The Best Food Pantries

Food waste is a serious problem in the U.S., contributing to wasted resources and harm to the environment. The issue is so prevalent, nonprofits routinely collect canned goods from households to help feed the homeless.

One of the best ways to reduce your own food waste is to regularly inventory your kitchen. Look at items in your cabinets and refrigerator and plan your meals around using them. You can likely find a recipe for any item you have. Diced tomatoes, mushrooms, even kidney beans you bought eight months ago can be combined with other ingredients to make an entrée or side dish.

But sometimes, simply figuring out what foods you have can be challenging. You may not have enough food storage options, requiring you to rely only on extra space you aren’t using for dishes and cookware. If you do have a pantry, organization might be a challenge, especially as unused boxes and cans of food pile up over time.

If you don’t have sufficient space for food storage in your current kitchen setup, a freestanding food pantry can give you just what you need for convenience and organization. Some find that storing like items with like items makes things easier for them, while others institute a first in, first out system so that they’re always using older foods first. This reduces the risk they’ll expire before getting used.

But if you’re considering adding a food pantry to your kitchen, you’ll need to make sure you have enough room. Many units are tall and narrow in design to maximize space — but you’ll need to make sure you can reach items on the top shelves. Measure the area where your pantry will be set up to make sure you’ll get the product that works best for your kitchen.

• Pantries come in varying types of wood. If you want one that will last, look for high-quality woods.
• Storage space can vary dramatically from one pantry to another. Look at the number of shelves and the height between shelves to make sure you’ll have enough room. Cans won’t need as much vertical space, even when stacked as larger boxes.
• Some pantries come with removable shelves that let you customize the storage space inside your pantry.
• Pay close attention to the overall dimensions of your chosen cabinet. You’ll need to keep in mind not only how tall and wide it is, but also how far it will protrude from the wall. This might not be as much an issue with a pantry that will be kept in a corner.
• The existing décor of your space will also influence the type of pantry you buy. They come in various covers, as well as in the rustic style that’s trendy today. Some kitchens call for a more neutral look that will help your pantry blend into the background.
• The weight of canned goods can add up, especially when combined. Look at the weight capacity not just of the pantry itself, but of each shelf within the cabinet.
• Pantries typically have doors. Look at how easy those doors will be to prop open while you’re looking for items. Also pay attention to the quality of the handles on that door. Some close with a magnet that ensures they stay shut between uses. Other pantries have open shelving that isn’t covered by a door, which can be a problem if you don’t like the look of exposed food.
• You’ll have to put your pantry together, and that process can sometimes be intensive. Make sure instructions and necessary hardware are included and have the right tools on hand when your cabinet arrives. You might need more than one person to put the cabinet together.