Membership Matters: Kitchen Pantry Clutter, When in Doubt Throw it Out
Published
12/12/2016
By Peggy Jo Goodfellow, Arizona Farm Bureau: Ahh the Holidays! So much to do…so little time. Shopping, gift wrapping, holiday parties to attend, decorating and cooking! Do you love to cook but your cluttered pantry makes you crazy? You are not alone. An organized kitchen pantry is a joy and relief for the home cook. Having a system in place to re-stock the pantry when necessary will help you maintain your sanity, the joy of cooking and provide healthy meals to your family.
First step… de-clutter!
Take everything out of the pantry including food, food storage
Line up the food items so you can see everything at once. I use my large island counter but the kitchen table, dining room table or even the floor
Assess each item one-by-one and ask yourself each of these questions:
- Has this expired? If yes, throw it out.
- Do I use this? If no, throw it out.
- Do I like this? If no, throw it out.
Arrange items by group
Here
- Cans of beans and soups
- Snack foods
- Bottles of oils and vinegar
- Jars of spices
- Boxes of grains (rice, cereal, pasta)
- Cans of tomatoes (sauce, diced, stewed)
Keep the items you use most regularly in the prime area of your pantry. This means the space between your shoulders and knees. It’s easier to reach and to put back after use.
You can purchase economical stacking shelves so that you can have your canned items showing at different levels and no items are hidden.
I recommend storing your bulk items in the bottom of the pantry, as these are typically heavy. I buy just enough dry beans and rice to fill large mason jars. I like to buy more frequently instead of buying and storing large bags since we don’t like to share our food with small, furry visitors!
Arizona Farm Bureau features health and nutrition news each week through Fill Your Plate the website that features searchable recipes, farmers'
Editor’s note: For more information on our member benefits including our regional benefits go to Arizona Farm Bureau’s member benefits page online. Or, download the Member Benefits app to your smart phone for easy, everyday access to your benefits.