With Fall upon us and winter quickly approaching it is time to take stock of our pantry’s. This year promises to be a rough year for some, and with that in mind it is time to make sure that we have an adequate pantry to suit our needs.
Make a List
Start by making a list of what you would like to have in your pantry if you do not already have one. If you are not sure what to put on your list there are several sites around the internet that keep excellent pantry lists that you can simply personalize for your needs.
A couple of excellent sites with lists to check out are
These should give you an excellent idea of how to start your list and what you might want to put on it. Be sure to think of items your family uses a lot as well as items you can use to make meals in a pinch.
The objective here is to make sure that you have enough food to last you through any difficult times and at the same time allow you the luxury of only buying items on sale. By shopping this way you can save money but you can also have a stockpile that can see you through if energy costs become to high, or someone ends up without a job.
Stocking Your Pantry
Once you have your list, set aside money each payday that can be used to complete your pantry. If you do not have much to spend that is ok, you can buy a lot of staples for not very much money.
Make sure to buy the essentials first, coffee may seem important at first, but making sure you have staples such as rice, beans, flour and vegetables can make sure that your family stays fed even in the leanest of times.
Shop the Sales
If you have more money to spend, then look for items as they go on sale, try to find coupons for these items to further reduce their price. By buying items for your pantry only when they are on sales you maximize your food dollars.
Because it is fall concentrate on the types of foods you will eat in the winter, stock up on beans,canned vegetables and other things you will use to make soups. Purchase oatmeal which is both economical and filling for breakfasts on cold winter mornings.
Planning for Emergencies
Planning for emergencies, power outages, storms, and the unexpected can take a lot of the stress out of your world.
Aim to have between one to three months worth of food stockpiled. This can take care of most emergencies, tide you over when bills get high and allow you to be careful about what you spend on food in the winter.