What is a Deep Pantry, and Do You Have One?

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A deep pantry a good thing to have.

How long would you be able to feed you family if for some reason you couldn’t get to the store, or had no money to buy groceries with ?

Do you have to stop by the store on your way home and pick up something to fix for supper? (I worked at a grocery store years ago and every evening the same people would come in picking up something for supper.)  You get ready to make something do you have to run to the store or the neighbors to get an ingredient that you don’t have?

Most people have one to two weeks’ worth of food in their homes, if even that. So many people eat out a lot, and when they do eat at home most of it is prepackaged foods very little from scratch cooking. Just look at places that are getting ready to get hit by a big storm the grocery shelves are wiped clean.

So back to the question how long could you feed your family if you couldn’t get to the store? Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that if something happened, like a weather event, or a job loss, riots or some unforeseen event that you have enough food to feed your family?

That is where having a deep pantry comes in. So what is a deep pantry? Our ancestors relied on deep pantry’s to survive the winters. They grew a big portion of their food and stored it to get through the winters. Some people are trying to return to this, they are seeing the wisdom in doing so. We live in very uncertain times right now, natural disasters, manmade disasters, uncertain weather, high unemployment, and underemployment. I feel it is a very important thing to do.

Having a deep pantry means you can eat more healthy by not having to just grab something or run by the nearest takeout place. And honestly wouldn’t be a great piece of mind to know that whatever happens you will be able to feed you family.

So how do you start a deep pantry? One way would be to follow my weekly food storage challenge that I will be starting on Saturday. Another would be to make a list of the foods that you use, and buy when they come on sale and in bulk. Start with the basics then add to that. Get a weeks’ worth then two weeks and just keep adding to it. If you don’t already, learn to cook from scratch you will need fewer items in your pantry and you will be feeding your family more healthy foods. Plan to grow a garden, get a few chickens if you can have them where you live. Some places don’t let you grow a garden, so grow a garden in containers you can grow quite a bit in containers.

So what if you can’t afford extra food, that is where cooking from scratch comes in handy it is so much cheaper to make your own instead of buying it, buy sales and plan your menus around what is on sale and pick up a couple extras. On my food storage challenge I have two items each week the first is the bare basics and not to expensive, the second is what would be nice to have to round out your pantry.I will be posting a lot of from scratch recipes in the near future from mixes to dinners hopefully this will help you to be able to get started.

So do you have a deep pantry? If not would you like to start one?

 

 

 

 

2 Replies to “What is a Deep Pantry, and Do You Have One?”

  1. Elise

    I am good for a few (2-3) months with two glaring exceptions. I still have not figured out milk and acquisition of some fresh vegetables. My husband and I have milked over a million milkings between us and he refuses to have a milk cow on the place. I can not stand goat milk- so we are at an impasse. The veggies are more a matter of “I want” rather than I need to have a fresh head of cauliflower as a break from frozen.

    I would really like to improve my deep pantry and take it to the next level but I am picky on how to go about it. I refuse to fall in the trap of the fancy survival type foods as most taste terrible and I am a scratch cook. I do not store things we do not eat regularly but hope to find ways to expand our stores to include a bit more variety and cooking ease as often being homebound includes being without unlimited power…

    1. watkinsranches@yahoo.com Post author

      Elise,
      Milk is an issue for me also while I do have a milk cow we have no place to milk her and she is getting older. I have canned a lot milk and have powder milk for cooking, I have also added some Nideo powder milk to my pantry it is a whole fat milk I haven’t tried it my self ( I don’t like milk ) but have heard it is good.
      Veggies are another item we grow a lot of our own and I have been trying to learn to eat in seasons like our forefathers did. I do still have to buy a few things thru the winter, my goal is to someday have a green house where I can grow year round.
      I also refuse to buy the survival foods I always say store what you eat and eat what you store this way in any situation you are not trying to introduce things your family has never eaten and more then likely won’t like. Do you do any canning? I have canned my own soups and stews and made up some ready to go meals ( I want to expand these store more then I have).
      It is such a good feeling to know that in an emergency situation you don’t have to rely on going to the store or worst yet having to rely and someone else to help you.
      Have a great day
      Connie