Whether you’ve just moved to an apartment , whether you want to take advantage of your move to better organize your kitchen or whether you just want to better manage your pantry, here are some tips for filling your pantry, your fridge and freezer of practical ingredients that will allow you to make a wide variety of meals easily and
Ingredients to have at all times
Without becoming a survivalist (!), having basic ingredients at home at all times is extremely practical. These will help you out if you’re late at work, if you’re not feeling well enough to go grocery shopping, or if you just don’t feel like leaving the house!
The big advantage of having a well-stocked pantry is that you will no longer need to buy food in an emergency (or, at least, it may happen much less often!).
Good prices at the grocery store pretty much always come back, I would say usually every 3-4 months (except, of course, for seasonal foods ).
When you realize you’ll be missing something soon, write it down on a list right away so you don’t forget it the next time you go to the grocery store or when the food goes on special again.
I believe that taking the five minutes necessary to read the flyer before any visit to the grocery store is essential . I know that every time I don’t, I spend so much more!
By getting into the habit of doing so (the flyer is available online if you prefer not to receive the Publisac), you will know what prices you are willing to pay for certain essentials and you will see how often the specials come back.
How to store your ingredients
Personally, I prefer, whenever possible, to transfer my food into transparent glass jars. This allows me to see how much I have left of each product, so I know when to shop.
Plus, I can change the jar food if there’s less left and I don’t plan on buying more, which frees up space, which is always handy!
Finally, often, this allows the food to be kept longer, especially if you are afraid of having unwanted visitors in your kitchen, such as ants or mice! I don’t wish it on you, but it happens!
When it comes to refrigerated stuff, I like to organize my fridge a bit like doing a facing at the grocery store. Seeing the foods there helps me minimize the chances of forgetting any.
My fridge at the beginning of the week
Finally, I take an inventory of the contents of my freezer from time to time, in addition to always clearly identifying the foods that are there, to make it easier for me when I need anything.
With all these ingredients on hand, you can easily improvise quick little feasts, ranging from salmon tartare to macaroni and cheese , including sandwiches for a perfect lunch on the go.
