Turning over a new leaf. Using all of what we have.

[OceanAnnie]

I have been fighting the urge to go to the grocery store. We have so much stuff, it's crazy. I've been using what we have in our freezer and tossing out what I found we absolutely don't like. It's amazing how much room is being wasted. I found a snowball (in a baggie) my son wanted to keep from last winter.

So here are the freezer lessons it took me awhile to learn:

1.) Don't buy in bulk unless you KNOW the family loves it.

2.) Don't buy in bulk unless the item goes fast.

3.) There are very few items we really need in bulk for the freezer.

4.) Organization, organization, organization.

I have also been using stuff from our cabinets, trying to deplete before adding to them. The snacky stuff is what gets me. We like variety, (no sugar added applesauce, whole wheat crackers, popcorn, muffin mix, etc.) and there are hard to reach areas that things get squished into. So we are using up those snacky items too.

What are some of your lessons learned? Please share any organizational tips you have.

Thanks!

 

[magiclj]

I inventoried my freezer and put a list on the front. Then when I was looking for something for dinner I knew at a glance what was in there. I marked off the item when I took it out. Then I knew when I had only a couple pounds of ground beef left and watched for another sale.

Helped me - that way I didn't "lose" items in the freezer.

 

[C.Ann]

Well you know my situation - up here at the lake for the larger portion of the year.. And of course I'm alone - so that makes a difference..

But - I try to use up everything I have by cooking in "batches" - and then making my own tv dinners to pop in the freezer.. That way I'm sure to eat something good every day - even the lazy days when I'm too engrossed in reading (or whatever) to cook..

I'm also the queen of making "something out of nothing" - while scrounging around in my cabinets.. As long as I have staples; soup; rice; and seasonings, you would be amazed at what I can whip up.. LOL..

I hate to see food go to waste - probably because it was grilled into my head as a child.. Even stale bread gets used for bread pudding or some kind of dessert that calls for bread crumbs..

Do you have the time to do "batch" cooking? If so, that right there could cut down considerably on waste..

 

[Jill in Chicago]

If something is up high, can you get a basket to put it all in? That way it's easy to pull down the whole basket and see what's in there. Organization is key to the pantry, just like you said. Have one "place" where the soups go. One place for canned fruit.... That way it's easy to check and see what you have.

It can be hard to resist a sale, but remind yourself that sales constantly go around and around.

Another tip is to make sure it is grocery shopping you need to do, and not getting out of the house. Ask yourself, "What do I really need?" Then consider getting out of the house another way besides shopping.

As for muffins, you can always bake up a bunch of batches, and then freeze half so you have lots of variety.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

I've got a couple of teenaged boys I can send your way if you'd like! They'll help you empty out those snack foods and your freezer really fast. They're not picky and they'll even clean up the kitchen after they're done.

Really. I'm always amazed at how fast we go through food. I've had to increase the budget by a LOT since my two oldest started really eating.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I've got a couple of teenaged boys I can send your way if you'd like! They'll help you empty out those snack foods and your freezer really fast. They're not picky and they'll even clean up the kitchen after they're done.

Really. I'm always amazed at how fast we go through food. I've had to increase the budget by a LOT since my two oldest started really eating.

I wish I could take you up on that offer!

Mine aren't even close to teenagers but can they ever graze!! Although they have gotten kind of picky. If they are hungry though, they will break down and eat raisins or something else that aren't their favorites.

I think I'll need to get creative and make some different sorts of trail mix. I have tons of popcorn, chocolate chips, raisins, pretzels. You name it.

ETA- C. Ann, I hate to waste food too.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

I did this a couple weeks ago and cleaned out the freezer!
It was good for the budget too.

I love the idea of listing what's in the freezer, thank you!

 

[OceanAnnie]

I love the idea of listing what is in the freezer too. I'm going to use it!

I also like putting things in baskets in the cabinet too. If I put like items in the baskets, it will be easier access than what I'm doing now.

Thanks to everyone for their ideas!

 

[Local_Girl]

My freezer is half full of fish...and 3 out of 4 of us don't even like fish! My DH's cousin loves to go fishing, but doesn't like to eat fish, so we get a bunch of it. But DH really needs to be eating it so I can have my freezer space back!

Anyway, one pantry tip I have is that I bought a square plastic tray that's about a foot square with 1" sides. I've put it on a shelf in the pantry and use it for little bottles and things that would easily get lost (ie. Tabasco sauce, etc).

 

[dyna]

VERY VERY little waste here usually leftover pillsbury products that dh brought home for free then usually tossed out to the birds. We eat at home most of the time an really try not to waste money on foods we do not like. Only freezer I have is the 1 above fridge I'm sure that helps.

Putting a date on freezer stuff really helps too even the store bought stuff an I try to rotate new stuff to the back an old to the front doesn't always work as the freezer is often jammed full.

I'm only feeding dh an I on a regular bases out big meal is about 1pm dh takes leftovers to work an if there is still leftovers then I have supper off it too.

Waste not want not.

 

[southern_redhead]

Well you know my situation - up here at the lake for the larger portion of the year.. And of course I'm alone - so that makes a difference..

But - I try to use up everything I have by cooking in "batches" - and then making my own tv dinners to pop in the freezer.. That way I'm sure to eat something good every day - even the lazy days when I'm too engrossed in reading (or whatever) to cook..

I'm also the queen of making "something out of nothing" - while scrounging around in my cabinets.. As long as I have staples; soup; rice; and seasonings, you would be amazed at what I can whip up.. LOL..

I hate to see food go to waste - probably because it was grilled into my head as a child.. Even stale bread gets used for bread pudding or some kind of dessert that calls for bread crumbs..

Do you have the time to do "batch" cooking? If so, that right there could cut down considerably on waste..

This is totally unrelated to the OP's original purpose for the thread but I have to tell you: I have seen you post about living a good portion of the year "at the lake" and it sounds sooo nice. I have been feeling so pressured and stressed lately between my abysmal job and my husband's overbearing family that I often fantasize about moving away to somewhere secluded, finding a small house or cabin, and going in and STAYING there. I love days when I can lounge around and read so this post sounded doubly enticing to me! Anyway, just wanted to say: You are so lucky!

And, for the OP, last Spring we cleaned out our pantry. Oh the things we found in there! Oh the things we threw away because they were half a decade past the exp date! I am trying to do better about using things up and only buying more beforehand if it is something I know we go through like crazy (i.e. Tide and the Tide stain remover packs, finding coupons galore for those and I keep stockpiling them because I know they'll get used.)

 

[luv2nascar]

okay I coupon and stockpile so there's lots of everything. Sometimes you just get more for free or cheap with coupons than you can use. When shelves start to get a little messy or about every other month I straighten them up. I get a bunch of stuff and donate to the local food bank. I try to buy items weekly at store and donate every sunday a small grocery bag but the big haul is every other month. I don't want to waste it either.

 

[Colleen27]

I've got a couple of teenaged boys I can send your way if you'd like! They'll help you empty out those snack foods and your freezer really fast. They're not picky and they'll even clean up the kitchen after they're done.

LOL, I had the same thought! Mine isn't quite a teen yet - not until January - but he makes sure the food doesn't pile up on us. Especially when he brings his football buddies over to hang out.

As far as the freezer goes, I have a dry erase board on the front that I use to track ins/outs. We buy most of our meat direct from the farm in bulk and freeze a lot of veggies when they're in season, so it can get a little out of control if I don't keep track of how much we have of what.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Well my freezer is a mess but I save so much buying in bulk and we do get around to eating it . When hamburger or chicken goes on sale for a really great price I will buy like 50 lbs and freeze it. Sometimes I will go ahead and cook some of it and have ready for meals. I also love to find a really good deal plus coupon for a fe frozen meals that I have for emergancies. We also buy ice cream on great sales but have learned that it doesn not stay too long in freezer. Love some of the organizing tips!

 

[kbgutknecht]

Well, I don't know if this is common sense, maybe everyone does this... But I plan my meals for the week, and I do so by going through my pantry first to see what I can use up, then my freezer. Last week I didn't buy anything at all for dinners because I was able to make 6 decent meals from what I alreay had. My grocery bill was nice and low, and our pantry and freezer stay pretty slim that way.