A long winter storm…heavy spring rains…strong winds…a power outage lasting several days...unexpected guests dropping by.... These are times when people suddenly look to their cupboards for ingredients to make meals or snacks. In the absence of a home pantry, many individuals will seek in vain, requiring a trip to the nearest grocery store.

Thankfully, good ol’ fashioned pantry space is making a big resurgence. Catherine Seiberling Pond, author of the book The Pantry – Its History and Modern Uses, reports that today “walk-in pantries are the most requested kitchen feature in American homes.” Ms. Pond, an architectural historian, explains that walk-in pantries were once used for food preparation and storage. They were abandoned by the 1950s when American homemakers availed themselves of in-kitchen cabinetry and the ongoing improvements in refrigerator technology.

Since the 1990s, America has been moving back toward food pantries in the home, a trend supported by Cornell Cooperative Extension. The extension organization, with offices in almost every county in New York State including Fulton and Montgomery, has long been involved in encouraging communities to be prepared for emergencies while educating the public on the most economical ways to purchase and prepare family meals.

Home pantries help on both accounts. Cornell University Extension Associate Sonya Islam states that “using a well-stocked pantry is such an easy way to save time, money and frustration.” Ms. Islam further explained that “having the ingredients for a few meals on hand is both comforting, and practical.”

Why a Pantry?

The return of the American family to the concept of stocking one’s own food supply, versus constantly running to the store or eating fast food several times each week, is helped by a number of factors:

Eating Local - Buying locally grown foods, in season, helps people take advantage of peak flavors at a low cost. It also means an increase in home canning and food preservation, thereby, building food inventory in the home.

Being Frugal - Today’s economic climate calls for families to make wise choices in order to stretch their food dollar and still eat healthy. To that end, buying in bulk has become routine.

Pursuing Health - More families strive to adopt a lifestyle that includes more physical activity and eating meals that are more nutritionally dense. Controlling the quantity and quality of nutrients in our meals requires more cooking in the home than we have done in years past.

Being Green - The more trips to the store, the more fossil fuel we use to get back and forth. Think “carbon footprint”.

Being Prepared - Weather related issues and natural disasters seem to abound these days so we are all well advised to keep some food handy in case we cannot leave home. In addition, pandemics and man-made disasters are increasingly probable occurrences and at certain points, it might not be advisable to travel outside of the home.

Being Creative - The kitchen is a great place for developing practical skills and being imaginative. Putting together meals using only your pantry can be challenging, fun and rewarding. If there are kids at home, this is a great opportunity to build their confidence in preparing food, and even learning how to adapt to unexpected situations.

Whatever reasons you have for setting up pantry space for food storage, one of your primary goals is to always be able to “shop the pantry” in order to create healthy meals.

But Who Has the Space?

Most of us are not going to be as fortunate as some who are currently constructing homes with a walk-in pantry included. However, you can still use a pantry concept by preparing some space in your home for it. To establish a dry food pantry, look for a space that is dry and cool, and can be kept clean and organized.

A few non-traditional places to consider: an underused clothes closet; a kitchen cabinet; shelving in the basement; the space under the bed (get risers to obtain even more storage space); and plastic storage bins. Flour and grains can be placed into airtight containers.

Stocking the Basic Pantry

Cornell Cooperative Extension suggests that you begin with the understanding that a current home pantry concept includes all food storage considerations, including non-perishables/cupboards, freezer and refrigeration. What you stock in those areas is as individual to you as what your family likes to eat.

To develop basic pantry stock, begin with writing down your family’s favorite meals and list the ingredients. The non-perishable ingredients of these meals make up your basic food pantry stock items. Jennifer Wilkins, a Senior Extension Associate and Lecturer with Cornell Cooperative Extension, says that when basic staples are on hand in the pantry, it expands ones cooking options and generally makes meal planning easier. “It is important to develop a list of staples that you and your family use often, and keep them in stock,” Dr. Wilkins adds.

Through trial and error, you will figure out what other items to buy and how much of it to stock. However, here are a few tips to shorten your trials when initially stocking your pantry:

Buy what your family will eat. If they hate carrots, stocking your pantry with 48 cans of carrot coins will not be of help to your meal planning or preparation.

Buy in bulk, but primarily when on sale in order to really see the savings.

Only buy quantities that are practical to store in your own home situation.

Skip over non-essentials like chips and soda to keep your family’s food options healthy.

No need to go broke stocking the pantry. Start slow by shopping for several extra items each month.

Commonly forgotten pantry items include: dried herbs and spices, supplies for baking and sauces and oils. Consider stocking water, too, in the event of an emergency.

Remember the “first in, first out” rule of inventory maintenance. Throwing away foods because the stock was not rotated and has exceeded the ‘use by’ date means you are throwing away your money.

Stay organized. A stocked pantry is most practical when you actually know what is in it and are comfortable with using it.

Written by: Regina Tillman, MS, RD, Nutrition Resource Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schoharie County