The One Thing You Should Do in Your Kitchen at the End of Every Month
When was the last time you looked in your freezer? Like, really looked? Sure, you might reach in there every day to grab some ice or a late-night treat. But most of us aren’t going in there that often to take stock or to get a refresher of what’s on the shelves. The same thing probably rings true for your fridge and pantry. We use these spaces all the time, but we never really stop to see what’s in there. And that’s a mistake!
Making it a habit to peruse the contents of your fridge, freezer, and pantry on a regular basis can help make sure that you take advantage of what you already have on hand before buying more food. This way, you won’t buy more than what you need, and you’ll use what you have before it goes to waste.
At the End of Every Month: Take Inventory of All Your Groceries
Taking inventory of your food staples regularly means that you won’t ever be caught shorthanded without the basic items you thought you had. It will also prevent the opposite from happening: No more doubling up on Costco-sized jars of peanut butter because you couldn’t remember if you had any at home!
We recommend taking an inventory at least once a month. The best way to remember to do it? Do it the last day of every month. The more you do this, the more your process will become refined: You could start as low-tech as a piece of paper hung up on your fridge door or as high tech as using a Note on your phone. If you’re not sure where or how to start, we’ll walk you through the steps for taking a freezer inventory, and you can use the same process for your fridge and pantry.
Ultimately, a once-a-month staple inventory check tells you what to replenish, keeps the kitchen from getting cluttered, and saves you money. It’s a practice well worth incorporating into your kitchen habits!
Do you take inventory of your food staples? Tell us about your process in the comments below!