How I Stock Our Pantry for an Entire Year

A Real-Life Guide to Long-Term Food Prep That Saves Time, Money & Stress

By Lindsay Metternich

When I tell people we stock our pantry for the whole year, I usually get one of three reactions:

1. A raised eyebrow and a slow nod of respect.

2. A wide-eyed “Wait—like…a whole year??”

3. And my favorite: “Can you teach me how to do that?”

So yes, let’s break it down. Stocking our pantry for an entire year isn’t about preparing for the zombie apocalypse. It’s about making life easier, meals more consistent, and our budget way more manageable.

Whether you’re homesteading, budgeting, meal prepping, or just tired of forgetting the baking powder every. single. time. — this post is for you.

💡 Why We Chose a Yearly Pantry System

• Saves money by buying in bulk and catching seasonal deals.

• Reduces waste by only restocking what we use.

• Prevents burnout because I’m not constantly scrambling for ingredients.

• Makes meal planning and grocery trips fast and easy since the staples are already at home.

Plus, there’s a deep comfort in knowing you have what you need on hand—especially during unpredictable times (pandemics, inflation, snowstorms, toddler tantrums...you get the idea).

📋 Step 1: Make the Master Pantry List

Before you buy anything, start with what you actually eat. Not Pinterest dreams. Real meals your family already loves.

I break our list into categories:

🥫 Dry Goods

• Flour (all-purpose, bread, whole wheat)

• Sugar (white, brown, powdered, coconut)

• Rice (white, jasmine, brown, arborio)

• Oats (rolled, quick)

• Pasta (various shapes)

• Lentils, beans, quinoa

🧂 Baking & Spices

• Baking soda, baking powder, yeast

• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder

• Cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, Italian herbs

• Cocoa powder, vanilla, molasses

🧃 Canned & Jarred

• Tomatoes (sauce, paste, diced, crushed)

• Green beans, corn, peas

• Beans (black, pinto, chickpeas)

• Tuna, salmon

• Peanut butter, jams, applesauce

🧊 Frozen (or home-preserved)

• Fruits (berries, peaches, mango)

• Veggies (corn, spinach, mixed)

• Butter, cheese, meat, broth

🧼 Non-Food Essentials

• Toilet paper, paper towels

• Dish soap, hand soap

• Shampoo, toothpaste

• Zip bags, foil, parchment, canning lids

📦 Step 2: How Much Do We Actually Need?

I plan by multiplying what we use monthly by 12.

For example:

• We go through 2 lbs of rice/month → I stock 25 lbs to be safe.

• We use 3 cans of diced tomatoes/month → That’s 36–40 cans.

• We bake weekly, so I buy 50 lbs of flour in bulk.

I make a simple spreadsheet and keep a printed version in my kitchen binder so I can check off what we’ve got and what we need.

🛒 Step 3: Where I Buy It All

• Local farm store or co-op for bulk grains, beans, and baking goods

• Costco/Sam’s Club for canned goods, oil, flour, sugar

• Azure Standard for clean bulk pantry staples and organic options

• Online (Amazon, Thrive Market) for spices, hard-to-find items

• Local produce market or garden for canning fruits and veggies

• Butcher or local meat CSA for stocking the freezer annually

Bonus Tip: Watch for seasonal sales like baking season (Nov–Jan) and garden harvest season (Aug–Sept) for best deals.

🧺 Step 4: Storage Solutions That Actually Work

Let’s be honest—buying 50 lbs of flour is only useful if you store it well.

My Go-To Storage Tools:

• 5-gallon food-grade buckets with gamma lids

• Mason jars for spices, dry goods, and dehydrated foods

• Vacuum-sealed bags for long-term freezing

• Bins with rolling drawers for easy pantry access

• Labels. Everywhere. Always.

We rotate stock by using the FIFO method (First In, First Out), so nothing expires at the back of the shelf.

🍲 Step 5: Pantry-Friendly Meal Staples

I keep a list of easy, go-to meals I can make straight from the pantry, no grocery trip required. A few favorites:

• Chili (canned beans + tomatoes + spices)

• Pasta primavera (pasta + frozen veggies + cream sauce)

• Lentil soup (lentils + carrots + spices + broth)

• Rice bowls with canned salmon, frozen veggies, soy sauce

• Oatmeal, pancakes, muffins—all from the dry goods bin

🧠 Real Talk: Things I’ve Learned

• Label everything. Trust me—flour and powdered sugar look the same at 7AM.

• Start small—do a 3-month or 6-month pantry if a full year feels overwhelming.

• Make room for snacks and fun items too (no one thrives on beans alone).

• Don’t forget to use what you’ve stocked! Build meals from the pantry first.

🧺 Final Thoughts

Stocking our pantry for the year gives me peace of mind, flexibility, and the freedom to skip the store whenever I want. It’s not about being “supermom” or having it all figured out—it’s about building rhythms that serve your life, not the other way around.

If you’ve ever felt burned out by the weekly “What’s for dinner?” grind—maybe this is your sign to give yearly pantry planning a try.

Would you like a printable version of my pantry checklist or meal plan templates to get started? Let me know and I’ll send one your way!