Pantry Organization to Simplify Meal Preparation

Find the ingredients you need to prepare dinner in a snap with an organized pantry!  Imagine how much time you will save.

There are 5 steps to organizing your pantry (or food cabinets).

1. Remove out dated and expired food.  Toss it, even though it seems like a waste, but if it is way past it’s expiration date it should go.  Food that has recently expired could be added to you meals in the next week or so.  If you find you don’t end up eating it sooner than later, let it go.  Learn from you mistakes and move on.  Don’t over buy and be careful if you shop at food warehouse clubs like Sam’s.  I have removed many trash bags of expired food from client’s homes; you aren’t the only one who has made the mistake.   Sort through your pantry twice a year to check for food that will be expiring soon.

2. Group food together in categories and shelve them in these categories.  Here are some category examples: canned vegetables, canned fruit, beverage items, breakfast items, condiments, oils, spices, baking items, rice/pasta, and snack food.

3. Use containers for spices or snack food.  I use containers to loosely alphabetize my spices.  Crazy?  Maybe but it does save time:)  Containers provide a home for small snack items.

4. Freshen up the shelves by wiping them down.  Wow, doesn’t that feel great!

5. Label shelves if it helps you maintain the organization.  Family members will know exactly where food items belong after using them or after grocery shopping.

Spend 30 minutes organizing a shelf in your pantry today.

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