Before you spend a penny
What this pantry actually costs you
The first shop is the only part of this that hurts. You walk out having spent more than you have ever spent on flour and spices, and you have not eaten anything yet. This works out what that trip really costs, how much of it is still sitting in your cupboard afterwards, and how many jars it takes to get square.
Using our estimatesIngredient prices are the cheapest ordinary shelf option — supermarket own-brand where that is what is on the shelf. The packets and boxes they replace are priced as the national brand, because that is what people actually stop buying. Every figure says where it came from, and every one of them is yours to change.
Try all three. “All bulk” is the advice everyone gives and it is usually the most expensive way to start — the receipt goes up and almost none of it ends up in a jar.
This is the number that decides whether a big pack is a saving or a slow way to throw money out. Be honest rather than optimistic.
Containers are the easiest place to spend money you do not need to spend. A washed and thoroughly dried pasta sauce jar keeps a dry mix exactly as well as a new one.