Farmstead Chronicles
How Do You Clean Up Your Pantry Without Wasting Food? A Slow, Faith-Filled Way to Start One Jar at a Time
Dec
How Do You Clean Up Your Pantry Without Wasting Food or Getting Overwhelmed?
A Slow, Faith-Filled Way to Start — One Jar at a Time
True Talk Tuesday
Real life. Real faith. Real kitchens.
Last Tuesday, we talked about sourdough.
Not just the recipe — but the process.
How our newer, simpler sourdough method came from learning that rushing never builds a strong foundation. Bigger jars didn’t help. More feedings didn’t help. Trying to hurry it along only led to frustration.
It wasn’t until we slowed down that the starter finally began to thrive.
And this week, as I stood in the pantry, I realized something:
Redoing a pantry works the exact same way.
How Do You Clean Up Your Pantry Without Wasting Food?
Here’s the simple, honest answer:
You don’t throw everything away.
You don’t change everything at once.
You start slowly — replacing things as they run out, one jar at a time.
That’s it.
And yet, for so many of us, this is where things fall apart.
We get inspired.
We see a post.
We read a label.
And suddenly it feels like everything needs to change — right now.
I don’t know about you, but when I try to do everything all at once… nothing seems to take root.
But when I move slowly?
That’s when things actually stick.
That’s when I feel accomplishment instead of guilt.
That’s when satisfaction replaces stress.
And that’s when peace settles in.
One Jar at a Time — Just Like Sourdough
Sourdough taught us this lesson the hard way.
You don’t build a healthy starter by dumping everything in at once.
You don’t rush the process and expect strength.
You build it slowly — feeding it consistently, patiently, and intentionally.
Our pantry needed that same grace.
For us, sourdough became the first jar.
Not because it fixed everything — but because it changed our pace.
From there came simple dry mixes.
Then pantry staples.
Then drinks and snacks we were already buying every week.
Each change felt manageable.
Each step brought a small win.
And each win brought peace instead of pressure.
Caring for the Temple God Entrusted to Us
Scripture reminds us that our bodies are temples.
Not something to panic over.
Not something to perfect overnight.
But something to care for faithfully.
Redoing our pantries slowly is one small, practical way we can begin honoring that calling. Not out of fear. Not out of guilt. But out of stewardship.
When we slow down, we leave room to listen.
To learn.
To follow Him more closely.
And in that slower rhythm, understanding comes.
Peace comes.
🌾 The Table Challenge (This Week)
This week, don’t overhaul your pantry.
Instead, try this:
Choose one item you use often.
Ask yourself, “Could I try making this at home?”
Use up what you already have — don’t waste it.
Replace it when it runs out.
Pray over the process.
Let it be slow.
Let it be steady.
That’s how habits take root.
That’s how peace enters in.
Want to Revisit Last Week’s Foundation?
If you missed last Tuesday’s sourdough conversation — the one that inspired this week’s reflection — you can read it here:
👉 How to Start a Sourdough Starter the Right Way (Why Slow Living and Faith-Filled Patience Matter More Than Speed)
https://plrandgoods.com/how-to-start-a-sourdough-starter-the-right-way-why-slow-living-and-faith-filled-patience-matter-more-than-speed
You’ll also find more real-life kitchen rhythms inside our Farmstead Chronicles, where we share from-scratch recipes, pantry basics, and faith-filled encouragement:
👉 https://plrandgoods.com/farmstead-chronicles
If you’re looking for a gentle place to begin, our pantry and kitchen digital resources are designed to be used one recipe at a time — never all at once, never with pressure.
🌾 Stay Connected With Us
✨ Join Grace Notes — gentle email encouragement for faith, home, and daily rhythms:
📘 Facebook — weekly encouragement & True Talk Tuesdays
📌 Pinterest — recipes, pantry ideas & quiet inspiration
📷 Instagram — behind-the-scenes homestead life
👀 Looking Ahead
This Friday on Facebook, we’ll be sharing a gentle reminder that Sip & Snack Saturday happens every Saturday at 10 a.m.
A comforting drink or snack.
Something new we’re creating for the pantry.
And the heart behind why we’re choosing to live this way — slowly and faithfully.
One jar at a time. 🌾
