[Homesteadingfamily] Re: Building a pantry reserve

Of course not! I welcome any questions and can only hope that I can
help!~deb
--- In Homesteadingfamily@yahoogroups.com, Jennifer Llane
<jenniferllane@...> wrote:
>
> Thank you.
> Do you mind any future questions?
> Jen
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Deb debsbread@...
> To: Homesteadingfamily@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Fri, November 12, 2010 4:42:55 PM
> Subject: [Homesteadingfamily] Re: Building a pantry reserve
>
>
> You can do it! Just take one thing at at time and watch it grow! the
> closet will make a perfect place...and dont' forget under beds and
> furniture,too! Good luck! ~deb
> --- In Homesteadingfamily@yahoogroups.com, Jennifer Llane
> jenniferllane@ wrote:
> >
> > Oh, I wish we could have chickens!
> >
> > This is the perfect time for this advice. We're going shopping this
> weekend.
> > I have a great place in mind for our pantry. Our hall closet. It's
> pretty big.
> > And we have a spare shelf downstairs. That's at least a great start.
> > Now, I just have to clean the closet. Which I had planned on doing
> this weekend
> > anyway. lol
> > I'm excited to start this venture. Thank you for all the help.
> >
> > Jen
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Deb debsbread@
> > To: Homesteadingfamily@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Fri, November 12, 2010 3:05:20 PM
> > Subject: [Homesteadingfamily] Re: Building a pantry reserve
> >
> >
> > We have been stocking our pantry for years, with the method I
> described
> > on the post. I just started out with one things at at time...and now
> we
> > might spend $250/month...and times we don't even spend that much.
When
> I
> > find anything on sale that we sue a lot of, I stock up. We have yet
to
> > ever run out of something because of using this method! It may take
a
> > littel time, but you will see it add up, all the while using out of
it
> > to keep it rotated. It is amazing to see it build!
> > Yes, we do eat meats, but what we raise here. We raise our own beef
> and
> > chickens, for eggs and meat. And we have raised a Tamworth hog or
two
> in
> > the past, but currently do not have any pigs. On occasion we will
buy
> > Coleman hot dogs for our son, which are uncured, antibiotic free and
> all
> > beef. But, that is a rarity! If we find "uncured" meats, like these
> dogs
> > or bacon, we may buy some, but never any fresh meats..I know how
they
> > are raised! LOL
> > To find places for a pantry, simply look around your home. A bedroom
> > that is unused? A large closet? A basement? Underneath beds, you can
> > store lots of boxes or flats of canned goods by simply sliding them
> > under there. Consolidate closet things and make room for boxes
there.
> If
> > you have a sofa in the middle of the room, use a sofa table behind
it
> > and drape a nice sheet or pretty cover over it, then stock it well
> > underneath that cover.
> > Garages won't make a good idea because of fumes from gas and heat, a
> > number one enemy of stored goods. If you have lots of cabinets in
the
> > kitchen, consolidate things there and get rid of things that you
don't
> > really use to make way for food. You can buy or get for free, 5
gallon
> > plastic pails and fill them with bags of rice, dried beans ans
pasta.
> > Just label them so you know where everything is. I do not
typically
> > store anything in the original paper box. Those may have bug eggs on
> the
> > glue, which, in the right temp, will consume what is in the box.
> > Take a look around your place..I am sure you can find some room to
put
> > things discreetly and out of the way.~deb
> >
> > --- In Homesteadingfamily@yahoogroups.com, Jennifer Llane
> > jenniferllane@ wrote:
> > >
> > > This was very helpful.I just mentioned in another email that I'm
new
> > to this so
> > > this was great. It makes a lot of sense.
> > >
> > > I do have a question. Where or how do you store everything? I'm
> > guessing
> > > shelves. I'm pretty sure I can figure out where to keep our
pantry.
> > > So, your grocery bill now is $250.00 a month cause your pantry is
> > stocked?
> > > Do you eat meats at all? Just trying to calculate money for us.
> > >
> > > Thank you,
> > > Jen
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: Deb debsbread@
> > > To: Homesteadingfamily@yahoogroups.com
> > > Sent: Fri, November 12, 2010 1:46:18 PM
> > > Subject: [Homesteadingfamily] Building a pantry reserve
> > >
> > >
> > > I have been asked by several members off list, how I got us to
where
> > we are, to
> > > not have to go to a grocery store weekly or at a minimum of
> bi-weekly.
> > I go
> > > MONTHLY. And for my family of three with three large dogs and 5
> cats,
> > our
> > > grocery budget is an amazing $250.00 per MONTH. We buy no fresh
> meats
> > or dairy
> > > except an occasional cheese from the grocery store. Produce is
> limited
> > to only
> > > what is not in our garden or fresh grown. We DO buy fresh organic
> > fruits that
> > > we do not produce here. I'll take this post to try to describe how
I
> > do it....
> > >
> > > About 15 years ago, we began building our pantry of future stores.
> It
> > seemed
> > > when I was preparing a meal, I would always run out of an
> ingredient,
> > or someone
> > > would holler for toilet paper and it would be gone....no matter
how
> > simple it
> > > was, I would ALWAYS be short on or out of something! I began to
make
> a
> > list of
> > > what we used most frequently and taped it to the fridge for easy
> > reference and
> > > notes. Then, when I would make my trip to the grocery store,dollar
> > store or
> > > Walmart, I would take that list along. I began looking for
anything
> on
> > that list
> > > that was really cheap or on sale. Then I would check for the
> > expiration date and
> > > buy as much of that longer life product as I could afford on that
> > trip. People
> > > would stare and laugh when I roll out a cart with 8-8pks of Bounty
> > towels @ $6
> > > each! LOLOL and would have only spent about $50, but have enough
to
> > last us for
> > > the next year. I REALLY take advantage of good SALES.
> > >
> > > For example:
> > > I am running out of tomato paste frequently and do not commonly
make
> > this. I
> > > found it on sale at ALDI'S for .33/can...it is running about 57 .
at
> > the stores
> > > near us. So, I'll buy a flat of 24 can for about $8...and get two
or
> > more if I
> > > have enough money. I now have tomato paste for the next several
> months
> > or a year
> > > or so, depending on my usage. When I notice I only have about 12
> cans
> > left in
> > > the pantry, I began looking for the best price on that product
> > again...I do NOT
> > > wait until I run completely out before replenishing! Then you will
> be
> > right back
> > > where you started! LOL On a recent trip over to North Carolina to
> > visit an aging
> > > Aunt, we passed an ALDI'S on the way. We don't have one near us
here
> > in NGA. So,
> > > I made a mental note that on the way home, I'd stop in and check
on
> > their tomato
> > > paste prices that day. They were STILL .33 can! I stocked up once
> > more (it had
> > > been almost 2 years since the last time) and purchased 2 more
flats
> of
> > 24 cans
> > > each. Now, we are set with tomato paste for probably the next two
> > years. The
> > > expiration date is 12/2012. I am happy!
> > >
> > >
> > > The moral to this story:
> > > Begin by buying ONE item that you use a lot...as much as you can
get
> > of that one
> > > item. Then do another item the same way. The more you do this you
> will
> > notice
> > > the pantry building of staple things which are used the most. Can
be
> > flour,
> > > sugar, toothpaste, whatever!
> > >
> > > If you use say, one 6 oz tube of toothpaste per month for your
> > family,
> > > calculate how much you would need for the year (you may use more
or
> > less than
> > > this) and when you find your brand on sale, buy enough to last for
> the
> > year.
> > > When you notice that you are down to the last two tubes, begin
> pricing
> > > toothpaste again and re-stock when you find the best price. You
will
> > never run
> > > out and always get the best prices to boot!
> > >
> > >
> > > I took one product at a time...usually being the most used
products.
> > Now, we
> > > have what I call "back stock" on almost everything that we use. We
> > never pay
> > > full price and I cannot remember the last time that we ran out of
> > anything and
> > > had to make a trip to the store because of that! LOLOL But, every
> time
> > I go to a
> > > store, I scan the end caps and sale papers to see if anything is a
> > good deal ,
> > > even if I have plenty on hand already, I will buy a few more of a
> > particular
> > > item if I have enough in my pocket to do it.
> > >
> > > To begin stocking a pantry like this, will save you hundreds of
> > dollars in other
> > > ways, too. You will not be in the car driving using gas on short
> > notice to "pick
> > > up this or that"...you will not run out when in the middle of a
meal
> > prep or
> > > middle of the night...you will always get the best prices or sale
> > prices on all
> > > that you buy...you will not be tempted to "impulse shop" and spend
> > extra dollars
> > > on things that you really did not need. If I am not in the stores,
I
> > cannot be
> > > tempted by the wonderful smells of a deli or "loss leaders"
(items
> > put on
> > > really low sale prices usually on the aisle ends or "end caps" to
> get
> > you to
> > > stay in the store and keep sh opping to see if there are more like
> > this there).
> > > The stores know all the tricks to get you to spend, spend, spend!
> So,
> > if you are
> > > there less frequently, you will not be tempted.
> > >
> > > When we stock up on laundry detergent and products like bleach or
> > fabric
> > > softeners, dryer sheets, etc...we go to Sam's once per year or
two.
> I
> > buy the
> > > largest boxes of SURF (the brand we use) which are usually 145-180
> > loads each
> > > for about $14, or about .10/load. I buy 10 of these boxes for
approx
> > $140. Then
> > > I stock up on those gal + half containers. They come three jugs to
a
> > box and we
> > > will by 4 of those boxes. Fabric sheets the same way...usually
about
> > 4-6 boxes.
> > > We spend right at $200 and never run out of any of those things!
We
> > have laundry
> > > supplies for the next 2-3 years and do not have to run to the
store
> > for any of
> > > this PLUS we beat any price increases that have happened because
we
> > stocked up
> > > long ago!
> > >
> > > I realize that everyone does not have $200 to put on laundry
> > items...but I set
> > > it aside specifically for this purpose the year before I know that
> we
> > will be
> > > going for a re-stock. Never run out, never run to the store to be
> > tempted..works
> > > for me!
> > >
> > > All it takes to get going with this is a little pre-planning. The
> list
> > on the
> > > fridge allows me to jot down anything that I use a lot and want to
> > keep in my
> > > mind for my next trip out (I CANNOT rely on my
memory!LOL),whenever
> > that may be.
> > > Always check the exp dates and look to the back of shelves instead
> of
> > right on
> > > the front of the row. All new stock is generally rotated from back
> to
> > front, so
> > > the freshest stuff will be found on the BACK of the shelves, pull
> your
> > products
> > > from there. One frequently used product and about $10 will get
you
> > going into
> > > the mode. Make it a habit once you get started. In about one year,
> you
> > will have
> > > a most amazing pantry, have your years store at your fingertips
and
> > save $$$$$
> > > in the long run! AND most important....NEVER, NEVER RUN OUT!
> > >
> > > I hope this helps someone. If you have questions, please ask! I
can
> > tell you it
> > > DOES work...
> > > ~deb
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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