Other People's Pantries #172
From Risa, in Oxford, New Jersey:
In my old house, I had one huge pantry closet in my kitchen and I loved it. Here I have shelves everywhere -- and when I am trying to find something it is impossible -- I have to search everywhere.
My kitchen pantry -- lots of spices on the bottom shelf, grains and such on the 2nd shelf, etc. on the top shelf.
The garage pantry -- spices, canned goods, some grains and on the right hand side are ethnic goods -- Chinese, Thai, Mexican.
My basement shelving -- cereals, pastas, and assorted other things from Costco like chocolate syrup.
Other shelving in the basement holds big sizes of dried spices, salad dressings, hot sauces, coffee, tea, and some of the kitchen appliances such as the pasta machine, snacks and some baking goods.
I actually know where most things are but there are some that are not used as often and they are always hard to find. I usually give up!
On Saturdays, for almost four years, we've peeked into Other People's Pantries. There are seven more pantries to share with you.
*I know that many of you love Other People's Pantries. I do, too. If you'd like this feature to continue, now's the time to send in your pantry photos, and ask your friends to share photos of their pantries. Here's how.
Market to Pantry alternates on Saturdays with Other People's Pantries. It's so much fun to visit markets all around the world. There is one more market to share. So, please show us your favorite supermarket, farmers' market, ethnic market, big box store, vacation find or roadside stand. We'd love to see where you shop for food. Here's how.








Posted by: Katherine Martinelli | November 5, 2011 at 07:02 AM
What a fun feature! I love this sneak peak into other people's pantries! This one is quite impressive Currently our apartment is quite small and so I only have one cupboard for pantry items, plus the top of the fridge.
Posted by: Nina | November 5, 2011 at 09:24 AM
Risa, I have a touch of OCD and make a list of everything in my pantry and where its located.
I use what's supposed to be a linen closet for a pantry right next to the kitchen, I have an old china cabinet in my husband's office downstairs that I use, and one cabinet is dedicated to spices in the kitchen itself.)
You have to bite the bullet and devote a couple of hours to write everything (and its location) down, then type it up on the computer and keep it updated.
Thanks for sharing your pantry!
Posted by: milton | November 5, 2011 at 09:42 AM
thanks for sharing....now I know where to go when i run out of ramen!
Posted by: Barb | November 5, 2011 at 09:40 PM
My pantry also consists of 3 different places. My kitchen cupboard looks much like yours. I also have a narrow broom closet with shelves and a basement cupboard that used to contain a bar with shelves for glasses where all my canned goods are stored. When I shop I usually overestimate what I will cook during the week so into the
pantry it goes.
Posted by: Susan in UK | November 6, 2011 at 10:46 PM
My way to deal with this is to have a home for each thing and then label the edge of each shelf.
Posted by: Maurine | November 11, 2011 at 11:27 PM
Looks like you've got everything very well organized to me! I like that you think outside the kitchen in terms of storage. Thanks for sharing the photos. Your spices have inspired me to go pick up the Penzey's catalog we've got around here somewhere. :)
Posted by: RisaG | November 19, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Thanks for commenting everyone. I actually do have a list of all the stuff I have in the pantries BUT sometimes I forget to erase things or add things. I have to be more vigilant when it comes to keeping up with it.
Yes, we have a lot of ramen noodles BUT, I do admit, we only use them once a month??? I bought the case because it was $2 for the whole thing and it lasts a whole year around here. I just use them in chinese-inspired dishes - lo mein, egg foo young, soba-type salads, cold noodles with sesame). I am mainly a from-scratch cook. If you noticed, I do not have a lot of convenience foods - rice mixes, dried potatoes, canned meals, etc.
Thanks again for letting me showcase my pantries.