Ok all i have a question for you all.. HOw do you keep record of what is in your pantry??? Many times i have used a note book to keep record of what is in there i would divide into months and put a X for every jar i have.. When used then i will circle it..

I have not done this in the past year becuase well as most know there has not been enough in the pantry to keep record of.

However now with the garden planted, with me and my daughter canning I am looking at the fact that  I will need somehow to keep up with what we have... I know how to use the note book method that  I talked about before. This is what i have done for many years. And mostly that is the system that i will use.

But  I am thinking what would or what do you all out there use?? How do you keep up with all your canning items.

Also what all do you can? I am looking at canning enough to feed us for a year. If i can do that it will better set us up to make it from this point on.

Here is another question. If you were going to have to live off what is in your pantry. What all would you want in it? Think about for  a whole year.

I want to thank you for any help on this that you can give me.

god bless

glenda

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Posted by leighannwhitten

It sounds like we're in about the same place as far as the pantry goes. I'm also trying (for the first time ever) to figure out what to put in the pantry for the long haul. Good luck. Your system of marking x's in a notebook sounds like a good idea. Mark told me this morning that I'm going to need a map so I'll be able to remember where I've stashed everything that I'm canning!
Many blessings and good luck!
Leigh-Ann

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Posted by inthedeepwoods

Method for keeping track - This is one thing that I'm not too techincal about. I just make sure eveything stays rotated, oldest in front newest in back. I have certain shevles that always house certain things. So if I want a,b, and c I know exactly where a,b, and c are.

What do I can - right now I have the following items canned: peach sauce (this is used as a warm topping for ice cream or can be added in w/ a cobbler), meat & veggie stew (usually made from leftovers), chicken, roast, boar meat, succotash (Yum!), boston baked corn (this one was an experiment to see how it canned up, haven't opened the jar yet to find out), and salsa.

If I were living off my pantry, what would I want for a year? - Ok, with this one, I'm not sure if you mean 100% canned items or a mixture of canned and dry goods. I"ll assume you mean a mixture. If *I* were making a year's list, here's what I know off hand I would want on it:
all purpose flour
self rising flour
bread flour
ww flour
sugar
br. sugar
xxx sugar
yeast
baking powder
baking soda
cocoa
cinnamon
vanilla
salt
pepper
several assorted spices
assorted baking chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, butterscotch, etc)
canned meats: chicken, beef, salmon, mackeral, tuna
chicken & beef broth
canned chili, stews, soups
assorted pastas
assorted rices
for veggies: green beans, corn, carrots, mixed veggies, field peas, green peas, black eyed peas, potaotes, lima beans, green chilies, dried celery
peppers & onions (can come from garden, chopped and put in freezer or dehydrated)
packets of gravy mix, spaghetti & pizza sauce seasonings, other assorted sauce/gravy mixes
whole canned tomatoes
diced tomatoes
tomato paste
tomato sauce
tomato juice
peanut butter
assorted jellies & jams
mayo & mustard (will usually keep a long time unopened)
velveeta cheese blocks - :-p
canned and/or dried fruits - pears, peaches, apples, berries, pumpkin, raisins
assorted pickles
salsas
pudding/jello mixes
coffee
tea
flavored drink mixes
dry milk powder
ovaltine or some type of chocolate mix in for milkt
evaporated & condensed milks
powdered eggs
assorted cooking oils (can be kept in freezer)
real butter (also kept in freezer)
raman
bisquick (I make my own and keep it in foodsafe buckets)
oatmeal
some special things for holidays, etc: almond bark in assorted flavors, candy canes, pecans, walnuts, coconut, etc.

That's what I can come up with off the top of my head. I hope that helps. Like I said, I wasn't sure if you meant home canned items only or not. I'm sure I've probably forgotten something and there may be some gaps in the list. But for me and my family, it's would be a good start. It's basically what I've got in my pantry at all times. I've been long-term pantry stocking for several years now. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!

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Posted by glenda

thank you both for your post.
I am sorry yes i did mean dry goods, canned goods, and frozen goods. sometimes i have so much in my head that i dont get it out on paper or the computer the way i want it.. :-)
I do so appricate any help that you all can give me. I am doing everything in my power to get a good list. I want to get a control of this issue. This is something that with hard work and a little planning i can make mine and the kids lives better.
god bless
glenda

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Posted by HandsNHearts

We keep it simple...and we usually miss things, but for the most part, it works for us.
We have a list we add to as we can things up, or purchase bulk to store. It's nothing fancy -- just a spiral notebook hanging in the pantry area with a pencil tied to it.
As we add things, we make a mark...as we use things, we scratch a mark off. Just plain tally marks. I can glance at the list and see that there aren't anymore marks on the strawberry jam, so I know it's time to buy some or make some. As I do, I add 5 marks for 5 jars or whatever.

I'm sure there is an easier way, but I think I'm basically lazy when it comes to keeping track of things. I ran out of sugar last month...ran out. A family that buys 2 50# bags at a time at least, and I ran out. Dewey thought it was funny...I was totally ashamed at myself for losing track.

Deanna

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Posted by glenda

Been there done that. I can not believe some of the things we have ran out of.. Like bath tissue.. How do you run out of bath tissue.. I mean with six people in the house this is not something one wants to run out of. :-)
god bless and thank you for your ideas.
glenda

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