Help me fill my kitchen please!

[ninny]

Hello! I have found myself in an odd place. I have 2 refrigerators, a small freezer, root cellar and pantry. But they are um mostly empty. I don't really know what staples I should have. I have just starting cooking from scratch. Also I had my first garden this year. My DH is looking at deer hunting next year. So that should fill the freezer. What should I always have on hand?

 

[ORChick]

That pretty much depends on what you like to eat. Yeah, I know, that was really helpful

But really, what DO you like to eat? Are you meat and potatoes kind of people? Then potatoes, certainly. Do you like beans? If so, stock them; they last for a long time, are healthy, and filling. If you don't particularly like them, then don't stock them, even if *everybody else* does. Though, if you don't like them, you should probably attempt to find some recipes that you can learn to like, because they ARE healthy and filling and last a long time in storage. Pasta is a good storage item. Do you bake? then you might want to think about storing wheat, and finding a grain mill. Wheat will last for a long time, but milled flour less so. Consider what you like to eat, and what you are comfortable cooking, and then figure out if the ingredients are things that you can stock up on.

Good luck on the journey. Having a well stocked pantry is a wonderful feeling. BTW, if you decide that you can't use your root cellar I will be more than happy to take it off your hands. I would love to have one!

 

[justusnak]

It depends on how " from scratch" you are planning to cook! Lard? Flour? I like to keep a LOT of beans, split peas, cooking oil, spices, ( salt, pepper ) Corn starch, baking soda/ powder, pastas, sugar, coffee ( if you drink it) Peanut butter...( before it goes up too much more) Rice....cocoa...the ideas are limitless.

 

[Britesea]

Spices last a lot longer in their whole form, rather than ground. And they can add a lot of interest to an otherwise bland menu

 

[Marianne]

I also keep non fat dry milk on the shelf. I use it in making my own convenience food mixes, in place of fluid milk in baking/cooking, etc.

I'd also suggest buying extra of what's in season in your area and preserving/storing that.

 

[FarmerChick]

mostly it is about what you like to eat. stock those items.

are you meat and taters type? go for it.

veggie types...tons of stocking for those types of meals.



rice? we don't eat alot, I don't stock alot.

flour? don't use alot, so I don't stock alot.

meat and taters/veggies---that is me and I stock the hound out of this, freezer and pantry. We hunt, fish etc. all freezer.



think of your meals and what you enjoy....then get extras.


do you preserve/can? get that pantry filled with veggies etc


have fun stocking!

 

[moolie]

Go through your cookbooks or head to the library and start looking for recipes for the foods you enjoy. Basic or beginner cookbooks that have step-by-step photos are an excellent way to learn new techniques. Watch cooking shows on tv or online to "see" how they do certain things if you've never tried it. I scan my fave recipes, print them out, and keep them in plastic page protectors in my "Family Cookbook" binder, adding new recipes as I find them. You can find lots of free recipes online to print as well.

Start with a menu plan for a week: make your grocery list for the week based on the recipes you will make, breakfast/lunch/dinner and snacks. Write everything down, then cross off everything you already have unless your menu plan will deplete your stores, because you should always have your commonly used ingredients on hand.

Progress to two-week planning, then to planning for a month. You can still shop however often you prefer (week by week etc.) but have the monthly plan and list there with you as you shop so you can begin to watch for sales. Sales are the best way to fill your pantry, even if you won't use the food item for a couple of weeks. Buy in multiples if it's something you use frequently, especially if it's on sale. Shop around to find the local store with the best prices, keep a "price book" if this helps you to keep track of which store has the best deal, over time you'll just remember.

Obviously the planning ahead part only works so well for fresh ingredients, but many fruits and veg keep well for a month in the fridge or a cold area of your home: apples, oranges and other citrus fruits, potatoes, onions, squash, carrots/parsnips, turnips/rutabagas, beets etc. Many veggies keep well frozen, you can either buy them that way or blanch and freeze your own (parboil then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process, then dry on a kitchen towel before open freezing then bagging up--just google how to freeze for the particular veggie you want to freeze).

For dry staples, think about what you like for breakfast (oatmeal and other cereals) and what you bake with. Buy bulk supplies when you see good prices, and again shop around. Spices and herbs will depend on what you like to cook, start growing some herbs in pots on your windowsill for the ones you use often that are best used fresh.

Meats all freeze, most for 6 months up to a year. Buy in bulk packages and divide up into family-sized portions and freeze in ziplocs, squeezing out all the air. You can wash and re-use the bags if you ensure you get them totally clean and dry between uses. Some people use a Food Saver or other vacuum packing system if they freeze a lot.

Take it slowly, don't rush out and buy a pile of food that you'll never use as mentioned above, just slowly stock up what you eat

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Great advice all around. Now's a great time to stock up. Lots of winter squashes around, including pumpkin, and just adding them to your root cellar will help feed you up to and sometimes through Spring. I just ate a butternut squash we harvested in Fall 2010! Baked with a little cinnamon and sugar and wowee! And personally, I don't like cooked squash.

Check your grocery store circular: with the holidays almost here, you should be able to get spices, flour, pecans, pumpkin, cranberries, turkeys, hams, and many other baking items for cheap. Especially the day after Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas.

Remember seeds for next year's garden and canning equipment.

 

[TanksHill]

Store what you eat and eat what you store!!!! Keeping a one month calendar of what you eat and how much is a great way to keep track. They your first goal should be a 3 month supply. When all is covered move on to 6 months. And so on.

I would always stock the basics. Flour, sugar, baking soda, powder, yeast etc.. Then you get to the grains, beans, legumes.

Shopping sales is big. I know it seems odd but my kids like bbq and ketchup, so when they go on sale I stock up. In addition to all the stuffs I have canned myself I stock the freezers with favorites.

g

 

[2dream]

After you decide on exactly what and how many of each item you are going to stock - you might consider keeping an inventory/grocery list to make things easier.

I keep a clip board handy with a list of all items I have and how many. When I take something out of the freezer/pantry/cubbard I put a mark by that listed item. If I take down 2 cans of green beans I place 2 marks. This gives me a running inventory plus when I go to the store my grocery list is already prepared and all I have to do is replace what I have used. I just tear off the top copy of my inventory sheet and head out the door. For items I have home canned - this gives me a clear picture of how much is left and helps me keep a record of how much I use which then helps me determine if I need to can more or less next season.