— Deborah Von Cannon

This is something that I do all the time. Now the way I typically keep my pantry items is in something like that. I will actually either use mason jar while I use the Oxo, you know seal Lids on the top there and put Pantry items in those but I won't do it when I get right from the grocery store. What I'll actually do is keep it in the package that it came in from the grocery store until I open it. And then once I open it, then I pour it into one of those other containers. Now the reason I do that is just because the little zip things and things like that on those packages typically fail. They don't usually close the way they're supposed to. They're not the greatest and they're often left open which makes it that the the air will get into it and the food won't be the best of quality. So until I actually open the product to use it. I keep it in the original packaging because it's all sealed. That's the best way to be able to have it. From the original packaging is perfect. But once you actually use a little bit of it, let's just say it's cornmeal right then after you open it up and use whatever corn meal you do, but I pour the rest into a mason jar or your airtight container and then store it that way now typically put a date that I did it on the bottom. All right that I opened it and I'll put it on the bottom of the container as well. So that way I know how how old it is as well. I actually do that with my spices too. So, you know, I keep an extension spice rack, but I use my own jars for those too. And I put labels on the bottom of as well because spices typically have about a one year shelf life before they start to lose their flavor. So I always mark them on the bottom to be able to make sure to use them by that date. Now if I have a backup so say if I'm using garlic powder and I'm running low, I'll buy a new container of garlic powder, but I'll keep that completely sealed until I need to open that one to restock the one in front of it. So I hope that helps Debra.