Preparing a Proverbs 31 Pantry ~ A Happy Homemaking Hobby

"The little house was fairly bursting with good food stored away for the long winter. The pantry and the shed and the cellar were full, and so was the attic."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House in the Big Woods

Provision, prudence, planning and preparation are all wonderful words that can describe our excellent example of the virtuous woman. If she was to have a pastime, in my imagination, it would be that of keeping a well-stocked pantry. A Proverbs 31 pantry, if you will. It is quite the happy homemaking hobby and has been practiced by necessity for hundreds of years by our pioneering foremothers. If that alone isn't convincing enough, I invite you to visit here for 10 modern-day reasons to prepare a pantry. But despite the many advantages, I simply wanted to share how the pantry has become an enjoyable but practical amusement for me. 

Like an artistic woman would decorate a craft or sewing room, I try and make our pantry attractive. This can be done for pennies by utilizing lovely labels to display your pantry contents. We offer a five page printable {free here} in case you are interested.  It gives great joy to work with such cared for, organized and orderly surroundings.

The second part of this hobby includes recycling as I do try and make it a frugal venture. Glass condiments jars, mason jars and bottles make wonderful food storage vessels. The smaller containers can hold nuts, seeds, spices, homemade seasonings, etc. Medium sized jars are great for storing handmade mixes. Larger jars (like the pickle sized at the warehouse stores) are excellent for sugar, flours and such. Painting all your recycled lids a matching color creates a lovely and cohesive collection. We share other prudent pantry ideas here.

The bottles you forage can hold vinegars and oils which you purchase less expensively in bulk and decant into smaller vessels. We keep different sized corks on hand which makes for an instant lid if necessary. We also utilize bottle pourers to conveniently drizzle our cooking oils and vinegars into our recipes (I have to admit to being a bit addicted to these!). And of course, the decanted bottles of vinegars and oils deserve a set of labels too! We share a printable {here} if you like. It can be very fun finding various bottles and transforming them into pretty and gratifying pantry tools.

Second hand stores and garage sales are also a treasure chest for purchasing inexpensive containers to store your surplus food and sundries. Simply wash them in hot soapy water with a few drops of lemon essential oil to disinfect them. I love strolling the isles of thrift stores in search of products such as Tupperware, flip-top airtight jars, canisters and the like knowing that you are preparing a provident (and pretty) pantry.

Besides the carefully labeled containers and contents, what makes a pantry a hobby is also the maintenance. When things go smoothly, I am able to give it a weekly check up. When life gets too busy, I must rely on a monthly maintenance. Of course this includes restocking (visit here for our essential pantry list) but it also includes other things. Dates must be checked for items in the making such as our flavored extracts, medicinal tinctures, herb infused oils and any brewing vinegars. It is also a time to check our inventory of homemade cleaning products and homemade herbal medicine (both of which we keep in our pantry).

Another way to fuel your hobby is by reading relevant books on proper food storage and making your own pantry products (here is one of my favorites, excerpt in photo above). I especially love the old fashioned Victorian volumes which turn homemaking into a household science! Historical books on pantries, larders and storerooms are also enjoyable to read.

Don't forget the make-your-own mix books! They offer you convenience food without the preservatives, additives and price. It is fantastic to stock your pantry with rows of homemade, all natural mixes! We share a cornbread mix, gf pizza crust mix and seasoning mix kit if you are interested.

Learning how to can, ferment and dehydrate are skills you can learn to build up your pantry too.  Shelves of handmade jams, jellies, pickles and preserves are beautiful. Dehydrated vegetables are such a blessing for quick meal preparation and dried fruit make the best of snacks! Fermented foods are also one of the healthiest foods you can add to your pantry.

And finally, do not dismay if you haven't a pantry! In our first home, we repurposed an old-out-of-style-cast-off entertainment system that someone gave us (these can be found easily at thrift shops and garage sales). It was contemporary and not at all complimenatry to my old fashioned taste. However, I removed all the modern hardware and doors, painted it white, added an inexpensive spring rod across the top and hung a dainty white curtain over it. The end result was a pleasant cottage look and it made a marvelous pantry! Book shelves (easily found at thrift stores too) and old china cabinets also make an instant pantry using the same concept.

As you can see, this is a hobby that can grow in many directions and all the while, you are blessing your home! There is so much potential for satisfaction, productivity and creativity when you are a homemaker, we only need to realize that it is indeed an art, a science, a calling! Perhaps you would like to turn your pantry into a homemaking hobby? Here are some links to get you started:

10 Reasons to Prepare a Pantry
Simple Steps to Preparing a Pantry
Essential List for a Stocked Pantry
Buying in Bulk ~ Shelf Life Basics 
Prudent but Pretty Pantry Ideas
Basic Pantry Labels ~ Free Printable
Gluten Free Pantry Products ~ Free Printable
Nuts & Seeds Pantry Labels ~ Free Printable
Seasonings, Spices & Such ~ Free Printable
Tidy Baking Pantry Inspiration
Make Your Own Medicine from the Pantry
Make Your Own Seasoning Mixes ~ DIY Recipe Kit
Pantry Building Recipes and DIY's
Prepare Your Own Pantry and Products ~ An A-Z Index
Some "Food" Storage for Thought
Vinegars and Oils ~ Pantry Talk and Free Printable

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