{"id":3450,"date":"2008-09-03T16:40:24","date_gmt":"2008-09-03T22:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=3450"},"modified":"2008-09-03T16:40:24","modified_gmt":"2008-09-03T22:40:24","slug":"my-private-sustainable-mini-mart-go-green-with-a-stocked-pantry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/my-private-sustainable-mini-mart-go-green-with-a-stocked-pantry\/","title":{"rendered":"My Private, Sustainable Mini Mart: Go Green with a Stocked Pantry"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>When I moved from my Chicago apartment to a Wisconsin farm, I traded convenience for countryside. No more quick runs to the mini mart store at the end of the urban block for a missing ingredient. With civilization now a fifteen minute drive away, I\u2019ve evolved to have all the necessities to do anything from feeding a round of B&B guests to whipping up multiple pear pies.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s the simplest route to sustainability: keep a stocked pantry. Save money, time and fossil fuel \u2013 not to mention upping nutritional value — by dining chez you. Maybe not as sexy an eco initiative as backpacks with PV panels, but keeping an organized, stocked pantry goes a long way in creating a self-reliant, green kitchen and household.<\/p>\n

Stocking the pantry saves time and money \u2013 two non-renewable resources and drains on greening our lifestyle. With a little planning and organization, your pantry will never let you down. I recently gushed about my pantry passion in an article<\/a> for Hobby Farm Home<\/a> magazine, going into more detail on stocking the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a few starter tips:<\/p>\n

1. Buy in Bulk<\/strong>
\nWhat single ingredient do you use the most of? Save money and packaging by buying it in bulk. If you don\u2019t have a local food co-op or buying club to purchase a large bag or case, ask you local grocery store if they will do a special order for you. Running a B&B<\/a>, I buy my key organic baking staples \u2013 flour and sugar — in 50-pound bags and Organic Valley<\/a> butter by the case.<\/p>\n

2. Eat Up<\/strong>
\nThere\u2019s a corollary to \u201cbuy in bulk\u201d: use it up. We all have items lingering on our kitchen shelves for too long from impulse buys (hey \u2013 it was on sale) or over-buying too much of something. Nothing sustainable about throwing out food past expiration date. The easiest way to use things up is to literally go cold turkey on buying groceries other than key essentials and focus on using up what you already have.<\/p>\n

3. Get Creative with Substitutes<\/strong>
\nThink out of your precise recipe box and experiment with substitutions using items you already have. No cake flour? Use 1 c. all-purpose flour, remove 2 T. of the flour and add 2 T. cornstarch. Need buttermilk? Use 1 c. of any kind of milk, remove 1 T. milk and add 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice. Let it stand 5 minutes till it curdles.<\/p>\n

Related Posts:
\nDigging for Fresh Ideas: Save Money, Eat Healthy, Support Local and Sustainable Food Systems<\/a>
\nFood Waste Equals Water Waste<\/a>
\nWelcome to Thrifty Thursdays!<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Lisa Kivirist<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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