This post is a part of a series on our method of meal planning, shopping, and enjoying and our journey to this place. In case you missed the first posts, you can catch up here:
I was asked about how I decide what to purchase on my monthly shopping lists and what those purchases are so I will attempt to answer those questions in this post.
We purchase groceries using what we call the “stock-up principle.” My plan is to steadily build a well-stocked pantry and deep freezer. This way, at any time, we probably have the ingredients on hand to make any meal, side, or dessert that we so desire. This ensures that we are never without an option for dinner (which would require a grocery store run or a meal out).
It’s also comforting to know that should we get in a tighter financial spot than we prefer we would still have food to eat. As my husband says “food in the pantry is as good as money in the bank” during hard times where money could become tight very quickly (such as a stock market crash, losing his job, etc). Having a well stocked pantry would ensure that our immediate need for food would be met.
What do I stock? That’s a great question! I have a document that lists all of the individual items that I desire to stock in my pantry. Here is a slightly simplified version of that list:
– whole grain, unbleached white flour
– sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar
– dehydrated milk powder
– oats
– rice
– spices
– salt, baking soda, baking powder
– yeast
– chocolate chips, pudding, cocoa, marshmallows
– vanilla
– corn syrup
– honey
– jellies and jams
– canned soups (the MSG free variety)
– crackers, chips, cold cereal
– a variety of pastas and pasta sauces
– canned produce
– dry beans
– coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, and peanut oil
– peanut butter
– salad dressing and condiments
– bottles of juice and soda (when on amazing sales)
Several of these pantry items are stored in our large 5-gallon buckets to aid in organization and storage. If I ever get a bigger pantry, we will definitely have more foods to store in these great buckets!
And in the freezer:
– chicken, beef, pork
– tortillas
– butter
– cheeses
– milk
With these foods, purchased in bulk amounts (wherever it is least expensive to purchase our chosen quality of the product) when our supplies are getting low, around the house we always have a meal option ready to go!
As I’ve said before, if you choose to try this method of grocery shopping, take it slow. We did not build up our large pantry full of food over night – it’s been a very long process to get here and there are still improvements that we would like to make. But we love the progress that we have made in the past year!
I have been trying to stock our pantry since the summer. I agree with you a well stocked really keeps us from eating out.
What kind of soup can you buy that does not have MSG in it? I know MSG goes by many other names and even the ones in the health food section at my grocery store seem to have these things in them. Thanks
I can purchase organic soups and they will not have MSG. Besides that, any soups that are purchased are probably purchased for hubby.
Have you found dehydrated milk in bulk? If so, where?
I’ve only found it in packets so far. We live by the stock-up principle too, only right now our freezer is almost empty. We hope to be able to stock it up again soon. : )
I have not found dry milk in bulk yet, though I am still holding out hope that I will. Right now, we buy it in boxes at Aldi and store multiples of those.