Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
If you've ever stood in your kitchen wondering what to make for dinner—or wished mornings felt just a little less rushed—this video is for you.
Today I'm sharing how I begin rebuilding my Well-Kept Pantry one thoughtful decision at a time. From making homemade strawberry jam to taking advantage of grocery sales, preserving pantry staples, and making a simple meal from fresh garden vegetables, every step is part of the same goal: creating a pantry that serves your family well.
A well-kept pantry isn't built in a day. It's built one thoughtful decision at a time.
I hope this video encourages you to think differently about grocery shopping—not as buying more food, but as building a pantry with purpose.
In this video:
• Making homemade strawberry jam
• A strategic pantry grocery haul
• Saving money with Kroger Mega Savings and coupons
• Rebuilding my pantry one category at a time
• Storing flour in Mylar bags for long-term freshness
• Organizing with my Well-Kept Pantry System
• Using free garden abundance
• A simple skillet ratatouille for dinner
Chapters
00:00 Pantry Prep
01:06 Canning Setup
07:51 How to Make Strawberry Jam
09:07 How to do a Gel Test
09:49 How to Fill Canning Jars
11:37 What is Finger Tight?
17:40 How to Get Strawberry Jam Out
19:49 How to Rebuild a Pantry
42:12 Did my jam jars seal?
45:43 How to store flour in mylar bags
51:58 Easy Skillet Ratatouille
Homemaking isn't about perfection. It's about caring well for the people and home we've been entrusted with...one thoughtful decision at a time.
#homemakingwithdenise #traditionalhomemaker #thisandthatwithdenisejordan #preppingwithdenise #aprondiva #africanamericanhomemaker #blackhousewife
WATCH NEXT ➡️ My 20-Item Capsule Grocery Haul: youtu.be/ve2KopjZ4F0
✳️ My link for The Well-Kept Pantry:
thisandthatwithdenise.systeme.io/well-kept-pantry
✳️ Want to learn about waterbath canning? Check out my course, Yes You Can! A Beginner's Guide to Waterbath Canning with this link: courses.homemakingwithdenise.com/courses/waterbath-canning-course
➡️SUBSCRIBE to my channel: youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
➡️Sign up for my newsletter The Homemaker's Journal: eepurl.com/ip_ZIs.
➡️Don’t forget to head over to my YouTube channel’s home page where I share organized playlists to help you meet your homemaking and homekeeping needs.
Show Notes and Affiliate Links:
✳️Visit Amazon through my storefront here: amazon.com/shop/thisandthatwithdenisejordan
✳️ As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of my links below are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay. All items are in my storefront.
✳️ALWAYS IN MY KITCHEN: (See EVERYTHING in My Shop):
Ball EasyCanner Electric Waterbath Canner: amzn.to/4fUZMpZ
Dutch Oven: amzn.to/3HNOseH
Ball Plastic Freezer Jars: amzn.to/3UvAup6
Spurtles Kitchen Tools: amzn.to/48bTHiS
Dried Whole Eggs: amzn.to/4bpcWs5
Rubbermaid Spoonula: amzn.to/481wQqg
Ball Mason Jar Storage Lids: amzn.to/49olRZc
Measuring Spoons: amzn.to/3OxGNox
OXO 2 Cups Measuring Cup: amzn.to/3UBXiE1
Muffin Pan: amzn.to/3UwTlR0
Soup ladle: amzn.to/3SRTNbc
Apple slicer: amzn.to/3ODTZZ2
Lemon squeezer: amzn.to/3STt123
Can Rack Organizer amzn.to/3S5UkVk
Corner Kitchen Shelf Organizer amzn.to/48Zm7gU
Ball Mason Jars amzn.to/4aZvQ8Z
Clear Plastic Storage Bins For Fridge or Pantry amzn.to/3HqRfdl
Grabill Country Meats Variety Pack amzn.to/3U8wDOA
Hands Free Motion Centered Garbage Pan amzn.to/48EebSz
Storage Shelves amzn.to/47Zes1r
Weigman Cooktop Cleaner: amzn.to/3iFz8aw
✳️About this music: ES_First Fall of Snow courtesy of a paid subscription to Epidemic Sound.
✳️ Apron Diva at aprondiva.com
✳️Shop the children's books I've written:
Circus Animal Acts Paperback (Heinemann Read & Learn) April 2002 by Denise Jordan amzn.to/3ukXWbB
Circus Clown ABC (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3GCHDcZ
Circus Clowns (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3HvEmx9
Circus Performers (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3ATKi0m
✳️My Tech Gear
• Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II Camera amzn.to/2FGUUWj
• Canon M6 Mark ii amzn.to/32UxVEO
• Rode Video Mic amzn.to/2Fu871i
❤️Stay connected with Homemaking with Denise:
• Email: thisandthatwithdenise@gmail.com
• Facebook: @thisandthatwithdenise
• Instagram @homemakingwithdenise
• TikTok homemakingwithdenise
❤️Subscribe for more videos at youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
If you've ever stood in your kitchen wondering what to make for dinner—or wished mornings felt just a little less rushed—this video is for you.
Today I'm sharing how I begin rebuilding my Well-Kept Pantry one thoughtful decision at a time. From making homemade strawberry jam to taking advantage of grocery sales, preserving pantry staples, and making a simple meal from fresh garden vegetables, every step is part of the same goal: creating a pantry that serves your family well.
A well-kept pantry isn't built in a day. It's built one thoughtful decision at a time.
I hope this video encourages you to think differently about grocery shopping—not as buying more food, but as building a pantry with purpose.
In this video:
• Making homemade strawberry jam
• A strategic pantry grocery haul
• Saving money with Kroger Mega Savings and coupons
• Rebuilding my pantry one category at a time
• Storing flour in Mylar bags for long-term freshness
• Organizing with my Well-Kept Pantry System
• Using free garden abundance
• A simple skillet ratatouille for dinner
Chapters
00:00 Pantry Prep
01:06 Canning Setup
07:51 How to Make Strawberry Jam
09:07 How to do a Gel Test
09:49 How to Fill Canning Jars
11:37 What is Finger Tight?
17:40 How to Get Strawberry Jam Out
19:49 How to Rebuild a Pantry
42:12 Did my jam jars seal?
45:43 How to store flour in mylar bags
51:58 Easy Skillet Ratatouille
Homemaking isn't about perfection. It's about caring well for the people and home we've been entrusted with...one thoughtful decision at a time.
#homemakingwithdenise #traditionalhomemaker #thisandthatwithdenisejordan #preppingwithdenise #aprondiva #africanamericanhomemaker #blackhousewife
WATCH NEXT ➡️ My 20-Item Capsule Grocery Haul: youtu.be/ve2KopjZ4F0
✳️ My link for The Well-Kept Pantry:
thisandthatwithdenise.systeme.io/well-kept-pantry
✳️ Want to learn about waterbath canning? Check out my course, Yes You Can! A Beginner's Guide to Waterbath Canning with this link: courses.homemakingwithdenise.com/courses/waterbath-canning-course
➡️SUBSCRIBE to my channel: youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
➡️Sign up for my newsletter The Homemaker's Journal: eepurl.com/ip_ZIs.
➡️Don’t forget to head over to my YouTube channel’s home page where I share organized playlists to help you meet your homemaking and homekeeping needs.
Show Notes and Affiliate Links:
✳️Visit Amazon through my storefront here: amazon.com/shop/thisandthatwithdenisejordan
✳️ As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of my links below are affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay. All items are in my storefront.
✳️ALWAYS IN MY KITCHEN: (See EVERYTHING in My Shop):
Ball EasyCanner Electric Waterbath Canner: amzn.to/4fUZMpZ
Dutch Oven: amzn.to/3HNOseH
Ball Plastic Freezer Jars: amzn.to/3UvAup6
Spurtles Kitchen Tools: amzn.to/48bTHiS
Dried Whole Eggs: amzn.to/4bpcWs5
Rubbermaid Spoonula: amzn.to/481wQqg
Ball Mason Jar Storage Lids: amzn.to/49olRZc
Measuring Spoons: amzn.to/3OxGNox
OXO 2 Cups Measuring Cup: amzn.to/3UBXiE1
Muffin Pan: amzn.to/3UwTlR0
Soup ladle: amzn.to/3SRTNbc
Apple slicer: amzn.to/3ODTZZ2
Lemon squeezer: amzn.to/3STt123
Can Rack Organizer amzn.to/3S5UkVk
Corner Kitchen Shelf Organizer amzn.to/48Zm7gU
Ball Mason Jars amzn.to/4aZvQ8Z
Clear Plastic Storage Bins For Fridge or Pantry amzn.to/3HqRfdl
Grabill Country Meats Variety Pack amzn.to/3U8wDOA
Hands Free Motion Centered Garbage Pan amzn.to/48EebSz
Storage Shelves amzn.to/47Zes1r
Weigman Cooktop Cleaner: amzn.to/3iFz8aw
✳️About this music: ES_First Fall of Snow courtesy of a paid subscription to Epidemic Sound.
✳️ Apron Diva at aprondiva.com
✳️Shop the children's books I've written:
Circus Animal Acts Paperback (Heinemann Read & Learn) April 2002 by Denise Jordan amzn.to/3ukXWbB
Circus Clown ABC (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3GCHDcZ
Circus Clowns (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3HvEmx9
Circus Performers (Heinemann Read & Learn) by Denise Jordan
amzn.to/3ATKi0m
✳️My Tech Gear
• Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II Camera amzn.to/2FGUUWj
• Canon M6 Mark ii amzn.to/32UxVEO
• Rode Video Mic amzn.to/2Fu871i
❤️Stay connected with Homemaking with Denise:
• Email: thisandthatwithdenise@gmail.com
• Facebook: @thisandthatwithdenise
• Instagram @homemakingwithdenise
• TikTok homemakingwithdenise
❤️Subscribe for more videos at youtube.com/@homemakingwithdenise
