Stock your Kitchen!
Whether you have been vegan for many years or are transitioning into your new lifestyle, having some staple items is necessary. Especially, when hunger strikes. There have been countless times when my children or husband open the pantry or refrigerator and say, “there’s nothing to eat.” Then I walk in there. Thirty minutes later, I emerge with a meal. It could be a knack but whatever the case it wouldn’t be possible without having some staples on hand. I’m not suggesting you go out and buy everything listed. These are simply ideas of what to stock up on. After all, not everything listed is even in my pantry at all times. I can certainly credit my mother for that knack I mentioned earlier. There were times growing up when we didn’t have much but you couldn’t tell when it came to mealtime. There were countless times I saw my mother create something out of nothing. Unexpected visitors, no sweat, she can cook for an army with minimal ingredients on the fly. Innumerable innovated and inventive creations have come out of that kitchen. A well-stocked pantry can result in a stress free kitchen experience especially after a busy day. There is nothing like having the reassurance that you have all the ingredients on hand when creating a new recipe.
A pantry/kitchen confession if I may…
If there is a standard of how many times a person should go to the grocery store in a week, I’m pretty sure I shatter that perception. I’m unsure if it counts as a bad habit. However, it’s definitely a practice I picked up from my husband. I wasn’t always like this. Before we met, I did what mom did. I would go grocery shopping for the week. Then I met Seth, and we began spending time together. I noticed that his cupboards weren’t exactly stocked and that he’d go to the grocery store daily. I always asked him why he did this and told him he’d save time if he just stocked up. His reply was, “I may not be in the mood for a specific dish. Or I might not be sure what I have a taste for that day.” Yep, I harped on him for that. But… guess who began doing the exact same thing? Me – Gasp… Yup, oh the horror! Well, I have gotten better over the years. Honest, now I only go every other day. And it is mostly for fresh ingredients and produce or if I’m experimenting with a new recipe [chuckle]. You may want to try your hand at a grocery list too…Which I’m still working on too. Too many times, have I gone to the store and bought an item that is already in my pantry, oops. So, do yourself a favor and save time. Take inventory of what is in your pantry and make a grocery list before you head out.
