New Year, New Pantry

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January is a great time to start a pantry inventory habit!




Now, before you go wild on Pinterest, remember: you don't have to aim for an instagram-worthy #pantrygoals setup to get the benefits of a pantry inventory!



WHY:

Taking regular inventory of what pantry staples, fridge foods, and freezer goods you have on can help with:

-reducing food waste (financial and environmental benefits!)

-staying on top of what groceries you need 

-giving you ideas for upcoming meals, or helping create meal plans

-reduce stress by becoming more organized!


WHERE: 

-Fridge

-Freezer

-Pantry


HOW:

Make these steps work for YOU! Feel free to delete steps, insert steps, or rearrange the order. 

1. Start with freezer, pantry, or fridge.

2. Take all food out and line it up on the counter.

3. Check dates-but remember that smell is a more reliable measure of a food's freshness than the date stamped on the container!

4. Sort into keep, donate, compost, and trash

5. Take a moment to wipe down shelves, drawers, doors, and baskets

6. Write down foods and amounts on a pantry inventory chart, then post your inventory on the door. Create your own inventory chart or search the internet!

7. Replace the foods in a way you can most easily see them when you open the door

8. Update your grocery shopping list

9. Repeat for fridge, freezer, and pantry


WHEN:

Do a pantry inventory on a regular schedule that works for YOU!

-Weekly

-Every 2 weeks

-Monthly

-Quarterly 

-Yearly 




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