The Kitchen Clean Out Challenge Week 1: Pantry, Fridge, and Freezer

 The beginning of the year is a great time to clean out and refresh your food stores. What in your pantry and fridge/freezer has expired or gone stale. What did you buy and didn't like so it just sits there. What hasn't been used in months and has never been opened. Or are you challenging yourself to eat better in the new year and want to remove all the unhealthy food from temptation. January is a great time to start fresh in the kitchen. 

We will look at the kitchen a couple ways. What can be donated and given to someone in need and what needs to be thrown away. 

Things you will need to start: a trash bag and another bag to place donation items.

Where can you take donations? You can give them to someone in need you know or donate them to a food pantry or community micro pantry. With rising costs now adays there are many who could use a helping hand. This clean out will not only benefit you and your family but can also benefit those in need in your community. 

So, let's get started!

This first week may be a bit overwhelming depending on how large of a pantry, fridge, and freezer you have and how long it has been since you have cleaned it out. So, I will give you some guidelines to follow to help. 

Pantry:

1. Pull everything out and evaluate it. 

2. Is it expired? Has it gone stale? Has it been used in the last 6 months? 

3. If it has been opened, then throw it away if you are not keeping it. 

4. If it has not been opened but you have not used it in months, then put in in the donate pile.

5.  Don't forget your spice cabinet! The same steps follow. Most people have expired spices in their cabinets. They are no longer as flavorful and if they are expired should be tossed. If you don't use them, get rid of them. You can either pass them to someone that wants them or throw them away if opened or donate if unopened. 

6. Also make sure you go through your oils, vinegars, condiments not in the fridge. Same concept for those. 

7. Lastly, if you keep your baking ingredients separate from your other pantry items don't forget to go through them as well. 

Refrigerator:

1. Pull everything out and evaluate it.

2. Throw away anything expired.

3. Clean out all leftovers and containers that have been in the fridge for a while. If it's gone bad throw out. 

4. Check your condiments...have they expired or are they almost empty. Make note to replace. 

5. Is there anything still good but you haven't used and do not plan to?  If unopened think about donating if possible. If not throw away. 

6. Lastly, this is a great time to clean that fridge! Then restock and organize your fridge with items you are keeping. 

Freezer: (this includes any standing freezers)

1. Pull everything out and evaluate it. 

2. Throw away anything that has sat in there for months and has not been used. Good rule of thumb is anything over 6 months goes. In a freezer, this is up to you. If it looks covered in ice crystals it may have been in the freezer too long. 

3. Throw out anything loose in the freezer that has come out of a bag or container. 

4. Lastly, clean the freezer! Then restock and organize the freezer. 

*Note: If you use mason jars for storage and do not have expiration dates, if you haven't used it in months, toss it. When you refill the jar, first clean it. Then next time you fill the jar write the expiration date on the jar. You can do this with a label or a marker that you can wipe off later when needed. 

Look at all the jars I cleaned out and can now use! I was down to 1 jar then cleaned out and now have close to a dozen clean and ready to use!