PANTRY

Maintaining an organized pantry saves you precious time. Employ a few basic strategies to help you do this: Sneak in storage, decant dry goods, and label everything. See page 215 for tips on what to stock in the pantry; having a good selection of items on hand also cuts down on meal prep time.

purge, then plan

Putting items in order will be easier when you start with a blank slate.

• When implementing (or revising) the pantry’s organizing system, go through all your foodstuffs and toss out anything that’s expired (page 112) or that you don’t want or need. Do this at least once a year—such as in the weeks leading up to the holidays.
• Many items (basically all but meats, dairy, and fats) can be composted, or employ these no-waste options: Reassign expired baking soda to housecleaning tasks; donate unexpired canned goods to a food bank; regift an unopened spice with a recipe to a friend.
• Before putting everything back, line the shelves with self-adhesive contact paper to protect against scratches and facilitate cleanup.
• Store small appliances in a way that makes it effortless to neatly lift them in and out.

decant dry goods

This one simple step will save you space and create a cohesive look.

• For items you use a lot of, consider buying in bulk to save money—and reduce wasteful packaging. Whole grains and flours, dried pasta, and dried beans are all good options; be sure to shop from a store with high turnover to guarantee freshness. (Nuts and nut butters are other options.)
• Decant items into airtight containers or Mason jars. Label containers, and note any cooking instructions (such as for rice) inside the lid.
• When decanting items, it’s also helpful to write the date you bought bulk food—or to note the best-by date from a package—on a small label on the storage container’s bottom; this way you’ll know when it’s time to replace them.
• If there are pets in the home, you will save money by buying larger bags of food; store kibble in big bins that you can scoop right out of and keep treats in smaller containers on the same shelf.

group like with like

How you define “like” here can vary—consider grouping by time of day, for instance, or by category.

• Divide the pantry into stations—baking supplies on one shelf, condiments on another, and pasta ingredients on yet another.
• Use removable labels or erasable chalkboard tags to identify each shelf section, letting everyone know where to put groceries away and find things when cooking.
• You can group similar products—oils and vinegars, for example—in individual trays, which will also help catch any drips. A lazy Susan serves the same purpose and allows you to see what’s near the back of a deep shelf.
• Store kid-approved snacks at an accessible level, preferably in shatterproof containers; keep special “treats” on a higher shelf, out of eyesight (and reach).
• When storing cartons of broth or other products in their own packaging, put those with later best-by dates behind those that will expire sooner.
• If space allows, store extra paper towel rolls and other supplies here as well, on a higher shelf.

Martha Must

Pinpoint the kinds of prep and cooking you do most often, and keep the ingredients you need for them in the same area. For example, I like to keep all the spices I use for baking, such as cinnamon and cardamom, in a tray that I can easily pull out when it’s time to bake—especially during the holidays.