Pantry facts for kids

A pantry is a special room or large cupboard. It is used to store food and other things for the house. Think of it as a cool, safe place for your groceries.

Before modern refrigerators were invented, pantries were very important. People needed a way to keep food cool without electricity. A pantry was designed to stay cooler than the rest of the house, especially the kitchen.

How Old Pantries Worked

Old pantries were often built on the north side of a house. This side usually gets less direct sunlight, helping it stay cooler. These rooms typically had no windows. Instead, they used clever ventilation to keep the air fresh and cool.

Keeping Things Cool Naturally

The walls of a pantry were often made of brick or wood. These materials helped to insulate the room. Pantries had two air vents: one low down and one higher up. Here is how they worked:

• As the air inside the pantry warmed up, it would naturally rise.
• This warm air would then escape through the upper vent.
• When warm air left, cooler air from outside was pulled in through the lower vent.
• This created a constant flow of cool air, keeping the pantry fresh.

This natural air circulation meant that in summer, a pantry could be several degrees cooler than the rest of the house. In winter, it would be much colder than the warm kitchen.

What Was Stored in a Pantry?

Pantries were perfect for storing foods that didn't need to be super cold, like in a modern fridge. People usually bought food often, so it wasn't stored for a very long time.

Common Pantry Items

Many different kinds of food found a home in the pantry:

• Baked goods: Things like breads, pastries, and pies stayed fresh here.
• Dairy: Butter and milk could be kept cool enough.
• Eggs: Eggs were also stored in the cooler pantry air.
• Produce: Fresh berries, fruits, and vegetables were kept here. Sometimes, vegetables were brought up from a cellar in small amounts. They would stay in the pantry until they were ready to be used.
• Cheese: Various types of cheese were also stored in the cool, dark space.

The pantry was a busy and essential part of the home. It helped families keep their food safe and fresh for daily meals.

Images for kids

• 

  A contemporary kitchen pantry

• 

  Nineteenth-century pantry in Museu Romàntic Can Papiol in Vilanova i la Geltrú

• 

  Butler's pantry at the Little White House

• 

  Cold-pantry exterior vents

• 

  A California cooler in the Spooner Ranch House in Montaña de Oro State Park

See also

In Spanish: Despensa para niños