Ingredients

How to Spruce Up Your Pantry (& Restock it Smartly)

September  1, 2015

Take care of your pantry and it will take care of you.

The pantry is the backbone of the kitchen: It supports whatever flailing produce comes through the fridge—and stands up to the challenge when there's not much in there. Sometimes it needs to work out some kinks, though. So give it a breather with our best advice on refreshing your pantry and building it back up wisely. Be nice to your pantry; it's there for you.

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  • Use your pantry ingredients to clean your pantry (it's such a good idea that we devoted one post and then another to the topic).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • tania
    tania
  • Donna
    Donna
  • rachiti
    rachiti
  • AntoniaJames
    AntoniaJames
Editor/writer/stylist. Author of I Dream of Dinner (so You Don't Have To). Last name rhymes with bagel.

4 Comments

tania October 18, 2016
Where are the clear plastic containers from/by? I've seen the ones with the red lines and are by Cambro? But what about the clear ones that you show in picture #6 from top that have no red lines? Thanks!
 
Donna October 7, 2016
thanks for the ideas. my pantry came from Ikea, and all the shelves slide out--some are solid and one is wire mesh, which makes it great for storing shallots and onions. I agree with rachiti, too much plastic! it's unhealthy. glass storage containers can get pricey, but Mason jars, jelly jars, olive jars, etc. are readily available. love getting your emails and all the great info you provide.
 
rachiti September 6, 2015
Adore the mason jar collection of goodness which fits so wonderfully into those sliding drawers that are all the rage right now. I do have to admit though, seeing so many pantry items in plastic containers in another photo made me cringe. Why store in something which has the potential to leech chemicals into your food when it can be avoided? If that individual has a physical restriction which limits how much they can lift, then it makes sense....otherwise, I'm very confused. Mason jars also keep pantry moths contained should a jar of nuts be forgotten for just that wee bit too long. Thank you for the ideas overall - it's nice to see that I've already implemented some of them & it gives me better direction for the rest of my organization...namely how one can use those wooden pantry pull-out shelves without lots of lost space between items.
 
AntoniaJames September 1, 2015
Is that Red Boat fish sauce on the far right in the photo at the top? Aren't you supposed to refrigerate that after opening? Interesting. ;o)