Episode 161 Stock Your Pantry for the Holidays
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Late in November or early in December I like to do a Deep Dive Shopping Trip.
I stock up on all the basic items I need from shampoo and deodorant to pasta, flour, and sugar. I want to make shopping easier during the busy season so my goal is to only buy fresh items at the store.
In this episode I focus on the pantry. There are four main things you want to stock up on in your pantry.
1- Baking Supplies
Think about the things you bake in December. Do you need to get molasses or meringue powder? Maybe you need to restock your spices and stock up on flour and sugar. Think of your favorite things to bake and get the ingredients now.
2- Treats to Bring to Gatherings
Get a “signature dish” and buy the supplies to make the dish several times. Anytime you are going to a gathering bring the same dish for the season. My current “signature dish” is Bacon Wrapped Apricots. I will buy all the ingredients (including toothpicks) and keep them in the freezer ready to go.
If you like to make charcuterie boards, the meats and cheeses will last unopened in the refrigerator for at least a month so buy what you need now. You can even get dried fruits, nuts, olives, and jams to have everything ready to make a quick board.
3- Backup Meal Ingredients
This is a busy season and having the ingredients for “backup” meals on hand can make life so much easier. Whether you plan to make the fast and easy dinner or pull it out when you have rough day. You will be glad you are stocked up with simple meals. I like to keep frozen bags of potstickers, a couple of frozen pizzas, and the ingredients to make bean and cheese quesadillas on hand.
I also like to stock up on frozen fruits and bagged veggies to have to round out some of the backup meals.
4- Pantry Basics
Having things like pasta and canned tomatoes can really help during the busy month. Think about cereals and canned goods, canned beans and boxed broth, and condiments like ketchup and BBQ sauce. If you have the basics on hand cooking dinner and grocery shopping are so much easier.
The deep dive shopping will take me several hours, but it pays off in peace of mind all season long.
Links from this episode:
Episode 99 Deep Dive Shopping Trip
Marie Fiebach is a married mother of four active teens. She helps busy families plan and execute weeknight dinner so they can recapture a little calm in the crazy. Check out her YouTube Channel or listen to the Feed Your Family Tonight Podcast.
For a transcript click here.
