How to Keep Opened Packages in the Pantry So Cereal Crackers and Chips Stay Crisp

Even the most organized pantry can become disorganized over time. The key is taking an inventory (which includes tossing out anything that has outlived its prime).

Bins and baskets are ideal for corralling loose ingredients like granola bars, chips, foil, plastic wrap and plastic film. Consider installing turntables in cabinets to increase visibility of oils and vinegars or tiered risers on walk-in shelving to promote visibility even further.

1. Place them in a clear container

An overflowing pantry can be challenging to navigate. To maximize functionality in this area, invest in storage solutions that offer visibility and accessibility; otherwise you could spend valuable time hunting down that box of cornstarch in the back corner.

Start by pulling all your pantry contents out and placing it all onto a kitchen table or counter for examination. This allows you to assess everything you have and take an accurate inventory, noting what items may be most frequently used (like grains, pasta and legumes) as well as anything past its prime (for instance expired breadcrumbs from 2019!).

Once you’ve discarded anything that’s in poor condition or no longer serves a purpose, organize snacks like granola bars, cereal and crackers into bins with built-in dividers for easier identification and organization. Wicker baskets sourced from thrift stores or Amazon provide stylish yet cost-effective storage solutions that add some flair to any pantry space.

Tiered risers can help ensure items stay upright and visible so you don’t have to search through every shelf and cabinet for tomato paste in the back. In cabinet drawers, lazy Susans offer an efficient solution for storing oils, vinegars and shelf-stable condiments so they’re readily accessible; or use a see-thru bin as an efficient way to organize all your essential cooking ingredients.

2. Store them in the back of the pantry

Reorganizing your pantry may seem like an impossible feat, especially when there are numerous open bags and boxes of expired foodstuffs occupying several shelves. With some simple steps and organizational tricks, however, your pantry can quickly become an accessible storage area that meets your kitchen usage patterns.

Start by emptying out your pantry and spreading everything out on the countertop or kitchen table, taking an inventory of what you have and making decisions about what should be donated or moved (especially expired breadcrumbs!). When done, dispose of anything past its prime as well as organize remaining items.

De-clutter and transfer items to clear containers to free up pantry space. Not only does this allow you to easily identify what you have, but also helps avoid buying duplicate items when an item runs low. Lau suggests stackable bins or basic jars (such as Bormioli Rocco Fido Jars) for pantry staples like flour, sugar, rice pasta and oatmeal for this task.

As another means of keeping pantry items from disappearing into the back, installing lazy Susan or tiered risers for items frequently used but hard to reach can help ensure you can reach them without searching through cabinets, and reduce waste caused by forgotten foods that go bad before they’re eaten.

3. Store them in a basket

Your pantry can quickly become disorganized when filled with snacks, foil wraps and kitchen supplies. Instead of leaving these packages lying around haphazardly, designate an area for their storage – an over-the-door organizer is an effective solution; many models feature shallow shelves or pockets to organize small items like seasoning packets or granola bars. Baskets may also come in handy if you have children as this keeps open bags of chips out of reach; this helps reduce food waste as well.

Use wicker baskets to organize pantry items for a sleeker look, or choose clear bins so it’s easy to see inside. Additionally, if you have children you could place snacks they can access themselves on lower shelves so they have easy access to them (this may also teach delayed gratification).

As another way of streamlining the pantry, Lau suggests moving dry foods from their original packaging into uniform containers. This is particularly helpful with bulk purchases like grains, pasta and rice that need to be organized by type or size of product purchased. He suggests stackable jars from Bormioli Rocco with wide mouth openings for easy scooping – these stackable jars save space while providing easy scooping ability as well. Labeling is also key – using both printed or handwritten labels will help achieve organizational success for any pantry organization goals set before or after purchase.

4. Store them in a box

Spending some time organizing and decluttering your pantry can give it much-needed life. Before decluttering and setting things out, though, it is crucial that everything be cleared away for an audit so you can identify any stale products (expired breadcrumbs from 2019!) as well as get an understanding of which ingredients you use most often so you can plan how best to store them.

Decanting dry ingredients into clear bins or jars makes it easier to see exactly what you have on hand and what remains, helping prevent double purchases. For added convenience, choose stackable options or wide-mouth jars which allow easy scooping, pouring and use. A lazy Susan or turntable could also come in handy for reaching those harder-to-reach items like oils, vinegars, or small spice jars in the back corners of your pantry.

An annual reset of your pantry can keep it neat and orderly. This should include checking expiration dates, emptying out containers that have become full or expired, moving older items closer to the front shelf so they are used first, as well as adding some organizational tools such as pantry liners or magnetic racks for foil and wraps.