Now that the holidays are over, we have a whole new year ahead of us, that it is custom to start with: resolutions! Like many people, I will want to go to the gym only to cry that I did not lose any weight over Valentine’s Day chocolate on sale in March. No matter if you settled to lose weight this year or not, January is a good time to rotate stock in your pantry. Who knows, maybe your finds will help you cut on your grocery bills for a few weeks, helping you to save money on those bills bigger than expected from the holidays! Let’s have a look at these few tips below.
Let’s face it. There are not many people who like cleaning up. After almost a whole month of festivities, many of us do overstock our fridge and pantry just to make sure there is nothing missing when we entertain guests. Since most of us are also short on dough as an aftermath, why not kill two birds with a stone? Fridge and pantry cleaning is beneficial a few times a year, especially in January. You may find and use stuff you don’t remember you bought, making you save on your next grocery bill; it will allow you to rotate food in your pantry, just like at the grocery store, and, as a bonus, it doesn’t cost a penny to stay home to clean up. While at it, you may look to clean all of your cabinets and not wait until spring. One thing to cross off your list from spring clean list!
The most efficient way to proceed is to do that before going grocery shopping, when “inventory is low” in your pantry. Empty all the shelves from their content, and sort everything by category: canned vegetables, canned fruits, pasta, rice, pouches of soups and sauces, snacks and so on.
You might find out that you have, for example, two bags of flour opened, and one was pushed I a search from something else, and you had bought another one thinking you were out of it. Or that you have twice the number of celery cream that you thought you had. Grouping items by category helps you have a good idea of what you have. You’ll also get a better idea of what you really need to get, especially if you plan trying on a new diet that requires you to make changes to your eating habits.
Don’t forget to wipe the shelves before you put the things back in.
I agree with you, devoting your day off to cleaning may not be the most entertaining activity ever, but trust me; you’ll reap the benefits from it on many levels. Not only will you have a cleaner kitchen, fresher food and probably save money, you can look at what you have on hand and cook a new recipe instead of heading getting new ingredients at the grocery store! Get your wood cutting boards, knives and pans out and have fun!
Plenty of potato chips, popcorn, pretzels and other snacks left from those evenings you entertained? Before they go stale, why not organize a special movie night for the kids? Make a quick snack-buffet by emptying all your selection in small bowls, and have your kids make themselves a plate for the movie. They’re sure to enjoy.