I was so proud of myself for planning ahead for my meals this week. With my recipes all laid out and my grocery list ready, I headed out to our local store and got everything I needed. No last minute stops at a convenience store, no pizza delivery, and no fast food. Good for me!
When I got home and started to put my groceries in the pantry, I noticed a reoccurring theme. There it was. Duplicate items purchased today at full price instead of the reduced price that I had paid before. I hadn't remembered that I already had some items that I needed, so bought them again. I sure didn't need to spend the money on those things again. And I sure didn't need to pay full price for them when I can always find a sale. What a tremendous waste of money.
I think it's time for a plan to get my pantry set up so that I don't buy food when I don't need it and when it's not on sale. A 4 step plan should work for me. Let's see if it will work for you, too.
Step 1: Remove Everything From The Pantry. This will take a little time, so pick a day when you can dig in. Have a strong cup of tea or coffee, and begin. Pull all the food items, canned and dry, and check each one to see if they are damaged or expired. Throw out anything questionable. Now's your chance to wipe out the pantry and shelves.
Step 2: Categorizing Your Pantry items. Here's where your organizational skills come in. Group your pantry items by similarities, like canned vegetables, broth, snacks, dressings, soup, pasta, and so on. Lay your spices out alphabetically so you can easily check for duplications. You'll be surprised how many times you buy the same spices. Check all the items for expiration dates or damage and throw out anything that seems questionable.
Step 3: Create A Working List Of Basic Items. Writing down what you have in your pantry and keeping track of the items as you buy and use them seems like work. Well, it is, at first, but once you start using it, you'll save time and money just knowing what you already have in the pantry. Using a column and row type paper, list your most often used items and the number you have in the pantry. Then as you use them, cross one off, and as you buy them add what you buy. This method is very easy once you get the hang of it.
Step 4: Shop For Pantry Items Using Your List. Now when you make your grocery list for the week's meals, refer to your list and you'll know what you have and what you need. One exception to this is when you find a food item on sale that's on your "basics" list, items like diced tomatoes or chicken broth. These items are always welcome in my pantry, but only at a reduced price.
In a perfect world we know what we have in our pantry and only buy food when we need it and it's always at a sale price. Since we don't live in that dream world, we all end up with food lost in the far recesses of the cupboard or pantry shelves. Once your pantry items are inventoried, categorized, and listed, your grocery shopping trips should never again yield a gross of unneeded, duplicated, and overpriced surprises.
When I got home and started to put my groceries in the pantry, I noticed a reoccurring theme. There it was. Duplicate items purchased today at full price instead of the reduced price that I had paid before. I hadn't remembered that I already had some items that I needed, so bought them again. I sure didn't need to spend the money on those things again. And I sure didn't need to pay full price for them when I can always find a sale. What a tremendous waste of money.
I think it's time for a plan to get my pantry set up so that I don't buy food when I don't need it and when it's not on sale. A 4 step plan should work for me. Let's see if it will work for you, too.
Step 1: Remove Everything From The Pantry. This will take a little time, so pick a day when you can dig in. Have a strong cup of tea or coffee, and begin. Pull all the food items, canned and dry, and check each one to see if they are damaged or expired. Throw out anything questionable. Now's your chance to wipe out the pantry and shelves.
Step 2: Categorizing Your Pantry items. Here's where your organizational skills come in. Group your pantry items by similarities, like canned vegetables, broth, snacks, dressings, soup, pasta, and so on. Lay your spices out alphabetically so you can easily check for duplications. You'll be surprised how many times you buy the same spices. Check all the items for expiration dates or damage and throw out anything that seems questionable.
Step 3: Create A Working List Of Basic Items. Writing down what you have in your pantry and keeping track of the items as you buy and use them seems like work. Well, it is, at first, but once you start using it, you'll save time and money just knowing what you already have in the pantry. Using a column and row type paper, list your most often used items and the number you have in the pantry. Then as you use them, cross one off, and as you buy them add what you buy. This method is very easy once you get the hang of it.
Step 4: Shop For Pantry Items Using Your List. Now when you make your grocery list for the week's meals, refer to your list and you'll know what you have and what you need. One exception to this is when you find a food item on sale that's on your "basics" list, items like diced tomatoes or chicken broth. These items are always welcome in my pantry, but only at a reduced price.
In a perfect world we know what we have in our pantry and only buy food when we need it and it's always at a sale price. Since we don't live in that dream world, we all end up with food lost in the far recesses of the cupboard or pantry shelves. Once your pantry items are inventoried, categorized, and listed, your grocery shopping trips should never again yield a gross of unneeded, duplicated, and overpriced surprises.
About the Author:
Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom behind ShowMomtheMoney.com - a resource dedicated to helping moms work from home. She welcomes you to learn more ways to save money in her Kitchen Organization Ideas section. Be sure to sign up for her free lessons for work at home moms.
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