I can't imagine a pantry without... - Page 2

kaydee50 · ‎02-07-2011

I have never baked a cake from scratch and the only baking powder/soda is an open box in my refrigerator. i also do not have flour, sugar or salt. Have no need for any of it.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

My pantry has enough food in it that if there was an emergency, we could survive for months without adding a thing. I have staples and multiples of them. It's only the two of us now.

When I go to my married son's house, their pantry is always empty, as is their refrigerator. My DIL always asks me why we have so much food when we can just shop as it is needed. Well, we have lived through a few emergencies and were not able to purchase food and water because it wasn't available.

If she needed baking soda to make a cake, she would buy it, then she would throw out the whole box minus the 1 teaspoon she needed the next day. If she uses a half of an onion or pepper, she throws the rest away. Her house is spotless and there is no clutter, because there is nothing in it that can't be used ASAP.

She wears medical scrubs to work, so she doesn't have a need for many items of clothing. She will buy a pair of black pants to wear to a party, then donate them right away because she seldom wears them. The next time she needs black pants, she buys a new pair. nothing is stored in closets unless it is worn or used. I think she only has one set of towels for each bathroom, she throws them out if she redecorates, even if they are like new.

i am sure she thinks I am a hoarder.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

White vinegar; never without it. Actually, there are many things I am just never without. My goal is to stay out the grocery store as much as possible, so I buy multiples of everything.

ahoymate · ‎05-30-2010

jpie:I think you mean baking soda is useful outside of baking, i.e, personal care. Whereas, baking powder, not so much.

Sueliz · ‎12-06-2015

@house_cat wrote:
... baking supplies.

My neighbor knocked on my door this afternoon. She went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients for a carrot cake and forgot to get baking soda.
No, she didn't run out of baking soda.. she simply didn't have any. I can't even imagine not having baking soda in my pantry... or baking powder, or anything else I could possibly need to bake a cake. If I'm running low on something I buy a back up right away. I'm not judging, just impressed that there are people in this world who don't own baking soda!

Yes, I'm partly joking, but not completely, lol.

Lol @house_cat, I am not a baker but I always have baking powder and soda in my pantry! I use the baking soda in my fridge for smells but honestly have no idea why I have the baking powder, lol. It's like one of those things that your just supposed to have!

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

@Carmie,

I too like the idea of stocking my pantry and freezers well enough that I'm good to go for months at a time. So what if a snowstorm is coming, I will not be in the crowd flocking to the grocery store at the last minute.

I have a SIL who is like your DIL--always needing to go out and buy what is needed. The difference with my SIL is that she is so messy and unorganized, she can never find the things she "knows" she has.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@Carmie

you're reply sounds like our kids know each other! They never have anything excess or food in their fridge (maybe milk). I am not kidding their idea of breakfast is a run to Dunkin Donuts for coffee & Wegmans stop for dinner!

They have big beautiful homes with lots of pantry, closets, etc. but have no desire to fill them. They are not into clutter or having "extras" in case....

All of them are career professionals who live a completely different lifestyle.

@house_cat

I have all the ingredients on hand to bake but I hardly bake anymore. I think last December I did cookies - and I made a lemon poppy seed cake for a gathering in July. I love bake (and cook) just no one here to enjoy it!

Gram W · ‎01-22-2013

@coffee drinker. Thank you for the laugh. I needed that after these past days. I am laughing with you not at you. It sounds like something I would do and have done before.

sabatini · ‎06-29-2015

@house_cat, I laughed when I saw this thread.

It reminded me of back when my kids were young. My middle son has always loved to cook, even as a small kid. (He still does!)

Anyway, he'd been invited to sleep at a friend's house for the night, & early the next morning, called me & asked for 'our' recipe for pancakes, so I gave it to him.

He wanted to make breakfast for the family.

When he came home, I asked 'How were the pancakes?', & he said "I didn't make them."

He was shocked to find that they had no baking supplies; no oil, flour, sugar, baking soda or powder, and not even any eggs or milk.

LOL!!

Muddling through...

house_cat · ‎03-09-2010

Thanks for all the replies - some of them made me chuckle out loud :-)

@Big Joanie

I know what your saying about things changing. I can relate to all the things you mentioned. It leaves me shaking my head. I understand that each generation has its own ideas and ways of doing things, but I think that our society, in general, has become too casual.

@Carmie

I guess I'm a pantry hoarder, too, but I'm a really neat one - a place for everything and everything in its place has always been my mantra.

It's interesting to see how people think differently about this stuff. I live in a town home complex and the neighbor I mentioned lives attached to me. Her front door is six feet from mine, so we see a lot of each other's lives. They enjoy their adult beverages. I've seen them several times throwing empty gallon jugs of vodka into the recycling bin - and wine bottles regularly. DH and I do not drink at all. The only alcohol in this house is a six pack of little wine bottles that I use for cooking. I'm sure if she came here to ask for something like that, she'd be equally impressed by us. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

~ house cat ~