I was inspired by one of our Neighbors to clean and organize my pantry today. Gosh, I can't even tell you the number of times I said, "where did THAT come from?" or "another bottle of molasses???" Does anyone know if Cider Vinegar goes bad? I've got three bottles. Needless to say, my cupboard was very unorganized. I pulled everything out and wiped the old onion skin dust from the shelves...then had to figure out what was going to go where. The items that were MOST important to me were going to go on the shelf that was eye level...the easiest access. It was going to be my "prime space" or my "top shelf" worthy items.

Ya know what was sitting there when I was done sorting? A pile of low sugar protein bars and my can of spray olive oil.

Now that's a little pathetic! I took a harder look at things and finally made better sense of what belonged where...all of my baking stuff went way up high and in the back. I won't be needing access to that any time soon. The items that I need to have on hand, but are potentially tempting, went on the very bottom shelf. My goodness, if I have to bend down to see it, I will most certainly be needing the item.

My Top Shelf Worthy items are:
High Fiber Cereal (two different kinds)
Low Sugar Protein Bars (half the shelf...)
Non-stick cooking spray
EVOO
Balsamic Vinegar
Crystal Light and other drink mixes

What's Top Shelf Worthy to you?

Kim, which protein bars do you like?

Pure Protein (peanut butter flavor...on occasion, the chocolate chip)
Atkins Advantage (peanut butter fudge granola is new and very yummy, peanut butter and the brownie one)

Literally, I have about over 40 bars on that shelf!

I need to get some of those. Thanks!

I really like the Atkins Double Chocolate Crunch. It tastes like an Oreo with a thin layer of caramel. 11 gms protein. I am not eating my favorites any longer, though, because they don't have much protein, like 4 gms.
I tried the Pure Protein bar that is all chocolate & it was a pretty overwhelming taste to me.

My top shelf,

Crystal light powder, propel powder
Pure Protein bars
My EVOO mister
Tomato paste in a tube, garlic paste in a tube, anchovy paste in a tube.
Dried stuff like mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, minced onion, shallots, leeks
Herb Ox powered bouillion in beef and chicken
Fiber One
EAS light protein drink mix (to grab and go)
vinegars, balsamic, raspberry, tarragon to name a few
half-caf Folgers coffee
Hidden Valley powdered dressing mix

Okay, that's just ONE of my top shelves. I made my daughter's bedroom into a pantry years ago and have five double door cabinets in there with nothing but kitchen stuff, four are food items. The closet is filled with gadgets like roasters, and small electrics that only get occasional use.

Then there is my freezer that has one full shelf dedicated to bulk herbs and spices. If it is an herb or spice, I probably have it in there. I buy from both Penzey's and Atlantic Spice online for a fraction of what it costs in the stores if you can find what you are looking for.

Guess I am a bit obcessive, huh?

I will have to sort and answer that question in a bit! Thanks for the topic. Now to get busy on the answer!

Oh...I like that tube stuff Celadon! Once it's opened, does it need to go in the fridge? And dried leeks! I've never!

If it ever comes time to "shelter in place", I want to come and be at YOUR house!

@Jeanie...those Pure Protein Chocolate bars are AWFUL!!! Oh my goodness, I couldn't even gag down more than one bite when I had bought them...and I LOVE chocolate. That thing is just frightening to me!

Yes, you need to refrigerate the tubes when they are opened but they take up so little space. After years of opening and tossing cans of tomato paste when I only needed a tablespoon, I fell in love with the tubes. Then they came out with garlic and other flavors too!

I have a lot of fun mixing up dried shallots, leeks, onions, and mushrooms in soups and stews. Not to mention how much I love sun dried tomatoes. You could make a tasty soup from all those dried ingredients and some good home made stock! The broths they make are amazing and it is just one of those toss in a pot and simmer things.

You can come anytime, whether you need shelter or not!

Okay, my top shelf items go into what is lovingly referred to in our home as 'momma's space'. I have:

Crystal light single serve packets <i empty all the little boxes into a plastic 'shoe size' box...there has to be over 100 in there...>

Containers of tea...green and peppermint only.

SBD protein bars <these made me dump recently, so I moved them to the kids snack drawer...they love them!>

Splenda

Bags of assorted dried beans

Pure protein bars...<a few to 'try' the flavors of>

Protein powders in different flavors

Sugarfree applesauce <unopened of course>

I have taken good notes though on stuff I want to try...and if there are tubes of tomato paste and such up here, I am a woman on a mission now! <I waste so much of it too!>


Thanks for the subject Kim. These kinds of posts are great learning tools.

Thanks for this thread, Kim! I'm with you. I have lots of Protein Bars on my Top Shelf!
I need to try the ones you spoke about. I used to get LUNA Bars all the time, but they're
too sweet for me now. I DO like the LUNA Tea Cakes BUT they don't have as much protein
in them... So time for a change!
The other items I have to have around are Protein Powders. Lately Isopure and Cytosport
Muscle Milk. I keep Body Fortress at my daughter's house for when I'm there sitting with
my granddaughter. I keep all protein powder in the carousel cupboard near my Bullet and mixer.
I've been using a lot of shakes and protein balls. They keep me from craving carbs. Impressive.
I haven't been eating cereal since I initially went on the 5DPT and learned I'm lactose intolerant.
My teas have to be easy to reach, too. They've taken the place of Diet Pepsi and other bubbly
stuff and I'm OK with that (to my surprise).
I use lots of canned diced tomatoes, canned pumpkin and canned yams (without the syrup).
I also keep a couple of extra jars of those goofy pickled eggs in handy as well.
Add bags of Coffee Beans and that's probably about it.
I keep staring at a box of StoveTop Stuffing... but I know it would send me into a
hypoglycemic plummet. But enough about *me.* How's about everyone else??!

Hi all, I'm a newbie but before my surgery we got to taste test some new high protein products that were offered through our WLprogram. The company is www.Smartforme.com and all of their products are at least 16grams protein. The protein bars are really good and I love the B-B-q and Chocolate snack balls. You might want to check them out.

Thanks for the head-up, malady! I hopped right over there and picked up a couple of starter kits
@ $19 each... I think they include bars snack, soups and drinks. Most likely a good deal.
I'll sure speak up when I get mine! A thousand pouches are better than one!

I've got to get the tubes of tomato paste! I've been wasting tons of paste because I only need a spoonful. I bet that my local market has it...they've got everything under the sun. I need to make a run over there today and will search for the tubes of paste!

MF...I mix my high fiber cereal into plain yogurt with a little Splenda. Sometimes this is my dinner...it feels like I'm having dessert instead of a real meal, however there is oodles of protein in that cereal and yogurt! Also, I just ordered my PureProtein bars from DrugStore.com. I think they have them for about $1.50 per bar and that includes shipping (I think).

Marianna...I love that your shelf is called "mama's space". Too cute! And guess what? I have a plastic shoe box full of my drink mixes too! However, I've got ALL mixes in there...SF cocoa, SF cider, CL, etc... Love my beverages!

I love this thread! It is so great to see that most of you stock a lot of the things that I do. I must be on the right track. What is it about the plastic shoe boxes? I keep my protein bars in one and my propel and CL powders in another. My teas are in a stackable metal canister on my counter in the kitchen or they would be in one too!

Kim, if you can't find the tomato paste in a tube, try the Italian section where they keep the imported stuff like pine nuts and pesto. Usually, in most stores, they are way at the top shelf so you have to really look to find them. If you have to, the next time you open a can of tomato paste, put the rest by tablespoons in an empty ice cube tray and freeze them. When they are frozen, pop them out and put them in a freezer bag. At least you won't waste the bulk of the can that way. I learned to do this years ago when my grocery budget was really small and my family was really big!

I used to freeze tiny servings for my sister when she was very ill. She'd always wake up
in the middle of the night. hungry for a bit of something. She loved it when I'd freeze mashed
potatoes in an ice cube tray for her. She could pop one out of the bag and have a little snack
with the poke of a microwave button! Works great for homemade baby foods as well!

Now see there, we are both dating ourselves!!!

I can't wait, in another week and a half I can start my transtion foods and the smartforme BBQ crunchies are sooooooo tasty. I figure its a great way to get the protein and have something that is really good. Several of their protein bars were really good also. Hope you enjoy.

wow....I learned alot on this thread....Thanks ladies!

I know I will and some of the things in the starter packs will be like super goodies for me in that
I really don't tend to by special prepared foods. I substitute teach a lot since retiring from
teaching and this will make for great pick-up-and- run items! Thanks again!

This is what I usually do, too, but I'm going to look for the tubes - that sounds like just the ticket! And thanks for the great thread. Very interesting reading.

Vivian

This is the only meditation I know. While I eat, I eat. While I walk, I walk. And while I feel sleepy, I sleep. Whatsoever happens, happens. I never interfere. Bokuju

I try to keep my pantry pretty bare. I have a thing about clutter so I like lots of "white space". Anyway I just re-organized my pantry last weekend. On my very top shelf I have these really small dinners I ordered last year from somewhere. They taste pretty good and are small. The only reason I keep them is hurricane season. Next to them are all my bottles of Davinci SF Syrup and the canister of unjury unflavored protein powder. Virtually everything is on the next shelf. Mosty of my spices are there, the cooking oil, flax seed and baking powder are first. Then comes the couple of cans of pumpkin for when I remember to buy chicken broth, a couple cans of chicken and tuna, a couple single serve chili & chicken & rice for emergency dinner then on to bottled marrinades, mayo, sf jello & pudding and finally 2 boxes of single serve spam which I was living off of for the last year. Gotta find a use for those. The bottom shelf houses the dog treats, catfood, coffee and creamer.