pantry-creep

Our pantry has spread from a few cupboards to every spare surface in our rather small kitchen. Those lovely built-ins that had fancy cooking magazines and tasteful pottery when we toured our house-to-be have been taken over by oats, crackers, beans, salsa, refried beans, pickles, condiments, malt-o-meal, rice, pasta, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, basket of crafty things for M, broth, jams, mango nectar...

With the added space, I can buy several of any item and be less likely to run out. I was even ambitious with my label-maker and made signs like "beans," "tomato," "rice" but I admit that organization didn't last long, and have resorted to shoving that packet of rice-mix behind the extra ketchup. It seems to work. A well-stocked pantry makes meal prep, meal planning, and meal rescue (last-minute scurrying) easier. 

One tip with packaged rice-mixes (like Spanish rice, or Knorr, rice-a-roni etc...) I like the ease, but often find them a little too salty. Try to only put in half the flavor package. It still adds a nice flavor, but you have a quick side-dish that isn't too salty or overpowering when you're in a hurry. (For another quick, tasty side-dish, try couscous made with broth...)