That is a question I am asked whenever I talk to people about getting more comfortable in their kitchens, taking charge of their grocery budget or writing menus. I have been asking myself that same question as I ponder what to share with all of you.
So, let's just jump in shall we?
The way I would suggest you start is to take an inventory. I know that sounds boring, but it is a great stepping stone to figure out what to do next.
First, get a pad of paper, a pen and take a breath. This inventory can be as detailed as you want it to be. I like to use a legal pad and organize my staples by type: meat (protein), frozen veggies, canned veggies, frozen fruit, canned fruit, condiments, grains, pasta, rice, baking items, etc. I have thought about putting a spreadsheet together and re-using that each time, but I haven't gotten there yet. Maybe a future project to share with you?
Next, start in the freezer. Pull out items as you go and write down what you have hiding in there. I usually store meat and veggies in my freezer. I write the item and any details I may need to know. For instance, if I pull out a package of chicken, is it boneless, bone-in, breast or thigh?
Like this: B/S Chicken Breast x 5 - this tells me that I have a package of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast in a package with 5 servings. I then put hash marks next to the description, one for every package I have.
While you are taking stock of what you have, feel free to get rid of anything that looks freezer burned, is really old or stuff that you just don't recognize anymore. Don't stress, it happens and you are just making room for more good stuff! Also, you can wipe up any mystery spills. I don't know how they happen in a freezer, but I know we have all been there!
Once your freezer is tallied, wiped out and and re-loaded, you probably have a good idea of what proteins you have to work with for meals. More on that later.
I like to go through the refrigerator next. Same thing, write down what you have, wipe up any sticky bits and chuck the science experiments that are lingering in the back, into the garbage. Did you find 3 jars of mayo or pickles?
This should give you a good idea of what produce you have that needs to be used, what condiments you use regularly and what leftovers need some attention.
Now that your perishables are marked down, time to move onto the pantry. Everyone stores their food differently. I keep mine in a pantry area that is separate from my kitchen. This is done for two reasons. One, my kitchen is a small galley-style space and my storage is limited. Two, I have a sizable pantry that I need to have access to anytime I am cooking. If you have a small kitchen, look for creative areas to store non-perishable food. Maybe you need to install an extra cupboard, utilize vertical space or even use under-the-bed storage.
Tally the items in your pantry. Take note of dates and make sure that the oldest items are in front of the newer ones. In our house we called this FIFO - first in, first out. If something has been languishing in your pantry for awhile and it is not expired, please pass it along to someone who can use it. Food pantries are thankful for donations year-round, but please don't send in expired items!
By now, you should have some good notes on what you have in your house food-wise. It may have taken you some time to do this today, but if you get into the habit of doing it regularly, it doesn't take much time at all!
Now that you have an inventory, what do you do with it?
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