Have you ever wondered what a bulk pantry is? Or how you can build one? Is it expensive? And what do you do with all the items that don’t fit in jars? Where do you buy in bulk? And does everything have to be in glass?
I had all of these questions, too.
While I might not have *all* of the answers, I do have enough of them to help you start on your own journey! So today, I’m going to share a few tips and tricks on building out your very own bulk pantry, in a super affordable and realistic way!
First things first, what is a bulk pantry?
A bulk pantry is simply what it sounds like – it’s a “pantry” (aka a place where you store food items) where you store a lot of your bulk items. In aesthetic terms, this is done in glass jars so you can see the products on the shelves.
IMO, this isn’t just to look good on the ‘gram. I’ve found it helpful in knowing what I have in our pantry (whereas before things would be hidden and “out of sight, out of mind” or thinking I have a ton of chickpea pasta when in fact, the box is empty and wasn’t recycled last time). This has also helped me with some fresh cooking inspiration, as I see the large jars of quinoa and pickling spices and know they need to be used.
What items should I have in my bulk pantry?
Well, you should have items that you actually eat and like! This might sound obvious, but I’ve purchased things before because they were on lists of “what you should have in your pantry” but we didn’t eat them, and I didn’t have the desire to figure out how to use them…. so they went to waste. Please don’t repeat my mistake.
If there is something new you want to try, I recommend trying a small portion of it. Then, if you and your family love it, you can buy it in bulk and add it to your bulk pantry repertoire.
Still needing some inspo? Here’s a really basic list of things you can have:
- Dry pasta’s (ww spaghetti, linguini, chickpea rotini, etc.)
- Beans & Legumes (black, red, navy, chickpea, lentils, etc.)
- Grains & Rices (quinoa, oats, brown rice, jasmine, teff, etc.)
- Oils & Vinegars (EVOO, coconut, avocado, balsamic, acv, flax, etc.)
- Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, pumpkin, pecans, walnuts, etc.)
- Dried Fruit (raisons, cranberries, prunes, dates, etc.)
- Spices (salt, pepper, cinnamon, rosemary, turmeric, bay leaves, etc.)
- Baking (flours, sugars, arrowroot, baking soda, etc.)
- Natural Sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, agave, medjool dates, etc.)
This is obviously not an exhaustive list, and don’t let the length overwhelm you! Just slowly start with where you are.
I feel like most people have pasta and beans on hand, so start with that. Maybe add in some oats, dried fruit or nuts. Then slowly add as things make sense to you.
Do you have to store all the items in glass?
No, you do not! This is a personal preference. However, I do recommend storing them in containers/jars that you can see through, just to help you know what you have (and how much of it).
Isn’t expensive to store everything in glass?
It doesn’t have to be if you recycle! Salsa and pickle jars are usually a great size (though you will need to use vinegar to help remove the smell so it doesn’t transfer). Also pasta sauce jars are fabulous bulk jars!
If you don’t go through a lot of glass jar foods, or are wanting to start your bulk pantry ASAP, then simply ask friends for their glass jars! Before you know it, you’ll likely have more jars than you need.
You can also buy mason jars in bulk for pretty affordable, so if you’re a type A person (and what a uniform look) then you can totally go that route.
But personally… I think there’s something so homemade and natural about having different size jars and shapes and lids for things. It’s not perfect, but neither am I (have I officially gone crazy because I’m reflecting myself in my bulk pantry jars? Maybe.)
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Well, I think those are all the tips I have for now!
If you have any other questions about building out your bulk pantry, feel free to leave them in a comment below and I’ll do my best to answer.
The most important thing is to not overwhelm yourself. Start small and slowly build as time goes on.
