7 tips for organizing kitchen pantry

As we all are starting to social distance and stock our pantries, here are a few tips to keep your pantry well organized and ingredients fresh.

1 Store like items together by category. Create organized zones with specific sections for baking goods, pastas, grains, canned goods, breakfast items, spices and snacks.

2 Pantry storage is all about location. The items you use the most should be at eye level, while items that you use least should be in the hardest-to-reach areas of your closet or cabinet.

3 Store bulk foods, like rice, pasta, cereals, sugar and flour, in airtight, see-through canisters. I use Mason jars. This not only makes the ingredients easier to find, but also keeps them from encouraging bugs and rodents.

4 Store herbs and spices in airtight jars or tins on easy-to-access racks or in a spice drawer. I installed a wire rack on the back of my pantry door to serve as my spice rack. Using a permanent marker, I label each spice jar when I open it to prevent using outdated spices. To make spices easy to find, I arrange them alphabetically.

5 Store individually packed snack items in see-through wire or plastic baskets for easy access. This method of storage takes up less space than keeping these items in their original boxes.

6 Keep a running grocery list on the pantry door so you know which items you need to replenish.

7 Always put everything back in its proper place. This way you will easily be able to find what you are looking for and clearly see when you need to restock.

JUSTIN FOX BURKS/ THE SOUTHERN PANTRY COOKBOOK Having a well-stocked pantry is the key to get dinner on the table any time of the week, but especially during the coronavirus pandemic.