For example, if you are going gluten-free, be sure to pass on or donate gluten-filled items like pasta and flour. You may also want to create a donate pile for any food that you have multiples of that you know you won’t be able to use before they expire or that you are no longer able to eat. Be sure to toss anything expired even if it looks safe to use. (Don’t even ask me how cat hair gets in all the spaces-ick!) Give the cupboard, fridge, freezer, or whatever a good scrub to remove the gunk and cat hair. If you are cleaning and organizing as you go, the easiest way to do it is to empty it out completely. The oldest one will get used first for my dill to reduce waste. Note: If you have multiples of the same item, you should write down the use-by date or expiry date of the oldest item. The amount of the item (1 500 g bag of rice/1 can of tuna/1 lb of ground beef, etc.).The name of the item (rice/canned tuna/ground beef, etc.I like to start with my pantry inventory because I can chip away at it over time easier than I can when I do my freezer and fridge inventory.įor each item in your pantry, you will want to take note of: Now that you have all your supplies, it is time to start. But if it is not working, see how you can make improvements.įor example, if the bags of dried beans are hard to see because they are stored in a basket, try using glass mason jars that stack easily, and you can see inside.Īnd a trash can and/or green bin or a large bowl to toss gross and funky items you find buried in the back. If you already have an organization system in place that is working, don’t try to fix it. I keep a basket for my pantry meal items, so my family members know not to eat those! If you are cleaning your fridge, freezer, and cupboards, you will want a bucket or bowl of water, a washcloth, cleaner, and a towel.Īnd if you decide you’d like to organize while you are at it, you’ll want to have bins, baskets, jars, etc. I used the pages out of my meal planning planner ( found in the Quick & Easy 4 Week Meal Plan Bundle) to create my kitchen inventory. What Supplies You Need For A Kitchen Inventoryīesides time, you will want to grab a notebook and pen or a digital organizer like the Cozi app. Doing it this way does add time to the task, but it feels so good to get all the gunk out of the pantry, fridge, and freezer. I like to kill two birds with one stone by cleaning and cataloging at the same time. I’ll show you how to do that efficiently below. Once you do this the first time, you should not have to do it again IF you keep on top of it. Spread it out over a few days doing one section at a time (fridge one day, freezer the next).Take a few hours and do it all at once OR.Now, I will warn you that the first time you create a kitchen inventory, you will want to do it in one of two ways. You may also want an inventory list for household staples, such as toilet paper, facial tissue, and cleaning supplies. Basically, you want an itemized list of every food item in your house, including your pantry, cupboards, fridge, and freezer. How To Create A Kitchen InventoryĬreating a kitchen inventory is easy. Lastly, a kitchen inventory speeds up the whole meal planning process because you can do all your planning based on your inventory lists. You’ll need to make room in your freezer to store the meals, and it will cut down on waste. We get a lot of snowstorms, and knowing I have a meal or two on hand relieves stress.Ī food inventory is essential when it comes to creating freezer meals for your family. That is the price of kids that cook, but I am totally willing to pay.įood inventories are also useful in making sure you always have food on hand for emergencies, and for those times you are unable to get to the store. I say “in theory” because it seems I can clean up and organize my kitchen, and in one cooking session, it is destroyed. Knowing what you have in your kitchen will, in theory, help you keep it more organized. Why? My husband was trying a new dill sauce and forgot to check the inventory list. Knowing what you have on hand is important when meal planning-trying a new recipe? Creating your weekly shopping list? A quick look at your inventory, and you know what items need to be used up soon, reducing waste and what ingredients you need to purchase for a new recipe.Īn inventory also saves money because it will prevent you from picking up ingredients you already have on hand.įor example, I currently have three bottles of dried dill and one fresh package of dill. Not only does it cut down on the amount of food you throw out, but it also saves you time and money. If you think creating a detailed food inventory of your kitchen is a waste of time, think again!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |