{"id":1390,"date":"2015-12-24T04:13:30","date_gmt":"2015-12-24T04:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.k7farm.com\/blog\/?p=1390"},"modified":"2016-12-23T04:39:27","modified_gmt":"2016-12-23T04:39:27","slug":"preparing-for-the-challenges-ii-stocking-your-pantry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.k7farm.com\/blog\/?p=1390","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for the Challenges II: Stocking your Pantry"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you are going to cook, there are some things you are going to need to have on hand.\u00a0 This post will cover what you need in your pantry.\u00a0 These are your non-perishable items.<\/p>\n

You can stock your pantry in any variety of ways.\u00a0 I think aside from the basics (like flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder, herbs and spices) we purchased ingredients as we needed them because I had no idea what we would need.\u00a0 I picked recipes I wanted to cook and ran to the store every few days for ingredients.\u00a0 Slowly our pantry filled up as I used small amounts of ingredients purchased and stored the rest to be used in another meal.<\/p>\n

Some people like to use coupons to stock up on the basics.\u00a0 Combining coupons and sales along wither other store specific perks can yield some huge savings.\u00a0 I did the coupon thing for a while, but rules changed so much and I rarely found coupons for those basic ingredients I cook with – I found couponing to be a waste of my time.\u00a0 I’m pretty basic when it comes to cooking, and I’ve also been doing this long enough that I convert most “mainstream” recipes to “from scratch” recipes by making some of the ingredients called for.\u00a0 This is often stuff like bread crumbs, cream of chicken\/mushroom\/celery soup, broths, etc.\u00a0 Therefore most of what *I* buy is very basic, best price is found in the bulk food store – but not everyone cooks like that.\u00a0 If you can use coupons to your advantage, they may work out great for you.<\/p>\n

However, having said all of that if you are new to scratch cooking you may find coupons to be helpful for basic things when you can find them.\u00a0 You will certainly find basic ingredients on sale on a regular basis, if you don’t buy them from a bulk store your best bet for a good deal would be waiting for sales, and then stocking up until the next sale.\u00a0 Most sales run in 3-6 month cycles.\u00a0 I have a large family and we cook daily, so I buy most of my shopping list at bulk food stores.<\/p>\n

Some communities have stores that sell non perishable food that has been dented or has expired.\u00a0 Near us we have a bakery outlet where bread is sold past it’s expiration date but is still perfectly fine to eat.\u00a0 We can get $4\/loaf breads for $.99, bagels for $1 per bag, etc.\u00a0 While I prefer to make these things by hand, this store has come in so handy for on the go lunches and breakfasts.\u00a0 We also have a store that sells expired and dented goods.\u00a0 It’s huge!\u00a0 All sorts of canned vegetables, juices, pastas, and your typical non perishable convenience foods.\u00a0 We’ve gone once to find some basic pantry goods and have been pleased with the prices.<\/p>\n

EVERY household pantry may be a little different based off of your cooking preferences.\u00a0\u00a0 If you are just starting out, there are a few basics I think any kitchen would use – unless you are unable to consume them due to allergies or intolerance.<\/p>\n

Always check your recipe’s ingredient list before starting to cook.\u00a0 If you are just starting out, you may need to make frequent trips to the store for ingredients not included here until you have a basic supply in your pantry based on your eating preferences.<\/p>\n