Spot your cereal (or pasta, or coffee…) in 10 seconds flat.
If finding ingredients in your pantry requires an extensive search, it’s time to reorganize.
We asked the experts how to systemize a pantry for everyday cooking and extended use.
Roger Davies/ Otto Archive
They walked us through the pantry organization process step-by-step.
Finding snacks, dinner supplies, and baking essentials just got easier.
Do a big clean-out.
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Box up any unopened nonperishables and donate them to your local food pantry.
(Mostly) disregard expiration dates.
According to the USDA, with the exception of infant formula,expiration datescan largely be ignored.
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Canned and jarred foods, dried beans, and many sweeteners can last for years.
(But discard cans with dents, rust, or swelling.)
Pour into clear containers.
It saves space, of courseparticularly when a package contains almost as much air as food.
As a bonus, it reduces the visual clutter in your pantry.
And if you go with airtight containers, decanting will keep your staples fresh longer.
Use a matching collection.
It doesn’t have to be expensive.
Joe Yonan, author of Cool Beans, uses mason jars and masking tape to manage his dry goods.
Stockpile only what you love.
But if your family doesn’t enjoy those foods, there’s no sense in stocking up on them.
“You should have things you like,” Yonan says.
“Don’t put something in your pantry that won’t inspire you to cook.”
Shop for the space you have.
Some people say you need a week’s supply; others say a year’s.
The short answer: Stock what your storage space allows.
If you have limited shelving, arolling storage cartcan help increase your vertical storage space.
Designate a spot for extras.
And whenever you make your grocery list, check your back stock.
You don’t want yet another jar of cinnamon or can of chickpeas.
Bring in flavor.
Cooking from the pantry can be a dreary task if you’re stuck with just the staples.
Howard recommends alsostocking flavor boosters.
Homemade versions of many of these boosters are in Howard’s book.
“These goodies add interest without a lot of extra work,” she says.
Look beyond the kitchen.
So she took advantage of an underutilized wall in her dining area.
“It was functional, organized, and aesthetically pleasing,” she says.
Build maintenance into your routine.
Rotate your stock as you put away groceries, says Marissa Hagmeyer, co-owner of Neat Method.
“I take five minutes to decant and bring older items to the front.”
