When winter approaches, many people begin their preparations. They clear their drains and gutters and service their appliances in anticipation of the cold weather. People also stock up on things like extra blankets and prescription medication should they get snowed in.
Something else that people do at this time is to stock up their pantry with extra supplies. They discard everything that’s out of date and replace it with new items. They may include food for winter recipes or extra supplies for emergencies or unexpected guests. It may be that you have turned your attention to this right now, and are looking for some guidance. If so, this article will help you get properly stocked up and ready for the coming season.
Canned Foods
Non-perishable foodstuffs are great because there’s no hurry to use them, and they are there just when you need them. Cans of beans can be used for stirring into stews, sauces, or pasta meals. They help bulk out the food as well as providing extra valuable protein.
Canned sardines are a great source of calcium and can liven up winter salads. Canned salmon is also worth considering because it’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids. You can add them to omelets or homemade fish cakes, or use them for your salads of winter greens.
Check out canned tomatoes, too. If they are fire-roasted they’ll have a smoky flavor. They don’t cost much and yet they have a host of different meal applications. You could also think about buying canned beans, potatoes, mixed vegetables, and mandarin oranges.
Fill Your Freezer
Frozen foods aren’t always as good as fresh, but they are more healthy than canned produce. Why not freeze some herbs and whole tomatoes, or blanched string beans. You could also preserve some cooked pumpkin and use kale for making smoothies.
Frozen peas are great to have because they are a good source of both vitamins C and E. When they are frozen as soon as they are picked, they can actually be more nutritious than buying them ‘fresh’ from a shop.
Water
If you experience extreme storms and bad weather it could have adverse implications for your water supply. Ideally, you should retain a gallon of water for each member of your household.
Both you and your pets could benefit from your stock, so keep more rather than less if you have the capacity.
Baby And Pet Supplies
If you couldn’t leave the home for a few days or the shops were without power what would you do? Human life needs to come first, especially babies. Think about buying extra jars of baby food and milk formula.
After humans come your pet/s who should have at least three days’ spare food in the pantry.
Peppers And Pickles
Whether you prefer them mild or hot, jarred peppadew peppers are very popular these days. You can use them as an alternative to roasted red peppers. Jarred piquillo peppers can be great as well, especially when used in stuffing or when added to tomato or salad dishes.
Something else you could consider is pickles and their related products. If you want to buy bulk wholesale pickles there are specialist websites you can visit. There may be free shipping with some purchases or the opportunity to pick up locally. There’s often information about the best uses for pickles, as well as helpful storage advice.
Spices
If you fancy something that can add flavor to meat and vegetables you could choose something like Za’atar. Many people have an interest in this spice blend as you can add this to many recipes, particularly Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking.
When people think of winter spices they often list cloves, rosemary, and nutmeg or ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric.
Soups, Stews, And Casseroles
Before you buy, let your recipes and food preferences dictate what you need so that less food will be wasted or unused.
For your homely and heart-warming meals, you could purchase egg noodles or Thai rice noodles as well as dried pasta and couscous. Don’t forget dried beans and lentils plus such grains as rice, barley, quinoa, oatmeal, and grits.
Bulk Items
If you can afford it and can store it, buy it! As long as you’ll be able to consume it over time, bulk foods can help save you money. Why not visit a farm shop and buy such items as potatoes, onions, beets, parsnips, and carrots. If you are an avid gardener you could store your own produce too.
Apples are something else you could bulk buy. It’s inexpensive to buy five gallons and you could use them for cider or sauce making.
Holiday Specials
We’re thinking here about get-togethers, festivities, and baking ingredients. Consider such things as baking soda and powder, dry active yeast, and maple syrup.
When it comes to milk, get some evaporated and sweetened condensed milk. If you enjoy apples, buy some apple butter and applesauce. You may also need all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour.
Quick Meals
Let’s face it: you won’t always have the time or the inclination to cook healthy meals every day. If you want to speed things up, why not get some pasta sauce, canned organic soups, or boxes of macaroni cheese? You can also check out ramen noodles and instant rice as well as taco shells and corn tortillas.
Party Time
Don’t forget to stock up for when people come round for wine and nibbles. This is where packs of crackers, chips, pita, and pretzels prove invaluable. You could buy jams and jellies and something to drink like beer, cider, wine, tea, and coffee.
If you have friends who have issues with dairy products or have Coeliacs Disease, you could buy some rice milk or something made from almond or soy.
Hopefully, this has been some literal food for thought. Decide how much you can store and where you can keep it. Be dictated to by your family’s tastes and the events you will be hosting. Then you’ll be able to sit back and look forward to the winter months, and all the joy that they can bring.
