How to Stock Your Home Away from Home

Whether you are renting a beach condo, a mountain lodge, or just want to stay out of the grocery store a while, there is nothing better than having a fully stocked pantry. In this post I’ll share some tips and lists for how to stock a pantry as well as a freezer and refrigerator.

Our “home-away-from-home” used to be our off-grid cabin out in the middle of nowhere. It was small but very special. It had no electricity, but it had propane for the stove and refrigerator.

Over time, our family grew and our needs changed. My husband had always dreamed of owning a lot of acreage and just getting lost on it as much as possible. I wanted his dreams to come true.

Luckily, we had the opportunity to buy a piece he adored, and it was a perfect fit for us. The land came with an old little place that needed attention and love. We’ve been in full-swing renovating it. We call it the “Purple Door.”

Some of you have been keeping up to date on our renovation each week at The Purple Door. We’ve ship lapped many of the walls, taken some walls down to open up the space, put a tile backsplash in the kitchen and outfitted the kitchen and laundry room with appliances.

How to Stock a Pantry and the Rest of the Kitchen

I’ve been making lists galore, and today’s list is one of utmost importance: how to stock a pantry. I want to be able to cook a meal on short notice anytime I walk through those doors. We will be there on the weekends, but not during the week; therefore, I have to be very careful about mice infestations and other undesirables.

Since I mostly cook things from scratch, this shouldn’t be that tall an order. I will at all times keep staples on hand and bring with me a few items from home to fill in the gaps with perishables that would not make it a week in the refrigerator.

Additionally, I need to keep in mind that I don’t have a lot of storage space in this small house. Therefore, I need to keep my ingredients at a minimum.

I do wish I had had a “how to stock a pantry” list like this when I was a newlywed. Back then, I would walk down the aisles at the grocery store and just get what I needed for a recipe. 

These days, I think about special occasions when I may not be able to get out to shop. There were so many of those moments as I started having kids. Wish I would have known then what I know now. By the way, I think that is the title to a country song!

Stocking the Freezer in your Home-Away-From-Home

• Flour
• Cornmeal
• Breadcrumbs
• Pasta (this can be stored in an airtight container in the pantry as well)
• Ground beef, turkey, and pork
• Stew meat (in my case, venison)
• Bacon
• Chicken breast
• Chicken parts
• White flaky fish
• Sausage
• 2 homemade meals such as lasagna or enchiladas (just in case you don’t want to cook)
• Frozen mixed vegetables and fruit
• Peas, beans
• Bags of pesto
• Bags of spaghetti sauce
• Nuts

Stocking Your Refrigerator in Your Home-Away-From-Home

• Eggs
• Butter and other fats (lard, bacon grease)
• Peanut butter (refrigerating will extend the shelf life)
• Jelly and jam
• Aged cheeses
  • Parmesan and 3-year-old cheddar (this will last much longer)
• Lemons
• Limes
• Oranges
• Onions
• Carrots
• Condiments
  • Ketchup, whole grain mustard, pickles, BBQ sauce, capers, mayo, dressings

How to Stock a Pantry in Your Home-Away-From- Home

• Oatmeal, grits, and cereals, pasta of all shapes
  • Store these in airtight containers!
• Canned goods
• Beans (navy beans, kidney beans, black beans)
• Chicken stock
• Beef stock
• Fish stock
• Condensed milk
• Coconut pie
• Evaporated milk
• Tomatoes
• Green beans
• Seasoning and spices
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Basil
• Oregano
• Fennel
• Sage
• Rosemary
• Paprika
• Chili powder
• Bay leaves
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Anchovies
• Olive oil
• Alaga Syrup – Dark Cane Syrup [sponsor]
• Alaga Syrup – Light Cane Syrup [sponsor]
• Garlic

Once you have your pantry stocked with these basic ingredients, you can get to cooking!

Below you’ll find a good list of some of the meals you can whip up with the ingredients listed above. Some of these recipes are already on the site and you can click on them, but the others you may not be able to find here. That’s okay, though, because you can find all these recipes in my two cookbooks! Get yourself a copy of my Harvest Cookbook, along with my first book, Tracking the Outdoors In, to have full access to all of my recipes!

Meals You Can Cook with These Ingredients

• Vegetable Plate and Cornbread
• Meat and Three Vegetables with Cornbread or Homemade Biscuits
• Homemade Biscuits and Gravy
• Eggs, Grits, Bacon or Sauces, and Biscuits and Jelly
• Chili Con Carne and Cornbread
• Vegetable Soup with Cornbread
• Pasta with Spaghetti Sauce
• Pasta with Pesto
• Brown Butter and Anchovy Pasta
• Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Peas
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Seared Venison with Red Pepper Jelly Sauce
• Parmesan Venison
• Pecan Pie
• Fish Gumbo
• Mac and Cheese
• Venison Hamburgers
• Bobby Burger
• Polish Dogs
• Shepherd’s Pie
• Salisbury Steak with Mashed Potatoes, Peas, and Green Beans