The Well-Stocked Pantry...Stop Making All Those Trips To The Grocery Store!!

With the current cost of groceries and gas, no one wants to be shopping for food more often than absolutely necessary!  I've tried to make shopping a monthly excursion rather than the numerous times weekly that it had been in the past; and it really helps to keep me more organized and costs down.  There are a very few things (fresh fruit and veggies, milk, eggs and sometimes bread) we need to purchase more often, but now we can just dash in and right back out with those items and nothing more.  No longer do we get a chance to be distracted by snacks and new products as we wander haphazardly up and down the aisles...and that means we aren't eating things we don't need and spending money we'd really prefer to use elsewhere.  We are staying focused on saving for our designated goals and having more money available to give to charitable needs.

The following list will provide you with the basics you need to feed your family a multitude of great meals without having to make a special trip for ingredients.  You probably have many of these things already, but if you don't, pick up a few at a time until you've got everything; and then keep the list posted in your kitchen.  When you have less than a one-month supply of an item left, add it to your monthly shopping list.  And as you become accustomed to keeping these things stocked in your pantry you may find a few more that you use regularly and want to add to your personal list.  Give it a try and see if you can transition to doing most of your shopping on a monthly basis...and see how much you can save too.

Shopping Tips - Herbs and spices are much cheaper when purchased either in Costco or Sam's Club sizes or in the bulk food section of your local grocery store.  Many people will be surprised to see how long the shelf-life is for cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan and cheddar cheese...so, yes, you really can purchase these things in a large quantity and use them for several weeks without needing to be worried about throwing them out.  The same is true for potatoes, onions, carrots and cabbage.

The next blog will be a recipe for a healthy and hearty "Beef and Vegetable Soup". It's very simple and filling, and will go a long way when you're cooking on a budget. And in the mean time, make some copies of this list and see what you might want to be adding to your pantry shelves.

Baking

• Flour
• Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Powdered Sugar
• Cornstarch
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Yeast
• Shortening
• Chocolate Chips
• Vanilla

Canned and Dry Goods

• Tomato Sauce
• Diced Tomatoes
• Green Beans
• Corn (canned or frozen)
• Olives
• Pineapple Chunks
• Spaghetti Noodles
• Macaroni Noodles
• Rice

Produce and Refrigerated/Frozen Items

• Potatoes (5-10lb)
• Onions
• Carrots
• Green Cabbage
• Fresh Garlic
• Eggs
• Butter (not margarine)
• Cream Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Parmesan Cheese
• Cheddar Cheese
• Ground Beef
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Beef (anything inexpensive that can be cut into small pieces)

Seasonings and Condiments

• Salt
• Seasoning Salt (Johnny's or similar)
• Pepper
• Cinnamon
• Parsley - dried
• Bay Leaves
• Dill
• Italian Seasoning
• Taco Seasoning
• Beef Bouillon cubes
• Chicken Bouillon cubes
• Olive Oil
• Canola Oil
• Cooking Spray (Pam or similar)
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Lemon Juice
• Ketchup
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Maple Syrup

Now you're ready to start cooking, and to start saving money and time!