I Finally Found a Smart Way to Store Snack Bags in the Pantry — And It’s an IKEA Hack!

Michelle Lau
·2 min read
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<span>Credit: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn</span> <span class="copyright">Credit: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn</span>
Credit: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn Credit: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn

When I’m shopping in the chip aisle in the grocery store, it’s pretty hard for me to pick just one bag. It seems I’ve got a lot of favorites: Ruffles, Kettle Brand, the list goes on. Selecting the snacks is no problem — the trouble begins after I open them. Allow me to explain.

Somehow, some way, when it comes to bagged snacks, my jumble of treats ends up looking rather messy. Admittedly, there are times when I can’t even find what I’m looking for as I shuffle through half-eaten, floppy bags piled on top of each other in a big basket. I’ve realized my system isn’t working too well. And so I went on the hunt to find a much better organizational trick to wrangle all of those bagged goodies. Ready to find out what it is?

IKEA VARIERA stainless steel pot lid organizer assembled and extended out by itself in kitchen setting
The VARIERA pot lid organizer is so versatile, it can wrangle just about anything. Credit: Sarah Crowley Credit: Sarah Crowley

Use IKEA’s Pot Lid Organizer to Hold Bags of Chips

Turns out, you can use IKEA’s VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer to hold your snacks! For $7, you can have your own beautifully organized, bagged snack aisle (a mini version!) that could rival one from any grocery store. Here’s how you do it: Next time you’re at IKEA, pick up one (or two!) VARIERA pot lid organizers and stretch it out.

VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer
VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer

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Instead of tucking it away as a cookware accessory for your lids, slide one into a cabinet-slash-pantry or onto a pantry shelf. Then use the prongs to “file” your snacks. It can hold all sorts of things: I’m talking M&Ms, popcorn, granola, corn chips, pistachios, and so much more. You can store just about any package that needs propping up by simply adjusting the size of this versatile rack. Half-eaten bag? Close it up with a clip, and you can still stand the package upright. If you’re really into showcasing your snacks, you can file by size, color, or even type of snack. Just think of all of the possibilities!

IKEA VARIERA pot lid organizer extended and laying flat in pantry filled with all sorts of bagged snacks.
Ta-da! Mini bagged snack aisle right in your pantry! Credit: Sarah Crowley Credit: Sarah Crowley

No matter which yummy munchies you choose to store, everything will be easy to find — even in a dimly lit kitchen right before movie night starts.

This post originally published on The Kitchn. Read it there: The Smart IKEA Hack That’ll Finally Organize Your Pantry Snacks — Once and for All