Learn how to maximize storage space in your kitchen cabinets with expert organization tips. Turn any cabinet into a functional pantry.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
- Which cabinet to use as a pantry?
- How To Start
- 8 Kitchen Cabinet Organization Tips
- Useful Resources
Don’t worry if you do not have a dedicated kitchen pantry area; I don’t have one either. So far in life, I have always used the kitchen cabinets as a fully functional pantry.
In a typical Indian kitchen, we have a lot of legumes, pulses, beans, rice, spices , and flours to store that we need on a routine basis for everyday cooking . Hence, having a considerable storage space next to the kitchen is necessary. Unfortunately, however, modern apartments do not come with a dedicated pantry at times.
The best way to handle this situation is to use kitchen cabinets as a pantry. This is what I have done all these years.
Which cabinet to use as a pantry?
Usually, I prefer to use the tallest, multi-story cabinet with good depth next to the refrigerator as a pantry. However, it is best to pick the stand-alone cabinet within reach of your hand. Remember, you have to create a perfect feel of the pantry right in the middle of your kitchen. Hence, picking the right set of cabinets is a crucial step.
How To Start
The million-dollar question is how to start a project – kitchen cabinet organization. Here are a few baby steps that will help you to start on the right note and not get overwhelmed with the whole process.
- Sort: Start with sorting your grocery. Divide them into broader categories like baking, pasta, grains, legumes, rice, lentils, spices, sauces, etc. You can also categorize the ingredients based on functionality, like how many times a particular item is used in a week.
- Measure: Before ordering any jars or racks, measure the length, depth, and width of your kitchen cabinet racks. This will ensure that all the jars and racks fit perfectly inside the cabinet.
- Discard: Next step is to discard the bulky cardboard boxes, packaging, or plastic packets that come with groceries like cornflakes, cereals, cookies, wafers, pasta, etc. Instead, transfer them all to containers, bins, and baskets. This step will help you save a lot of space inside the cabinet.
- Buy: Once all three above steps are done, it’s time to order or buy the new containers, bins, baskets, clips, labels, and racks for your kitchen cabinet organization.
8 Kitchen Cabinet Organization Tips
Here are my tried and trustworthy 8 life-changing kitchen cabinet organization hacks that work as a wonder for small spaces.
- Keep a Consistent Theme: It is best to keep a consistent color theme, whether it is picking up containers or labels. As for my pantry and kitchen cabinet, I stick to shades of white. A consistent color-coordinated theme always gives a sense of calmness.
- Keep It Functional: Functionality is the utmost priority when it comes to kitchen cabinet organization. A cabinet or pantry that looks like Martha Stewart perfect but isn’t functional in reality is of no use. Hence, while arranging the items, keep in mind, which things to keep on top, or while buying the containers, always think about their practical usage than Instagram worthiness.
- See-Throug h Containers: Always pick see-through transparent containers for storing dals, rice, spices, etc. It helps keep a grocery tab; everything is easy to find and makes your kitchen cabinet look neat. I prefer glass containers over plastic ones as they are dishwasher friendly and look extremely elegant.
Recycled Containers: I do not let go of jam, olive, salsa, or any other condiment bottles. Soak them in warm water, get rid of the stickers/labels, and then put them in the dishwasher for cleaning. They are as good as new. My existing kitchen pantry has a combination of brand new jars and recycled ones. And all are aesthetically co-existing happily.
Smart Storage: When talking about small spaces, we need to think about intelligent storage. Expandable racks, wire baskets, containers to stack the jars, or under cabinet storage racks all come in handy. Smart Storage is all about creating maximum space utilization in your kitchen cabinet.
- Labelling: Use a label maker or buy the stick-on labels as I did for your pantry. Trust me, on a day-to-day basis, this will save a lot of time, and even when you are not around, the family can easily find the items in the pantry. You can also write the purchasing date or the expiry date of the ingredients on the label.
- Deck Up: Who says you cannot deck up your kitchen cabinet. You can do it all with your pantry, from placing a few dried flowers and aroma sticks to arranging the jars aesthetically. Each time you open the kitchen cabinet door, you should feel good and proud of yourself.
Useful Resources
Wire Rack
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When it comes to breakfast, pancakes hold a special place in our hearts. Here are my vegan apple pancakes with oats and bananas – a delicious, healthy, wholesome twist on the classic breakfast.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Apple Pancakes
- My Tried and True Tips
- Vegan Apple Pancake Recipe
These apple pancakes are not just breakfast; they’re a warm hug on a plate – making them perfect for anyone looking to start their day on a healthy note.
We call them ABC Pancakes. A = Apple. B = Banana. C = Coconut
Why You’ll Love These Pancakes
- Health Benefits : Made with oats, bananas and apples, these pancakes are rich in fibre and nutrients.
- Easy to Make batter that comes together in one bowl, making cleanup a breeze.
- Customizable and catering to various dietary needs like egg-free, dairy-free, and nuts-free.
- Kid-Friendly : They’re so delicious, even the little ones will love them!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- A crisp, sweet, and ripe apple is the key ingredient.
- Overripe banana makes the pancakes moist, fluffy and sweet.
- Coconut milk or any other plant-based milk (almond, soy, oat) to bring the batter together.
- Rolled Oats replace the all-purpose or wheat flour in this pancake recipe. Use gluten-free, if required.
- Ground Flaxseed is the vegan replacement for eggs and enhances the nutritional value of pancakes.
- Brown sugar/maple syrup/agave syrup to sweeten the batter. It is optional as apples and bananas are the natural sweeteners.
- A pinch of salt, cinnamon and green cardamom powder for flavouring.
How To Make Apple Pancakes
Step 1: Prepare the dry ingredients
- In a blender, add rolled oats, flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom powder.
- Blend to a fine powder consistency.
Step 2: Add ABC
- Now add finely chopped apples, bananas, and coconut milk to the blender.
- Blend one last time to get evenly combined pancake batter.
- Transfer the batter to a bowl.
Step 3: Cook the Pancakes
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little coconut oil.
- Once hot, pour about ¼ cup of the pancake batter onto the skillet for each pancake.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
Serving Suggestion
Once cooked, stack your pancakes on a plate and top them with caramelised apples, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. If you like a little crunch, add some chopped nuts on top! You can serve them with your favourite nut butter also.
My Tried and True Tips
- Don’t Overmix : Overmixing can lead to dense pancakes. Blend until just combined for fluffiness.
- Adjust Consistency : If the batter seems too thick, add a splash of more plant-based milk. If it’s too thin, add a bit more oat flour.
- Keep Warm : If you’re making a large batch, keep the cooked pancakes warm in a low oven (about 200°F or 95°C) while you finish cooking the rest.
More Healthy Breakfast Recipe
- Overnight Oats
- Savoury Oats Chilla
- Chewy Granola Bars
- Mango Chia Pudding
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Mango Oats Smoothie
- Broken Wheat Porridge
- Apple Muffin with Oats
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ Cup rolled oats
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Flaxseeds
- ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ▢ ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ▢ 1 medium size apple, peeled and finely chopped
- ▢ 1 medium size overripe banana
- ▢ ⅓ Cup coconut milk
Ingredients For Serving Pancakes:
- ▢ Caramelised Apples
- ▢ Maple Syrup
- ▢ Chopped Nuts
- ▢ Nut Butter
Instructions
- In a blender, add rolled oats, flaxseeds, salt, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom powder.
- Blend the flax and oats to a fine powder consistency.
- Now add finely chopped apples, bananas, and coconut milk to the blender.
- Blend one last time to get evenly combined pancake batter. Transfer the batter to a bowl.
- Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little coconut oil.
- Once hot, pour about ¼ cup of the pancake batter onto the skillet for each pancake.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
- Serve apple pancakes warm with caramelised apples, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Recipe Notes:
- Use sweet, ripe apples and bananas for this pancake recipe.
- If the pancake batter seems way too thick add more coconut milk. It should be spoon-dropping consistency and not runny or way too liquid.
- You can replace cinnamon and cardamom with vanilla extract also.
Nutrition
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