The kitchen pantry seems to be one of those places that accumulates foods that end up getting tossed because they expire. It is nice to have a well-stocked pantry, but it is common for foods to gather dust. This is where it is good to have a strategy for using up items that have been sitting there for some time.
Cleaning out your pantry is a great way to reduce food waste, and save some money!
Here’s how to get started with a good pantry clean-out.
Check Expiration Dates
The first step is to go through the products you have and look at expiration dates. This way, you can organize the foods by those that are about to expire, versus those that are expired. You may be able to salvage a few products that have just reached expiration. Using common sense, you can save some foods such as olives that are unlikely to have gone bad a few days after expiration.
Toss and Donate
Decide what foods have gone bad, and toss those. If you bought foods that you don’t want, and you can afford to donate them, set them aside for your local food pantry. If you are having doubts that anyone in the household is going to eat an item, donate it.
Organize
Get your pantry organized, which will help you use up foods in the future. By putting like things together, it gives you a better idea of what you have and where to find it. Plus, if you’re going to use up pantry items, it helps to know what quantities you have for ingredients. For example, if you have a lot of crushed tomatoes, you could make a certain dish in bulk and freeze your leftovers.
Pull out foods to use soon
Prioritize what foods you want to use from your pantry first. My recommendation is to go with the foods that are closest to their expiration.
Set things aside so you are ready to use them.
Come up with recipes & try new recipes!
Let’s say you have a couple cans of beans that are about to expire. Do your research and come up with some recipes to use up the beans. This also might mean adding something else to your shopping list, like cheese – or perhaps also pulling that out of the pantry. The goal is to use up a bunch of ingredients, prioritizing the ingredients that are expiring first. Try to minimize adding things to the grocery list, and I try to only buy fresh produce when I am cleaning out the pantry so that we are keeping things healthy.
Make bulk / freezer meals
Consider making some bulk or freezer meals with the ingredients you have in your pantry. For example, lasagna or enchiladas.
No eating out!
This can be tough especially if you are used to going out regularly. Make it a challenge and forego eating out for a full week. This can save hundreds of dollars, and it is worth it!
Try some other kitchen clean-outs
You can also do a freezer clean out week and a kitchen pantry clean out week.
I really need to give my pantry a good once-over. Right now, it looks like a small bomb went off in there!
Thanks so much for the tips and the inspiration. I haven’t cleaned out my pantry in years, and the best words to describe what’s going on in there are probably “there appears to have been a struggle”. LOL
Your kitchen pantry clean-out week sounds like just what I need! It’s amazing how clutter can accumulate in such a vital space. Your step-by-step guide and tips on organizing and decluttering are incredibly helpful. I appreciate the reminder to check expiration dates and donate unused items to minimize waste. Thanks for the motivation to tackle this often overlooked area of the home!
I wish we had a pantry that I could clean out! My husband just stuffs things wherever he can! I am sure a few things have expired.
I just completed decluttering my own kitchen and pantry. It was a big job. Checked all the dates, organized, etc.
Thank you for reminding me that I must organize my pantry this weekend! It’s that time of year when you go through everything and start trying to use up anything remaining from the winter.
I did some deep cleaning today and then got tired and went to bed (I have a cold that’s not lovely). Tomorrow I might go into reorganizing.
I love all of your tips! Checking expiration dates is key to ensuring the freshness and safety of our food items, and your tips on salvaging some products with a discerning eye are invaluable. Tossing expired items and donating unused but still good food to local pantries is not only a great way to declutter but also to give back to the community
I need to clean and organize my kitchen pantry too. Thank you for motivation and helpful tips!
My hubby and I love doing this together every start of the new year, lol. Now our pantry looks neat and no expired cans of food anywhere. Thank you for the great reminder to clean up the pantry! 🙂
Great ways to clean up the kitchen, I will recommend this to my aunt as she are doing this on a weekly basis as well. But she keeps asking me what should she do haha. Love this post.
You have reminded me that I need to clean out our cupboards too. It’s a good thing to organise what foods we need to eat straight away.
My Wife decided to tackle the kitchen pantry during Clean Out Week, turning it into a game where each sorted item meant a point earned. By the end of the week, not only was the pantry impeccably organized, but we also had a blast tallying up points to see who ‘won’ the cleanout challenge. It was a week filled with laughter, teamwork, and the joy of giving our space a fresh start.
Thanks for the reminder, I need to clean our refrigerator and pantry. Need to check all the expiration dates.
Pantry cleaning is necessary to keep foods that are fresh and get rid of the ones that are unusable. Checking the experation date is definitely an awesome tip!
I love the look of a well organised pantry where everything is in boxes and labelled. I need to look through mine as there are lots of jars at the back which I am sure have probably expired by now!
We’re going to be building out our utility later this year and it means I’ll be able to move around a lot of stuff in my kitchen. And I can’t wait to do a full pantry/ food cupboard clear out as it’s so satisfying x
Excellent tips here! I definitely need to clear out the pantry and prepare for spring/summer. Thank you for the reminder ^_^
This blog post offers valuable insights into the importance of regularly cleaning out and organizing the kitchen pantry to minimize food waste and save money. By addressing the common issue of accumulating expired items, it provides practical steps for a successful pantry clean-out, starting with checking expiration dates. This proactive approach not only ensures the efficient use of pantry items but also promotes sustainability and mindful consumption. A must-read for anyone looking to optimize their pantry storage and reduce unnecessary waste in the kitchen.
I have so much fun gutting my pantry every spring. It’s a great way to get a fresh start.
I always love a good pantry reset! Will definitely be using these tips for our next round!!
I like to donate items that I have a few of that are in date. I do check through every so often and give to a local food bank. I like to put food in order of when they need to be used by it helps cut waste.
Cleaning out the pantry is a smart way to reduce food waste and save money. Check expiration dates, organize, and get creative with recipes!