Other People's Pantries #91

From Bob and Pam in Columbia Falls, Montana:

We recently moved into a 3 bedroom home, and needed only 2 for bedrooms. We had an extra bedroom close to the kitchen. So we made a pantry ... and love it!

Our new pantry houses a freezer, shelving, and a computer to look up recipes and look into other's pantries. Ours is 9x11 feet. We are able to control the heat/cold by blocking off the vents. We have a rolling work area to cut things for dehydration, or to get out multiple items, and measure things like rice/wheat/barley. I can go in our pantry and find most anything I need to cook or bake.

My husband loves the convenience of the Costco shelving. I have some in my kitchen as well, holding my pans and bakeware. Easily moved and cleaned behind.

We recently moved, and this is my final selection of favorite cookbooks! Nice area to go to look up new recipes, check emails, and be inspired.

We have several containers, this one is rice, that hold our bulk grains. We have wheat next to it and barley, and beans and lentils.

With the extra room to have a well stocked pantry we have been able to help out friends in need ... literally giving them a bag and saying ... Go for it ... "Go shopping".

Our freezer is full and we already have lots of dehydrated veggies and fruits. And we are ready for a long, cold, blustery winter.

On Saturdays, we peek into Other People's Pantries.

Come on -- show us your pantry.

*Other People's Pantries is booked into mid-December. If you'd like this feature to continue, please send in your pantry photos. Pantries are featured every Saturday, in the order in which they're received.

Here's how.

Comments

[Wendy]

Oooooooooohhhhhhh......I am impressed! :-)

[milton]

WOW!!

thanks for sharing...that really is one grand pantry

[Pam]

Wow, now "THAT'S A PANTRY"! Hey, mabey a good dog-house as well, lol. I could spend time in there for punishment!

[Melynda]

You are prepared! A great pantry for sure.

[pam]

Oh my gosh! You probably don't have to leave your house all winter!

[Maggie]

I have never, in my whole life, been so jealous...

I'm sobbing now.

[Dianne]

You have your own personal grocery store and don't have to drive miles to get there! Hope your winter isn't too severe. :)

[Can-Can]

How many people do you feed on a regular basis? I find this overwhelming for two people but they are prepared for anything.

[beverly thomas]

I visited some friends in MT and the grocery store was 50 miles away, so they had to do the same thing as you folks. the hunted for their meat and raised some of it (a family of 4) Good ideas.

[Pam Siloti]

lol thanks for all the comments. We were previously feeding 7 people in our previous house.

Now there is the three of us... so we are indeed stocked for quite some time.

We also like to be well stocked in case something happens... loss of work or injury

on the movable shelf... we have three bins that hold potatoes onions, and garlic and yams they are old milk crates so they are able to vent... and easily pulled out and cleaned.

Thanks for posting!

[Jessica Lee Binder]

Wow, it's so neat and organized! I use the commercial style racks also but since I live in a little apartment, it's right in my living room. =/

[Dani]

This is the most impressive pantry I've ever heard of in a private home. I'm surprised at how few cookbooks, though.

[Pam Siloti]

I love to cook... and often throw things together...

I really pared down on the cookbooks... though I do have a couple of my favorites right in my kitchen.

With the ease of the internet these days... just as easy to print off...and add to a file folder...

[Rocquie]

Wow! That looks like a little store. I love it. That would make me feel very secure and having plenty to share would make me very happy.

[Heidi]

I'm about to weed my cookbooks, too. Now I use the web to browse around for recipes the way I used to in the cookbooks. So the iffy ones, you know, bargain books, ratty ones from the 70s, etc., are on their way out. There are books that I have never found useful but keep around just in case. Why?

As a librarian, I hereby give you all permission to put ratty books in the garbage. Trust me, there are always more where they came from. By the way, most recyclers can't take books but check with yours.

[Natashya]

What a great pantry!
I love that you share your bounty, too.

[Janel]

Wow! That is incredible and looks very organized. How great to have a space large enough for all of the food items and cookbooks. I am definitely jealous :)

[Christine]

Good gracioius, what a pantry! I'm a really ugly color of green with envy :)))

[Christine]

... in fact, I was so green that I botched the spelling of gracious. :{

[Mammacha]

Wow! Absolutely fabulous! Lot's of readily available proteins, veges and fruits for surviving a long winter. "Go shopping." What a great neighbor for those snowed in days.

[Janne]

Wauw !!

[Kim]

I…I..I’m speechless, so much so that I have bookmarked this pantry. I have a room that is about the same size and is also my pantry however I have two windows which does cut down on my wall space for shelving (I used the industrial shelving also). I also love that you open your pantry up for your neighbors that may find themselves a bit short.
Wow, you must be wonderful people, with a wonderful pantry

[Pam Siloti]

Thanks all

re windows: we have one in here... but have a blind over it...and keep it down and is behind my pasta and rice bins, as they can stand a bit of temp change

The only prob I have here... is.... it is a bit too warm for my potatoes and onions. so I have to buy those in smaller quantities...

without the vented milk crates though.. couldn't keep them as long as I do

Next year I hope to can more of our own food as we have been purchasing supplies...ie. canners, jars, and pressure cookers.

we have a bin for mixes... like gravy/fajita etc.

also have one for soups like Bear Creek and Lipton

I am a night nurse so having things already in my pantry take a little time off of meal planning. On days when sleep is of a more prime importance... husband and teenager are able to make own food... which is why you see some of the ready mix type of stuff

Thanks for all the comments

[Deb]

I want it, I want it! I'm sitting in my den wishing it were my pantry. You've given me much to think on. You have really come up with the Perfect Pantry!

[elizabethk]

:clunk: Wow - I must have passed out! I have never seen such a pantry! ;-) I love the shelving too. I am impressed at how few cookbooks...I recently pared down too (and will continue until I have just ones I use ALL the time.) What convinced me was a friend who has many cookbooks but rarely makes many exciting things with them...but just one thing for her her meal. I just don't want to lend that much space to schtuff not used. ANYway -- beautiful pantry!! AND so wonderful you are able, willing - to help others'!

[Kalyn]

What a great pantry! I thought I had quite a bit of pantry space until I saw this. Very clever the way you've arranged everything so conveniently.

[Kirin]

Do you share with the homeless and the hungry?

[Toni]

This is amazing! This isn't exactly a pantry as much as it is a grocery store!!!

[Pam Siloti]

Mostly we share with people we know..,, though we do help in food drives

[Deena]

What a wonderful arrangement!

[Teresa]

Very impressive! Wonderful that you have enough to share.

Tell me how your freezer does in this room. I have thought of this myself as I don't really have space in my kitchen for a freezer. Did you put a pan under it in case to contain any water?

[Aimee]

Impressive!!! You must have some good organizational skills to rotate all that food.

Love this series. Can't wait to submit my own pantry, but we're in the process of moving right now. I think I'll wait until we get settled!

[MidnightAgenda]

Wow! I really love your pantry... This is probably the most perfect of pantries...

You have given me a benchmark to work towards!

Thanks SOOOO much for sharing your pantry.

[Tania]

Nice!

[Janet from Tucson]

Very impressive. But I am glad that I don't live anywhere that stocking up like that is a practical precaution!

[Elaine]

I am sitting here in open-mouthed awe...I am SOOOO jealous, I almost cannot stand it! So amazing, the computer is the crowning touch. I used to have my computer in a little nook off the kitchen, but moved and it is now back in my extra-large bedroom. I was going to get my pantry in better order and post, but now, what is the point. Your pantry is the gold or, rather, platinum standard for pantries the world 'round.

[carol, boston]

I can't not say anything that hasn't been said already except....I am on my way!! to spend a long cold winter with you and your GREAT pantry!!
looks like you converted the closet to a great desk nook. Really good!!
WOW WOW WOW!

[AZ]

Are you Japanese? I though I was the only one who bought rice 50 lbs at a time!

[beenhungry]

I can't believe how wonderful, generous people like you exist out there... I know I'm some total stranger, but my little family has been *saved* at times by people like you. I want to thank you so very deeply for helping out those in need. It's horribly embarassing and shame-inducing to have to ask for help, ecspecially with something so basic as food, but I've been there. An empty stomach only multiplies that pain. We are doing okay enough now... but those stark times are still all too fresh in my memory. You are an ANGEL!