How to Build a Sustainable Pantry

What is a sustainable pantry?

A sustainable pantry is one that helps you minimize food waste as well as plastic waste and other single-use packaging. It might also help you gear your kitchen toward eating less meat in favor of a more earth-friendly, plant-based diet.

Additionally, a sustainable stockpile can help you save money via tare refills and reusable products. By doing a sustainable pantry overhaul, you’ll also likely minimize ultra-processed foods and toxins in your diet, since many refill and low-waste foods happen to be sourced organically and with cleaner ingredients.

How to Build a Sustainable Pantry

While a low-waste pantry will look different for every household, there are some easy steps you can take to make the most out of yours. Here’s how to build a sustainable pantry no matter where you’re starting from.

Step 1. Do a pantry cleanout

The most sustainable pantry is the one that uses what you already have. Unlike other pantry overhauls, a sustainable pantry cleanout is focused on salvaging food and containers instead of throwing everything out.

The most sustainable pantry is the one that uses what you already have

First, see what you’re working with, and what can be saved. If you have multiples of certain items, consolidate them to save space.

Many dry, shelf-stable foods can be stretched well past the written expiration date. But if things are too far gone (if they smell or look bad) it’s time to toss them in the compost. If you’ve proven you’re never going to eat certain canned goods, consider donating them to your community food pantry instead.

This is a good time to note any patterns: what you tend to purchase too much of, as well as what you tend to go through quickly.

Finally, do a thorough clean of your cupboards, wiping shelves and washing any jars you want to refill. Save any soft and stretchy plastic bags and film and bring them over to re_ grocery to recycle (here’s how!).

Don’t throw it out! A few food-saving tips:

• Need to revive last season’s hard-as-a-brick brown sugar? Try blending it in a food processor or microwaving it covered with a damp towel for 20 seconds.
• To test if baking powder is still good, add ½ a teaspoon to a bowl and pour in boiling water. If it fizzes, it’s good to keep.
• To test if your dry yeast is still good, mix a small amount with a teaspoon of sugar and some warm water (that feels hot but still comfortable enough to wash your hands in). The yeast should foam within a few minutes.
• Keep something on hand for taking stubborn labels off jars (like rubbing alcohol or a simple paste made with olive oil and baking soda).

Step 2. Make a refill list

Stocking up on dry goods can help you save last-minute trips to the grocery and encourage you to eat what you already have at home, saving waste and money from dining out or take-away. And in case of an emergency situation, it’s always good to have a small bank of food stored up.

Take note of what you eat often and make a checklist of pantry essentials for your zero waste grocery trip. It might look like the following:

• Dry beans and legumes
• Canned beans
• Rice, oats, and grains
• Cereals
• Pasta
• Flours and baking ingredients
• Spices and seasonings
• Vegetable broth powder
• Tomato products and canned goods
• Coffee and tea
• Nuts, seeds, and nut butters
• Protein and supplement powders
• Dried fruits
• Oils, vinegars, and soy
• Sugars, honey, or other sweeteners
• Oat milk powder
• Mocktail supplies
• Candy and chocolate
• Cleaning supplies
• Parchment paper, eco wrap, and aluminum foil
• Sustainable sandwich bags

Make a checklist of pantry essentials

Refine this list based on what you already have and what season it is. For instance, if you do your pantry cleanout at the end or beginning of every year, you might want to include more soups for winter, or pumpkin puree for the holidays.

Step 3. Stock up sustainably

When it comes time to stock up on your pantry items, you can find everything you need at our zero waste grocery. To refill, simply bring your own clean, empty containers or use ours. Want to stay cozy at home? Stock up with our re online store. We’ll pack everything sustainably and deliver it to you.

Is it always more economical to buy in bulk? The answer is no. For items like rare spices that you don’t use often, it can be best to buy just a little so you don’t end up with a lot that loses flavor sitting in your pantry over time. For items like salt and pepper, you probably want to buy in bulk at your refill grocery store. That’s why tare grocery shopping is great—you can buy exactly how little or how much you actually need.

Is it always more economical to buy in bulk? The answer is no

Refill tip:

• While it’s best to use jars that you already have, when you need more jars and canisters, your pantry will look tidiest if you group several of a similar type, like our sleek spice shakers or our re_ glass jars that come in multiple sizes.
• Refilling in person? Find our re_ grocery locations here!

Step 4. Organize your pantry sustainably

The art of sustainable pantry organization is about using what you have while making everything look attractive so that you enjoy spending time in your kitchen. The way you organize things can be helpful in steering you toward what to use first or most often.

First, label any jars as needed using a wax pencil or other labeling system. It can be helpful to mark the date of purchase.

Then, arrange your pantry so that the foods you need to access the most are easy to grab. If you cook often, items like salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil might be best kept on your counter. Commonly-used items like honey, AP flour, and core spices should take the forefront in your cupboard.

Arrange your pantry so that the foods you need to access the most are easy to grab

Around those, arrange the items that you want to use first—maybe it’s healthy foods that you’re trying to eat more of in your diet, or maybe it’s items that you want to use while they’re in peak freshness.

Lastly, store items like out-of-season spices, less-used baking supplies, and niche items in the harder-to-reach places. It might be helpful to keep track of what you have using an inventory list you can easily glance at.

Helpful hints

Finally, here are some pro tips for building a more sustainable pantry over time.

• If you make a recipe from scratch often, like cookies or biscuits, it can help save you time (and dishes) to make double batches of your dry ingredients at once, saving one in a re_ jar for next time.
• Dehydrated ingredients like dried mushrooms and vegetable broth powder are great for making soups and meal prep. Because they’re more shelf stable, they prevent food waste and are always available when you need them.
• Many pantry items, once opened and partially used, can be frozen so they don’t go to waste. Freeze leftover tomato paste, veggie broth, and other items into ice cubes for easy use in recipes later.
• Being able to view all your spices and seasonings will help keep your pantry from becoming a mess. Use a staggered spice rack, a lazy susan, or magnetized fridge holder to keep everything in easy view.
• Have stray ketchup or soy sauce packets from takeouts past? Keep them in a small re_ jar so they’re easily handy and visually organized.
• Have some open shelves? This is where to keep the items that make you happy, whether it’s jars of pickles or preserves you made with your family, or a stockpile of beautiful dish brushes and bar soaps.

We hope this article helps you plan your sustainable pantry. It’s not about overhauling everything at once. It’s about using what you have, while building in reusable products and refills based on your unique lifestyle and the way your family actually eats.