What To Prioritize When Stocking Your Pantry

A well-stocked pantry is the key to a busy weeknight success. Especially if you haven't had the time to go shopping like you normally would, or you find yourself entertaining more people than you were prepared for at any given time. When you have the right ingredients on hand, cooking breakfast, lunch, or dinner becomes a breeze. But with so many options available, it can be hard to know what to stock your pantry with.

With soaring grocery prices and the ever-present possibility of supply chain disruptions these days, now is a good time to try to stock up on certain food items in case they’re suddenly not available when you really need them. While you don't want to be part of a hoarding attack on local shelves, you can still benefit from stockpiling certain staples and non-perishable goodies a little at a time to keep your kitchen working even when times are tough or resources are scarce. Here are three areas where you should focus your purchases and make sure the pantry is well stocked long before you have need of them.

Buying Power

When you start making plans for stocking your pantry, you want to keep costs in mind as you go about getting what you need. On average, you're likely going to be generally hoping to buy a larger quantity in order to get a better per-unit price. That's sound logic, but sometimes the retail sector has to do things that seem illogical just because of what the market looks like. For example, the coffee brand you favor might be selling quickly, turning over inventory at the expected pace, and avoiding a backlog in the warehouse. Meanwhile, small packages of the same coffee brand may be moving more slowly and presenting a threat of expiration, leading to a price markdown as managers attempt to get the stock out the door. Check per-unit prices on every item rather than assuming that the big box is always cheaper.

You might also consider looking into buying from non-traditional sources, such as online. In recent years, the internet has become a robust resource for many people seeking to stock up their pantry. For example, for specific types of groceries or brands that you want to buy in bulk, such as a 2 lb bag whole bean Colombian coffee, rather than scouring multiple physical stores for the product you can find what you need with a few clicks from the comfort of your own home. Plus, with the proliferation of delivery services and other online shopping options, it's never been easier to get what you need even if it's something not typically sold in your local area.

Versatility for Use

We all like a unique meal once in a while, but its ingredients may not be usable in any of your other favorites. By the time you're ready for that special entree again, the unique ingredients may be out of date. When bulking out your pantry, focus on buying things that you can use with lots of different dishes. These include staples like rice, dried beans, pasta, and canned soups. You'll find those and other items on lots of different recipe cards in your kitchen, making them good investments for long-term purchases.

The Durability of the Product

The next thing you want to think about is the shelf life of the items you buy. When it comes to the pantry or any storage space that's not the refrigerator or freezer, the risk of perishables is much, much higher. You're likely much more worried about using things before they become stale or moldy. Insect infestations can be an issue too, especially as the temperature drops and pests start looking for warm, dry places to spend the winter. Access to endless amounts of food will be a definite priority when they're looking for where they're going to stay for the winter. 

To avoid losing food to lack of use, make sure that you understand your family's meal routines well enough to know that you'll use up all or at least most of a container before it starts to decline in quality. After all, it does you no good to save by stocking up on a product if you're not going to use it all up.

Stocking your pantry doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. Whether you're hedging against shipping and supply chain problems, or just trying to make fewer trips to the store every week, stocking your pantry during your next shopping trip can be a great way to keep your home supplied with food basics at all times. Just manage the process of stocking and consuming properly so that it's as beneficial as it can be without adding to the craziness of grocery hoarding or having too much of anything.