Island Life

The secret weapon for living life on an island is a well organized pantry.  A planned reserve of foodstuffs and sundries for everyday life, a pantry saves time, money, and stress.  Tap the pantry for unexpected meals and reduce trips to the mainland or even the grocery store. Stock it with frugal finds to lower grocery costs.  Set aside supplies for unexpected entertaining. This is the place for those fun specialty items to add that festive touch transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary!  Properly managed, the pantry is an integral part of island living.

You may be thinking you don’t have a pantry.  Sure you do! It may not be what one would traditionally envision as a pantry and it may be a closet, shelving in the garage, or even a large trunk, but a pantry it is!  Don’t confuse storage space with the reality of the pantry principle. Certainly it is helpful to have designated cabinet space for pantry goods, but that is not a pantry.  Think of the pantry as a reservoir of consumable goods which may be stored most anywhere in your home. The goal of establishing and maintaining a pantry is actually two-fold:  convenience and protection against unexpected events. A well-planned pantry means you will never run out of commonly used products. Even the smallest home can include a pantry.  A pantry is not a place – it is an attitude!

Disorganized pantries slow an otherwise productive person.  They can be a nightmare if not meticulously organized and maintained.  Putting away groceries could take twice as long as necessary, not to mention trying to find ingredients to prepare a meal when circumstances may not be ideal.

When stocking your pantry, keep in mind what you use on a regular basis.  Efficiency is the issue here and simplicity is key, but organization is critical.  Keeping your recipe repertoire in mind, decide which items you really need, then embellish your basics with some homemade treats.  You will be glad you did later!