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Pantry Makeover

Top Ten Organizing Tips

1. Group like items in the cupboard together and label the shelves (i.e. pasta & grains, soup, tea). This will provide you with a visual cue as to what you need to replenish.
   
   
2. On the top cupboard shelf store dry foods that are specifically for guests that pop by.  Items like assorted crackers, jarred spreads, anchovies and olives can be quickly assembled if you need to act quick.
   
   
3. Contrary to popular belief, spices to have a shelf life.  Once a year, toss any spices that have not retained their aroma.
   
   
4. Transfer pastas, dry beans, rice and flour to clear air-tight containers and place a label on the container indicating when you purchased the item. Dry foods that have been kept too long start to lose their color and can form grain mites.
   
   
5. After a shopping trip, place newer items at the back of the fridge.  Older items moved up front will get used before they expire.
   
   
6. To avoid science experiments from taking over your fridge, once a week throw out any items that just don't belong anymore, such as uneaten leftovers.
   
   
7. Mimic your supermarket's storage system. If they don't have something refrigerated, do the same at home i.e. tomatoes and most fruits do not need to be refrigerated; most vegetables do.
   
   
8. More than 1/4 inch frost build-up in a freezer increases the amount of energy uses. If necessary, defrost your freezer often.
   
   
9. If storage containers take up too much space in your freezer, create an airtight seal using foil.  Then apply a strip of colored tape to identify the contents i.e. red equals steak, blue equals fish.  Note: Stickers do not work as well as tape in the freezer.
   
   
10. No need to have three bags of peas - consolidate all like items.

Easy Meal Solutions

20-Minute Meals	Easy Slow Cooker Dinners	Jump-Start Dinners	Make-Ahead Meals

Pantry Essentials 

• Breads (buns, loaves, pitas, tortillas)
• Pasta (lasagna, spaghetti, penne, fettuccine, macaroni)
• Canned beans (black, kidney, refried, navy)
• Pasta sauces (Alfredo, pesto, spaghetti)
• Canned broth (beef, chicken, vegetable)
• Peanut butter
• Canned meats (chicken, salmon, tuna)
• Pickles and olives
• Canned tomatoes (diced, seasoned, peeled whole)
• Rice and rice mixtures
• Cereals
• Salsa and chips
• Coffee and tea
• Salt and pepper
• Cookies and crackers
• Soft drinks and fruit juices
• Herbs and spices (at minimum: garlic powder, basil, oregano,
  thyme, curry, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, ground red pepper)
• Soups (canned or dried)
• Jams and jellies 
• Soy sauce and marinating sauces
• Ketchup and mustard
• Mayonnaise
• Syrups (butterscotch, chocolate, maple)
• Main-dish mixes
• Tomato sauce and tomato paste
• Vegetable oil (canola, olive)
• Vegetable cooking spray
• Vinegar

Refrigerator Essentials

• Cheeses (cheddar, cottage, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Parmesan)
• Milk
• Eggs
• Packaged salad greens
• Fruit juice
• Sour cream
• Butter or margarine
• Yogurt

Freezer Essentials

• Ground beef or turkey
• Chicken (boneless skinless breasts)
• Ice cream or frozen yogurt
• Fruit juice concentrate (lemonade and orange)
• Vegetables (packaged)
• Berries (for smoothies and desserts)
• Bread crumbs (for stuffing and breading fish; save stale bread for finely ground crumbs)

Nonfood Kitchen Supplies

• All-purpose spray cleanser
• Paper towels
• Aluminum foil (comes in regular, heavy-duty and quick release)
• Plastic wrap (comes in clear and colors for holiday foods)
• Dishwasher detergent and antibacterial hand soap
• Sponges or dish-cloths
• Resealable food-storage bags
• Storage containers (comes in reusable and disposable varieties)
• Toothpicks (use in appetizers and to test for doneness)
• Napkins
• Waxed paper (great for wrapping baked goods)
• Nonabrasive scrubbing pads

Baking Essentials

• Baking cocoa and baking chips
• Chopped nuts
• Cake mix and canned frosting (Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® Cakes and Frostings)
• Baking mix (Bisquick®)
• Flour (Gold Medal® flour)
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Sugars (brown, granulated, powdered and raw for gourmet coffee)
• Brownie mix (Betty Crocker® Supreme Brownies)
• Vanilla and almond extract