The Pantry Challenge

The pantry challenge.

One of the drawbacks to apartment living is the apartment-sized pantry. Now this didn't seem much of a dilemma back in my single days when dinner consisted of an apple and peanut butter or microwave nachos. 

However, I like to cook, and I cook quite a bit. In fact, Chuck and I probably only eat out about twice a week. Breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week requires a good bit of food, and a good bit of pantry space. 

What I'm finding with the "Black Hole" as I like to call it, is that I'm never really sure what I already have on hand, and what I'm out of. Of course, the most sensible thing would be a quick pantry inventory before grocery shopping, and I wish I could say I do so. Except, that it's so much trouble digging around, and moving everything in an effort to determine what I need, that I prefer to live on the edge and take my chances on overstocking. 

This just happened the other day when I bought a canister of steel cut oats thinking I was just about out. Let's just say I won't be needing to purchase any more in the near future. On the flip side though, every now and then you come across something you forgot you had, and find yourself doing a little happy dance over the sheer joy of it. 

At my last house I had a smaller sized pantry as well, and found myself using the over-sized linen closet upstairs for the overflow. Chuck even attached a set of shelves to the door in order to give me more room. Excitingly, one of my dreams is coming true with the large walk-in pantry in our new house. I'm already pinning furiously on Pinterest all the amazing pantry organization ideas. Room for appliances, cookbooks, bulk items and even some canning I've been considering doing almost makes me giddy. 

I know, perhaps this reaction is a little over the top, but for this foodie a long awaited blessing. So for now I'll continue to make due with my small apartment-sized pantry, but knowing how grateful I am for the bounty that fills it.