to the grocery store simply because we eat so much popcorn for snacks in the evening and I bake a LOT.) The cocoa was actually the bigger issue as I only had about 2/3 of what I needed for my cake today. (I faked it so heres hoping it works out alright.) I was grumping along to myself about running out of cocoa "who didn't put it on the list" and that sort of thing when I realized it IS on the list...and in MY handwriting. Oops.

Sometimes I end up having 3 or 4 "extras" of things like lemon juice or parmesan cheese and then there are those moments when I run out of something completely out of the blue. Like flour. Come on now! I buy the stuff in the 20kg size! How do you run out of THAT??? But I somehow manage.

OK so that long rambling story was my preamble to asking how folks keep track of whats in their pantry and asking if someone has a really good method of keeping the pantry stocked with essentials. I'd love to hear it.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

I don't wear stockings.

 

[Alix]

I don't wear stockings.

BOO!!!

 

[bigdaddy3k]

For you Alix, I'll start.

 

[kadesma]

I tried the written notes and it never works, because my girls hit the pantry and freezer as they shoot by on their way home..Who has time to write on Ma's list, heck she doesn't do anything all day, so she should be there to write what we takeI do keep an unseen list in my purse only way I remember to get what I need. Yet I find myself wondering how did I forget the molasses when I had two packs of white beans in my basket at the store? So really most of the time I go up and down the isles and shop picking up things I see and know I'm out of. Of course my favorite thing is to look in the refrigerator, see a big container of juice and milk several cans of 7-up only to get hone and find them empty...My DH and kids don't believe in throwing tings away , we save them for a rainy day now anyone have any ideas on how to break this habit? refill the milk with something nasty?
kades

 

[Andy M.]

It's a problem for me as well. Do to a lack of space on the main floor fo the house, our pantry is on the basement level so I'm always running up and down for stuff I forgot. This also makes it harder to keep track of what we are out of or what's running low.

We have a small white board and a dry erase marker on the fridge. We write down stuff as we run out. There's the main list in the upper left corner of the borad and the specialty store list on the right.

We still run out of stuff. I'll be in the middle of doing something and make a mental note to write it down, then I forget it before I write it down.

Now I have started planning the week's menu before we go grocery shopping and I look over all the recipes (where needed) to make sure I have all the ingredients. I still forget something because I forgot to write it on the shopping list!

Enough. I don't want you to know I'm a complete idiot.

 

[Andy M.]

...now anyone have any ideas on how to break this habit? refill the milk with something nasty?
kades

Just don't refill them at all. If they miss their milk, juice and soda a couple of times, they might get the message.

"Sorry Dear, i didn't realize the container you put back into the fridge was EMPTY!"

 

[Alix]

Hmmm. Seems I'm not alone then in the pantry problems.

I agree with you kadesma, drives me bananas when I am out of something I thought I had scads of. Milk is especially tough. We go through 8-12 liters a week. Sometimes more. The fridge only hold so much at one time though.

 

[Uncle Bob]

You cannot buy properly if you don't know what you have...Take an inventory (on your blank grocery list) Then make your list and go buy what you need....It works perfectly!!! --- Seriously, a hardware store can't buy bolts, nuts, screws etc. unless they know what's on the shelf...and what's in the storage area...In short...Take an inventory before going to the store.....

 

[Alix]

Um. Thats probably the most logical suggestion ever Uncle Bob. I'm sitting here looking at the screen thinking "why didn't I ever think of that???" *forehead slap*

I think I need to be vigilant too though. I simply don't keep track of some things in our house because I don't use them. Cereal being the biggest example. We go through frightening amounts in our house and the only time I use it is in baking!

Seems most folks have a list of some kind on the fridge or otherwise centrally located too. I just need to make sure stuff gets recorded on there.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Seems most folks have a list of some kind on the fridge or otherwise centrally located too. I just need to make sure stuff gets recorded on there.

A "needs" / "out of" list is a good tool along with an inventory. When it comes time to write your order (grocery list) the needs, out of items get first priority.

 

[Andy M.]

You cannot buy properly if you don't know what you have...Take an inventory (on your blank grocery list) Then make your list and go buy what you need....It works perfectly!!!...

If you take an inventory of what you have on hand, that doesn't tell you what's not there. I mean, if you have 50 different items (or more) in your pantry are you going to remember you are missing a can of chipotle in adobo or file' powder, or whatever?

If you had a master list of all the things you ever keep in your pantry and compare your inventory to it, that might tell you something as long as the master list is up to date.

 

[Uncle Bob]

If you had a master list of all the things you ever keep in your pantry and compare your inventory to it, that might tell you something as long as the master list is up to date.

Your "Master List" IS your inventory/buying guide (grocery list) It's one document...one piece of paper. It's list everything you carry/use...You inventory using it..You make your order (grocery list) based on what you have on hand, and what your anticipated needs and wants will be in the coming days...week etc. Kept up to date it will tell you what you need to buy when you buy...go grocery shopping.

 

[Constance]

This is interesting, because I had my cleaning woman up-date my basement inventory today. Lawdy, I've got so much stuff I need to use up! That's besides what's in the pantry upstairs.

 

[Andy M.]

Your "Master List" IS your inventory/buying guide (grocery list) It's one document...one piece of paper. It's list everything you carry/use...You inventory using it..You make your order (grocery list) based on what you have on hand, and what your anticipated needs and wants will be in the coming days...week etc. Kept up to date it will tell you what you need to buy when you buy...go grocery shopping.

Got it. To me inventory is what you have in hand, not what you should have. So I understand what you meant.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Got it. To me inventory is what you have in hand, not what you should have. So I understand what you meant.

Ahmmmm Inventory IS what you have in/on hand...Don't think I did, or certainly didn't mean to indicate otherwise........

 

[spork]

In my head, I have a short list of pantry & frig items that I buy every day. A short list of items to buy week's end. A short list to buy start of each month. Blindly irregardless of actual inventory, knowing that, on average, I am right about our pace of consumption. Shortages/excesses happen, but like any retail store, for my volume staples, I wouldn't inventory and phone in every order. I'd instead just set up a delivery schedule.

I also keep a digital voice recorder in the kitchen - memoing myself for depleted pantry items. Schools today do not teach kids how to write with a pen/pencil; they go straight to keyboards. They won't help you with a magnetic note pad, but they'll be more than happy to scream into a voice recorder, "You're such a goop, Mom, we're out of Fruit Loops, again!"

 

[Alix]

OMG...still laughing about this one. Thanks chopsticks you are SO right. Voice recorder is going to show up in our kitchen now.

 

[her_name_is_ed]

Luckily for me I am always trying out new recipes and for that reason my shopping list is pretty easy, it's just whatever I need for my new dish. Then there are the staples that I pick up whenever I am out like butter, cream, chicken stock etc. I also like to fill the fridge with fresh citrus and herbs, the pantry has all the basics as well: canned tomatoes, paste, some beans and evaporated milk. We do keep a list for milk and eggs, household stuff too. Right now we have way way too much food in the cabinets and freezer so I am trying that weeklong challenge where you only cook with stuff you already have....sounds tough.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Repeat after me: The Computer Is Your Friend. Lol!!

Here's what I started doing years ago & it's yet to fail me.

As Bob said, keep an inventory. You don't have to be anal about it, but do try to be as anal as you can - lol! I keep mine in a Word document on the computer. I list what I have sitting fresh in the fridge (dairy, veggies, leftovers, etc., etc.), what's in the freezer, what's in the pantry - all with amounts of each - i.e. 2 lg. cans whole Ital. tomatoes, 3 quarts chick. broth, 2pkges. boneless skinless chicken breasts, etc., etc. I don't bother putting dates on my list because having the lists alone allows me to use things up quickly enough that dates aren't necessary.

With all that info always at hand, it's easy to make up a meal plan every week, which forms the heading topper for my shopping list. Every time I put a meal in my heading, I put any/all ingredients I need for that meal in the shopping list below, which is also broken down into appropriate headings (Meat/Fish, Vegetables, Frozen, Canned, etc., etc.).

I know it may sound complicated/anal/idiotic, but it WORKS. And once you have the initial stuff set up, it's unbelievably easy to keep up to date & makes shopping & meal planning SO DARN EASY. No more forgotten "science experiments" in the back of the fridge or forgotten freezer-burned meat at the back of the freezer. No more buying yet another can or package of something that you already have 4 of back at home.

And after every grocery shopping trip, it takes me about 5 minutes if not less to update everything. For someone like me who has gaggles of pets/livestock to care for & a husband with a long commute & sometimes even longer working hours, those 5 minutes at a time are a livesaver.