This is my family’s Pantry Inventory Spreadsheet (can be used in excel & google sheets). Use this to create a kitchen grocery inventory template so you don’t end up over-buying food items, and ultimately saving money at the grocery store. This home food inventory spreadsheet saved me from myself, for sure!
Pantry Food Inventory List
You know how it is, you think you have a can of beans, but then you go to grab it and it’s GONE. GRRR that totally gets my goat! It may also get a few other more colorful words thrown at it!
Creating a pantry inventory will help you know what you have so, you don’t end-up over-buying — and you put the RIGHT things on your grocery list. I hope you enjoy our family’s pantry inventory spreadsheet.
Pantry Excel Spreadsheet
This pantry inventory spreadsheet will help you stay on top of what’s where.
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Using a Pantry Inventory Spreadsheet
At the height of my use of this document, I was checking all of the items monthly, I’d then go into my computer and update the spreadsheet.
If I was feeling adventurous I’d ask a kid to yell out how many items were in the pantry and I’d update it as we went along. It didn’t take much time at all.
Then, I’d place the items we needed on my shopping list for my home kitchen. Easy-peazy.
Lately, I’ve been buying less — and that helps our grocery budget a lot also. I just sometimes run out of stuff again.
Feel free to adjust and fix as needed — as is, it will likely NOT work for your family. The first time you use it, it will likely take some time to adjust it.
Pro Tip: If you’re going to use this spreadsheet, take some extra time to check expiration dates, and put the food that needs to be used first at the front.
I’d love to know if people have ideas to make it better! Have a great idea? Leave me a comment!
Notes about the spreadsheet:
You’ll find the product name on the left, then how much we’d LIKE to have on hand, and then how much we DO have on hand. It will calculate it for you! The main reason I created it was to have to think less.
The colors are for each shelf in my pantry. That, and the fact that I really like colors. 🙂
You could use those colors for shelves, different categories, different types of foods — totally up to you! A lot of people want to know the BEST ways to use this, but it’s really up to what works for you, and what is easiest to measure your food stocks.
The columns will automatically update if you use a proper program (I use Excel, but it should also work in google sheets) that will execute equations. aka — if you want to have 6 and you have 3 — the third column will say 3, as you will want to have 3 more.
Ok, back to food….
Pantry Inventory Template in Google Sheets
This was initially made as an microsoft excel inventory template spreadsheet (this was when google was pretty young, and google sheets wasn’t as useable as it is now).
Just go to “import” on google sheets, then drag and drop it in there to upload.
That all needs to be done on a computer, as far as I know.
This list is also printable, just select the cells you want and you’ll have a pantry list you can take to the store.
Please note that this does not need to be only shelf food storage. You could use it anywhere you want to keep track of inventory. Even junk food! 🙂
Pantry Inventory App
You can turn this into useable on you mobile phone by adjusting it to just 1 collumn and putting it in google sheets. That way it can easily be available on your phone.
It’s something I wanted for such a long time. I was running out of things that would leave my frustrated and wonder why I didn’t have a lot of the things I had on hand in my pantry inventory.
I have heard there are other good apps fo r this, but I don’t know of any this simple (and I prefer less apps on my phone).
Keep your pantry organized so you know what’s in it! {and what’s not, which is what I’m normally worried about}
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Pantry FAQ’s
Most people store food good and possibly small appliances in their kitchen pantry. The pantry I’m referring to would be food storage.
That is going to be up to each household. I like to keep on hand as much as we’ll likely use in the next six month or so (depending on the product, and how long it stays fresh).
I used to keep more on hand, but I found it was just too hard to rotate and sometimes we didn’t get to it when it was fresh, and it would go to waste. A pantry inventory list really helps you decide how much to keep.
I like to keep mine as cool and dark as possible. Of course, with kids that is hard….
You won’t end up over-buying items, and will hopefully be able to rotate what you buy and use frequently. It makes keeping track of all the food easy!
I love that at any given time I can see what’s in my pantry really easily. It helps when I’m cooking dinner for a friend or need to make something for a potluck — I can pick something we need to use up!
What food items should this be used on?
You can use this on canned goods, dry goods, boxed goods. Honestly, you could even adjust it for use in your refrigerator food or freezer inventory too — just depends on how you want to organize. The good news is that this is VERY flexible.
I would look at the items you have a lot (possibly too much) and plan your meals off of that so as not to waste food. This could easily be done on a weekly basis with extra food.
I think it is SO smart to check expiry dates as you notice foods you’re not rotating through as quickly as you thought, it was just overwhelming to have a spot for it on the kitchen inventory. If I saw this was an issue, I’d make note of it so we could use those up in meals soon.
This is hard, because every family’s needs are so different. But, once you edit it for your own needs, you can print it and use it to write on as well.
This is what’s great about this — you can edit it for your own needs, be it fridge, freezer or even craft supplies! It’s just so you’ll know what you need to stock up on, no matter the location, perishable or not.
Well, if it’s your usual pantry food, hopefully you already have in your mind to use in specific recipes. If not, google that ingredient and hopefully something will spark an idea for you.
Keep what you use, that’s the idea here!
Be sure to check out my more recent post on having an organized pantry. It can be really helpful too!
Some other posts about home organizing are my weekly cleaning schedule, and stocking up on canned goods. And if you’re on Pinterest, check out my organization board!
This was originally created in 2014 and has been updated.
Ciji says
I tried with either of my email addresses and have not received it. Could you please send it to me??? Thanks!!
Hilary says
I am so sorry, it looks like my email provider was a little wacky yesterday — it does look like it was sent to you. Please let me know if you didn’t receive it.
Sherry says
I requested the file, but haven’t received it.
Hilary says
I am so sorry — it should be coming. I guess Amazon servers (who hosts my external attachments, like that) are down. 🙁 It should come SOON!
Igor says
I think pantry inventory is the top problem of all small and large families 🙂
I even did some research of apps that could help me with this issue and didn’t find anything that would fit my needs. As a programmer, I decided to build my own app. Here’s several major key points I came up with:
– There should be categories and possibility to create as many categories as needed, as well as sub-categories.
– There should be a way to tell where those or these goods can be bought. I face situations sometimes that I can’t find certain products in some stores but can find in other stores even if those stores under the same name.
– There should be a way to set units for products. Say, I want to count potatoes in lbs but beans in cans.
– The app should notify the users about the fact that some of the products are about to expire or finish. Additionally, I think the user should be able to tell how long before the app should notify about that. So that, if for example, I want to be notified when I have 2 cans left of Coca-Cola, or when I have 2 lbs left of potatoes. So it depends kind of on the product.
– The other thing I think about is that the app should notify the users if he doesn’t change the quantity of the products for some period. Sometimes, you can forget to change the quantity of spending products so the app could remind you about updating your inventory.
– Finally, the app should have a so-called “Need To Buy” list. This is kind of shopping list where you add products that is about to expire of finish so that the next time you go to the store you know exactly what you need to buy.
What do you think, will this kind of app make the most of the families happy? 🙂
Hilary Erickson says
I think this is a great idea!
Igor says
Thank you Hilary!
I’ve actually moved a bit further with this idea since then. I started the development of this app. You can find the key features here https://www.pikypak.com/#pikypak-key-features Please check it out. You should also follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/PikyPak or like us on facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/pikypak to get the latest updates about the app. We are really excited to get this app as soon as possible 🙂
Hilary Erickson says
Huh, really interesting and cool!
Igor says
Hi Hilary,
I thought that you may be interested in knowing that PikyPak went live for iPhone. You should try it out here https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pikypak/id1292018000 – of course, if you are an iPhone user 😉
Hilary Erickson says
Darn that we are all android around here!
Shirley says
Amazing idea…I’ve been looking for this same kind of software but for PC, not a phone app.
Pulling Curls says
I’m so glad this is helpful for you!
Shelbi says
I subscribed to get the spreadsheet, and when I got the email, there was no mention of a spreadsheet and no link for me to get it.
If you’re no longer giving it away, please update your site as I was a bit disappointed.
Hilary Erickson says
I sent the spreadsheet at the same time as the other email — Dec 19 at 3:37pm. Maybe check your spam as it sometimes lands there?
Hilary
Shirley Fee says
Please send your Pantry Inventory Spreadsheet, looking forward to working with it.
Thanks,
Hilary Erickson says
Hi Shirley, just sign up for it in the post and it should come within a few minutes!
Linda says
I tried to get the spreadsheet but it didn’t come through. I checked both my inbox and junk folder. Thanks for your help
Hilary Erickson says
Hi Linda — the email was sent to this email address, but it says it “bounced” — which means your email provider didn’t accept it.
I am sorry, maybe try a different email?
Elise says
There was no way for me to sign up within the post (Safari or Chrome) so I signed up through the general subscribe button on the side. Didn’t see anything in the Welcome letter to specify the pantry spreadsheet, so any help appreciated!
Hilary Erickson says
I don’t know why it wasn’t showing, I sent it to you though!
K says
Could you please send me a copy of the pantry list on google sheets?
Hilary Erickson says
If you get it through my opt in you can upload it to google sheets. I do not provide a direct google sheets download.
Brenda McAfee says
I requested the email, but it has not arrived yet. Assistance please and thank you!
Hilary Erickson says
Hi there, it is delivered. Check your spam.
Ann says
If I add a new section – such as over the counter medications to my list how do I fix it so that it automatically updates the amounts needed or not needed? TIA Hoping this helps me use the stuff I have rather than buying too much or what I have going to waste. Thank you so much for this!
Hilary Erickson says
I’d just copy and past a collumn and then fill it with your own titles. It SHOULD paste the formula as well.
Jennifer Davis says
“A day late, and a dollar short.” Thanks for this!!
Pulling Curls says
Oh no! Glad you found it, hopefully it wasn’t too late.
conor t says
hello could i have a copy of this please?
Pulling Curls says
In the post there is a place to enter your email to get the spreadsheet. I think you’ll love it.
Meg says
Hi! I don’t see a place to enter my email for the spreadsheet or a place to subscribe to the newsletter, it seems to bring up some sort of website malfunction in those areas.
Hilary Erickson says
Huh, I see a spot to sign-up and it worked for me both on my desktop and on my phone. Maybe try a new browser? I don’t know….