Let’s talk pantries.
Let’s talk meal planning.
Let’s talk bulk bins.
I am a total sucker for the Whole Foods bulk bins. They are such a magical place. Three colors of quinoa, five types of lentils, chocolate covered everything, and amaaaazing trail mixes that I inevitably eat out of the bag on the way home – don’t mind if I do. On a given day, I can convince myself to buy almost any of it in the name of keeping a well-stocked pantry or trying something new.
Well, guess what? I don’t even have a pantry. (Does anyone in their 20s have an actual pantry? If so, don’t tell me about it; I’ll be super jealous.) What I have is two kitchen cabinets dedicated to pantry items. Aaaand they are bursting at the seams. Not to mention the freezer drawers I’ve packed with frozen fruits and veggies never to be heard from again.
Does anyone else have this problem?
The reason is that I like to follow recipes. Trying something new is all well and good, but I usually follow a recipe while I’m doing it, whether it’s someone else’s or one I’ve cobbled together ahead of time myself. And after I’ve made that delicious salad that calls for 2 tablespoons of goji berries, the other 2 cups that I bought often sit there for… a long time. Because who would buy just 2 tablespoons of something from a bulk bin? Not this girl. Come on – they’re called “bulk” for a reason.
I’m always envious of the bloggers that seem to throw together flavorful meals based on what they have lying around, but I’m a planner by nature. And I just haven’t been able to let go of the planning enough to use up what I have in my pantry.
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