by Mary Ann Kelley
I am often asked by other moms what kind of items I keep in my pantry at all times. Because I base my menus on the Busy Cooks Pyramid, my list may look a little different than yours. I have broken down my list into Pantry, Refrigerated, and Freezer Items.
Once you get in the habit of keeping a stocked pantry, you will find that your grocery bill decreases. It is not because you are buying less, but because you are paying less. If your pantry isn't stocked, you have to pay whatever the current price is for basic items, but with a stocked pantry you simply refresh your supply when you find the items on sale.
Discount grocers are a wonderful place to stock your pantry.This refers to an outlet type store that sells overstocked items, dented cans, or out of date items (most of which, like cereal, are so preservative-filled that they will never go bad) for a discount. Small chain stores like Aldi and Sharp Shopper offer good deals on select items, and there are many similar stores with a handful of locations across the country. Save-A-Lot is a chain that has over a thousand locations, although it does not offer discounts quite as deep as Aldi and Sharp Shopper. Unfortunately I have not been able to find an online directory of the small locally owned discount stores, but if you ask around your area or even use the Yellow Pages you might find one near you. Many discount grocers can accept food stamps, but please check with each store. The ones I have visited do not take coupons.
Part 1: The well-stocked pantry
Part 2: Pantry items
Part 3: Refrigerator items
Part 4: Freezer items
