Stock your Kitchen!

Whether you have been vegan for many years or are transitioning into your new lifestyle, having some staple items can really be useful 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 and 30 minutes later 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 not really sure if it counts as a bad habit but 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 and 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, “I may not be in the mood for this or that or not sure what I have a taste for that day.” Yep, as much as I harped on him for that…guess who began doing the exact same thing…Me – Gasp…oh the horror…shield your eyes! Well I have gotten better over the years, honest, now I only go every other day, 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…I’m horrible at that also. 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 – know what you have in the pantry and make a grocery list before you head out.