Monday, January 26, 2009

My Pantry

I'm really trying to hold myself accountable on my priorities this year. What seems to happen is I start the year with the best of intentions but well, you know where that road leads to right? I've given you one update so far. This post is to give you a peek inside my pantries, yes you read that correctly, and show you the progress I have made! I have always had a fully stocked pantry - what I am doing is converting to organic; as much as I can. Take a look:
North Wall - all glass jars are organic.

Top Shelf - organic noodles. Spices on the right in glass jars are organic.
The small glass jars are garlic powder, cumin and onion powder. Quart jar is chili powder - all organic. I use these to make my own organic taco seasoning.


This self contains my non-instant organic milk powder (left), oats, polenta, corn, green split peas, lentils, yellow split peas - all organic.

L to R: black beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, instant potatoes (gluten-free soup thickener and my emergency instant baby food.)
L to R: Jell-O (not organic at all), multicolored popcorn, hulled barley, elbow noodles, rice.
Not organic - pizza dough mix I need to use up, salt, instant milk powder.

Top shelf of South Wall: organic chips! The small bags in middle are the gluten-free ones that I keep on hand for family get-togethers. Keep in mind that I order these once a month and my order just came Saturday so it looks like a lot. These will last me through the month, counting Super Bowl, after church snacks and all the Mexican meals we eat.
Here is a view of the whole pantry. Facing East.
You got a shelf by shelf inventory or the North (left) wall.
The wall that's strait ahead (East) is slowly being purged to organic. The far left shelves consit of old mixes, seasoning packs, cans of soup - processed foods.
The middle shelves are cake decorating supplies (top), organic flours and grains (middle two), organic pasta sauces and canned diced green chilies, jalapenos and the like.
The shelves on the right are more baking supplies - some organic some not. Crackers, and mostly organic spices and sugars. Peanutbutter (organic), mayo (organic) and ketchup (not).
The South wall is where our chips are, drink mixes, bottles for making drinks, and things like the popcorn popper, food processor, blender go. Also any paper or plastic (GASP) things go here, too. Ziplocks, tin foil, you get the idea.
That's my main food pantry in a nutshell.

This is getting long, so I'll show you my other pantry another day. It's a fun one filled with all my home-canned goodness!

It should go without saying that the more you cook from scratch the farther your food budget will go. I am living proof of this! There have been months where I got by on less than $500 with 8 of us in the house. I also didn't buy groceries for a month and blogged my experience here under The Island.

I "go grocery shopping" once a month from Azure Standard; which is where I get the bulk of my organic staples. It's also the majority of what I buy. I also order once a month from Melaleuca for our household safe cleaning produts, vitamins and other health products. I go to Costco when needed for produce or paper products but try to limit this to once a month; as well. This leaves the grocery store for other items like Creamer for my DH and meat. I get my bread, usually organic, at the dollar store for $1.25/loaf. I buy 10 loaves at a time and freeze it. I also have a Amish Friendship Start going on my counter that I take from to make cakes, bread and our infamous pancakes that DH makes and they are the best I've ever had! Seriously.

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:55 AM

    Very good, GO Girl! :)

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  2. Joy I LOVE this post! You inspire me. I am really focusing on more organic/more scratch cooking. I can't wait to look at Azure Standard and see what they have. I'm sitting on the floor in Griffin's room right now (insists I sit next to his bed until he falls asleep for nap!), but in a couple of minutes I'll be headed to the kitchen to make some honey whole wheat bread, cookies, granola bars, and bran muffins for the week. Keep these posts coming...I love them!!

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  3. Love it, LOVE it!! We are working towards organic eating as much as possible. We buy local, drink raw milk, and avoid the junk. I just loved a glimpse into your pantry.

    As a homeschooling mom I feel teaching nutrition is a top priority.

    If you need a chuckle stop by anytime. Today's post is Pastors and False Teeth. Blessings!

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  4. Anonymous11:08 AM

    WOW, who needs to go shopping when you can just go to Joy's house and shop or get whatever you need!!! That would be wonderful to have such a pantry space as you. I'm sure mine wouldnt look near that good and orderly and probably wouldnt have all the good healthy and organic food on it either. :( What i want to know is WHERE'S THE CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!! Surely there's a shelf for that!!! Hee Hee

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  5. Anonymous11:10 AM

    Thanks so much for this trip through your pantries!! To say that I am amazed is putting it mildly!! Other thoughts run through my head-as usual. One of them is that not everyone has the house and pantry areas that you are privileged to have!! It looks as though you could feed your family for a long time with very little other items-maybe milk, or something like that. I would say that you are accomplishing your priorities-at least so far for this year. You certainly do have a large amount of storage jars, and of very good sizes, too.

    I am acquainted with the Amish Friendship Start. They are so versatile and you can make most anything from them.

    Anyway, I am certainly impressed with your pantries-I've never seen such large ones, and such well-stocked shelves. You are doing a great job of what you chose for priorities and taking care of them.

    Love, and my very best wishes for your continued success!!

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  6. Anonymous11:15 AM

    Thanks for sharing this. I think it is amazing how you are so industrious about your cooking, saving money and eating healthy. Is the organic stuff you order from a mail order place? I really don't know how you get everything done that you does. God has no doubt given you a knack and a gift for all that creativeness in the kitchen. Will you raise a big garden this summer to can? I hope I'm up to planting a small one by then but I'm not to optimistic about it at the moment. Do you study nutriotion very much? I do think it's cheaper to eat healthy because it should save a lot of Dr. bills.

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  7. Heather - The thing about Azure Standard is you do need a minimum order by the warehouse in Boise will deliver to your door AND unload it for you!!! That's worth $10 they charge. ;) If you ever just want to order one thing, let me know and we'll add it to my order. :)

    Doris, I know everyone doesn't have the "pantry" space I do but there are some neat storage ideas for under the beds, closets and linen areas that can "store food." Glad you enjoyed the post.

    Lyn - There is NO way I would let people see my chocolate stash!!! The kids would eat and then they'd have a crabby mommy. That shelf is hidden in my bedroom. ;)

    Rachel - Yes, Azure Standard is mail order. You can just click on the link to get to their site. I do plan on having a garden this year and I'll grow using organic methods. I don't "study nutrition" persay, but I do know we never have to go to the doctors and everything adds up! Hope you are able to garden this year, even a small one, for your eating pleasures. ;)

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  8. Holy Cow woman! Okay, you are stocked. I have a friend that does the same thing and I call it her store.

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  9. Anonymous2:44 PM

    Hello Joy, what a wonderful pantry you have there. Lots of good healthy food for your family, it's great to see it.

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