As promised, here is the follow-up to last week’s post for how to spring clean your pantry! Same outline, different tips. Why? Because just like I tell clients ALL.THE.TIME: Don’t overcomplicate it.

MY TOP 5 TIPS FOR A CLEANER PANTRY

1. Marie Condo that sh*t
   1. take everything out
   2. clean/wipe down/disinfect the grates/shelves/floor (because I’m sure that bag of oats or chocolate chips has accidentally fallen before)
   3. only put back in foods that you love, fuel your health, have planned for a recipe, and that aren’t expired
2. Learn to read food labels
   1. This could be its own separate blog post honestly but for today’s purposes lets hit the bigger picture:
      1. Ingredients: there’s so much I want to say on this topic but honestly when you boil it down, know your goals, know what ingredients serve you, your body, and your gut health (2 examples: if you have celiac disease you wouldn’t eat gluten containing foods; if one artificial sweetener taste weird to you, try a different one). If you want more info on this find an RD to work with in your area or head on over to my contact page!
      2. Nutrition: does serving size matter?…Sure in some cases. I want you to get to a point to where when you look at a package and it says “100 calories” you think ‘will this nourish me and hold me over till my next meal or snack’. We know that 100 calories from fat is going to be very different from 100 calories from carbs. It just goes back to, what is the purpose of this food (ex: you’re hopefully not going to drink BBQ sauce but rather a sparkling water)
      3. Be cautious of health claims. ‘Non-GMO’, ‘organic’, ‘gluten-free’, ‘vegan’ do NOT mean heathy.
3. Have easy healthy options on hand
   1. First, have a plan for them. I hate food waste (and wasting my hard earned money)
   2. Second, since pantry staples are designed to be shelf-stable for quite some time fill it accordingly (ex: dried fruit, dried beans, canned foods, apple sauce, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes)
4. Find a storage method that works for you
   1. Clear glass (or BPA free plastic) containers are the best way to go because you can see what’s there without having to move things around
   2. Ask yourself, what works well where? Do you like your sparkling water/cans of rotel/cans of beans in it’s cardboard box or clear acrylic container, or standing up right….and on the right/left side top/middle/bottom shelfs? Create a system that works for you! (PRO TIP: I have a shelf at my 5’6” eye level where I keep ingredients that I plan on using that week for a quick easy pull)
5. Eat a rainbow that fuels you
   1. I WANT you to challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone once a week (or once a month) with your food choices (try canned jackfruit with a little bit of BBQ sauce, canned carrots for you to puree and put in spaghetti sauce, a new nut or grain you’ve never had, etc.) because there is so much out there!

If you didn’t see it last week’s post about shelf-life lingo, click here and scroll to the bottom to catch-up, mustard!

Again, remember that everyone has their own definition of ‘healthy’ and have different food ‘journeys’ (Bachelor 2.0). A pantry, or anything in your kitchen is meant to be functional for your lifestyle. Put in the utensils, gadgets, food, time, effort and energy you want in there to get you in the kitchen more.