I want to have a well-stocked pantry. I covet other people’s pantries when I visit their homes. I save my favorite pantry tips on my Kitchen Sink board. My current favorite: this article from examiner (sorry for the overkill of ads),
Don’t worry – I’m not going to list tons of pantry items for you to skim over and ignore. Everyone’s pantry list is different. What I use often enough to keep in bulk will probably be different from yours. For instance, I keep extra jars of roasted red peppers, because I throw them into just about everything, and I do not have time to roast peppers every time I want to use them (although that does sound like a nice canning project for next summer). I also know that I need to keep quick fixes on hand, or I will use the time factor as an excuse to go to Chicken Express.
But the next step for me in sticking to monthly meal planning is making sure I keep a stocked pantry. I will start with the list in the article mentioned above and adapt it to my needs.
Themes, Observations, and Lessons:
– My night desk cohort and I are planning a series of lessons called “How to be a Grown Up 101” for the residents next semester. This month has inspired me to put meal planning on the list of topics.
– When I drove past Chicken Express the other day, I said (to myself, but yes, out loud), “I don’t need your greasy chicken! I have egg rolls at home!” It was awesome.
M. Suzanne Terry 
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