Let’s be realistic, you can’t afford to toss everything. Of course, you know you can toss the leftover pizza and Christmas Cookies, but let’s focus on food safety for starters. Here are a few hints about what to keep and what to toss. Tip: Keep a notebook and pen handy to make a list of what needs to be replenished, and for dinner ideas that might pop into your head!
Let’s get started...
Toss your lurking leftovers. This one is simple, keep leftover for 4 days max. If you are like me, and not a big leftover fan, break it down into reasonable servings and throw it in the freezer as soon as it’s fully cool. I usually pick single servings because I really only like to eat food once or twice in a row, and they make perfect grab-and-go lunches for work.
Can old condiments. Your standard condiments (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce) are typically good for about a year. If any of your bottles happen to have a “use by” date- use that as a guideline, and toss anything more than 3 months beyond that date. I’ve started using a Sharpie and putting the date on my bottles when I open them. Condiments are fairly inexpensive so if the jar is crusty or you can’t remember the last time you actually used it, toss it and start over. On the other hand, if you have just a little bit of something left, think about making a dressing or marinade right in the jar!
- Shake up the raspberry jam with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a fresh vinaigrette.
- Mix mustard, with honey and grapeseed oil for a honey mustard dressing.
- Dilute bbq sauce with beer (or water or stock) and marinade chicken
Once you are done with the fridge, move on to the freezer! Again, it’s best to empty the whole thing and start fresh. Tip: Use that notebook I mentioned earlier, and make a list of what’s in your freezer to hang on the door (or inside your cupboard) and plan some meals around that list!
Here’s what Foodsafety.gov had to say about how long to keep things frozen. Keep in mind frozen food is always “safe” it just loses nutrients and flavor after a period of time.
- Processed Meats (hot dogs, bacon, etc)- 2 months
- Ground Meat (hamburger)- 4 months
- Fresh (whole or pieced) Meat (steaks, chicken breasts)- 1 year
- Soup/Stews- 3 months
- Fruits/Veggies- 1 year
And there you have it. Your refrigerator and freezer are clean. Now it’s time to move on to the pantry, and then the spice cabinet. When you are ready to start restocking, check out the article I wrote on Re-Vamping your Kitchen.
Need help on what to make with what’s there? Comment here or on facebook with what you found in your fridge, and I will get you some ideas.
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