~ from my home to yours, living the Working Pantry lifestyle ~ surviving today's economy ~ a can-do spirit and attitude ~

Why Keeping a Well-Stocked Pantry is Important to Me

Sometimes I get asked this question and at other times I just get comments like ‘that’s too much work, I’ll just buy mine at the grocery store,’ or ‘are you one of those that thinks there’s going to be an apocalypse?’


Here’s my answer …
A well-stocked pantry is important to me for more than one reason.
My grandmother was a preserver, my mother was a preserver, and I am a preserver.  I guess you could say I got the preserver gene!
I like the comfort of knowing that should our income suddenly and unexpectedly stop or be greatly reduced worrying about where our next meal was coming from wouldn’t have to be our primary concern.
I find great satisfaction in knowing that I’ve done all I can to provide for our needs.  If there should come a time when I/we should need to ask for help this knowledge will carry us through until we are back on our feet and providing for ourselves again.  I truly believe this a biblical principle that we are to do all that we can and that is in our ability to do for ourselves before we seek help from others.  I believe that thinking long term is part of that principle.  Keeping a well-stocked pantry is one area in which we try to implement this biblical principle.
My husband and I are nearing retirement age and we are trying to think ahead and prepare for that season in our life.  It is our hope that having a paid for home, an ongoing well-stocked pantry, and knowledge and know-how will go a long way towards making those golden years financially easier.
What about the apocalypse question?  None of us know what the future holds.  If a true ‘end of the world as we know it’ situation arose, we would do the best we could just like everyone else.  My focus, however, is more on daily survival in a world where it seems to be getting harder and harder to make ends meet.  Growing and preserving our own food, learning about herbs, the continuation of chipping away at our debt, frugal living, continuous learning and keeping an ongoing well-stocked pantry are all tools I use in my job of providing for my family now and in the future as best I can.
So there you have it … the reasons I work at keeping an ongoing well-stocked pantry. 

Patsi

14 comments:

  1. What a wise woman you are Patsi! One never knows when an emergency situation will occur, and I myself want to be prepared! Altho I don't can anymore ( did for 25 years when my children were small) but I do miss the homemade jams, jellies and pickles. I am not physically able to can anymore. But I always try to have a well stocked pantry. A good example of this is we are getting a severe snow storm, up to 8 inches or more. Others are running out to the grocery store to stock up and are finding emply shelves. (Sorry if I sound smug) lol. Have a great day! Hugs, Nana

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    1. You don't sound smug to me! Having a well-stocked pantry is done in many different ways as you well know. Stay in and be safe!

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  2. I just found your blog and so happy I did!!! I have spent many happy hours browsing!

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    1. Welcome to the Garden of Egan, thank you for your encouragement!

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  3. I love your outlook. Did not know there is still people in the world with the same philosphy as me

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    1. Anonymous, yes, there are still some of us out there!

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  4. Love this blog! Keep up the good work you are helping so many people.

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    1. Anonymous, thank you for your words of encouragement!

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  5. We raised 4 of our own children and then had 29 foster boys, not at the same time only 4 at a time and a well stocked pantry not only saves time but it also saves your own well being. Now that it's just the two of us and our 4 legged beagle named Tia. I will never give up my pantry it has saved me from a lot of close calls of eating or eating junk.

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  6. Plus if you live in an area such as hurricane alley, then you know what the stores look like as soon as they say it is coming your way. Then afterwards it takes months for the stores to look normal, because as they get a truck in, those that did not prepare buy the store out again and again. I love having my own grocery store in my pantry.

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    1. Ann Marie, I sure do know what the stores look like after a hurricane, it is very sobering and a major wake-up call!

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  7. Hi Patsi, I really enjoy your blog! I love the $5 pantry feature as well as your willingness to share failures as well as successes! A video might be nice some time! Ever read Tanya at Lovely Greens from the Isle
    Of Man in Britain? Makes me think of you! All the best!

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    1. rtp4569, Thank you for your encouragement! I have been giving some thought to expanding into a youtube channel … I just don't know if there would be enough interest!

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