The Super-Smart Organizing Tips I Stole from The Pioneer Woman

My kids are snacking experts. No, I mean it. They’re not only highly adept at consuming snacks, but for asking — actually, no, demanding — Goldfish or graham crackers when I’m in the middle of something timely and important (and, obviously, right after they left the dinner table whining that they weren’t hungry). 

Given my sons’ penchant for snacking, you can imagine my pantry is a little, um, out of hand. Picture it: half-eaten, mini bags of popcorn, rogue Teddy Grahams, and stale tortilla chips hiding away in the back corner. The disarray isn’t just gross — it also makes it more difficult for me to grab what I need in a pinch and to identify what we actually need from the store when grocery time comes. 

Pioneer Woman to the rescue. 

Taking a cue from Ree Drummond, I’m starting a snack drawer at my house — a kid-level place to store and grab something to munch on without help from mom or dad. That solves one problem, but simply moving the snacks from the pantry to the drawer doesn’t solve the disorganization issue. And I’m not exactly pumped about the idea of my kids eating endless amounts of chips directly from the bag. 

To address both of those concerns, Ree recommends pre-portioning snacks in zip-top or paper baggies, so kids and grown-ups alike can grab and go without worrying about bowls or dishes. You can do the same thing in your fridge by designating a drawer for, say, fruit, string cheese, or other perishable snacks.

You can also use easy-to-open plastic bins, baskets, or a utensil organizer to corral snacks that don’t need to be bagged up at home (like raisins, bars, or pre-packaged bags of chips or crackers).

For those of you without the luxury of extra kitchen drawer space, I’ve also seen snack carts and snack bowls on the kitchen counter or table stocked up with healthy snack options like granola bars, apples, bananas, and little bags of crackers. 

Now, everyone’s happy!