With "Pantry Porn" On The Rise, Liberal Loyola Professor Reveals 'The Truth' About Organized Pantries

Drenten observed a surge in what she calls "pantry porn," which refers to many social media videos featuring women flaunting their fully stocked kitchen and systematically arranged home supplies.

While minimalistic designs were once associated with an anti-consumption mindset of using less and buying less, Drenten notes that the "new minimalism" implies that "more is more" as long as it is not unclean or disordered.

March 17, 2023

Drenten argues that cleanliness has historically been used as a cultural gatekeeping mechanism to reinforce status distinctions based on a vague understanding of "niceness." According to her research, people who tidy their surroundings are often considered more responsible and respectable. However, Drenten claims that this anti-messiness and pro-niceness stance has roots in classist, racist, and sexist social structures.

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Drenten traced the pantry trend to the late 1800s when the butler's pantry was a status marker for the wealthy. It was a small space between the kitchen and dining room, where food and the people who prepared it could be hidden.

Drenten also claims that these viral videos of uniformly labeled and symmetrically placed supply bins, ingredient containers, and shelves are created by predominantly White women and act as a "new status symbol" for maintaining a "nice" well-kept home. The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role in the popularity of pantry porn, as keeping supplies on hand became a symbol of resilience for those who could afford to do so.

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Drenten argues that this pantry porn obsession also sets the societal standard for an ideal mother, wife, or woman. While pantry porn may be perceived as a status symbol that makes daily domestic work more manageable, it begs the question of who is responsible for maintaining the perfectly organized pantry.

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According to a 2019 report, 85% of large new homes in America built today feature a walk-in pantry, listed as the most desirable kitchen feature for new homebuyers. Drenten credits the Kardashian-Jenner family, the Hadids, and other social media influencers for turning the pantry into a "modern-day status symbol."