How often have you been to the grocery store, come
home, and put things away as fast as possible? A lot of us do. Unfortunately, that usually means we put items in the front areas of our pantries.
We may have things separated by category,
e.g., canned vegetables, canned fruits, pasta, condiments, etc., but we still put them in front. It's fast, and easy.
But unfortunately, that leaves things lingering in the back areas of the pantry. Mine is dark towards the back, and it is really easy for food to get lost back there. Like that jar of
gochujang sauce. What was I going to use that for?
Always placing new items in the front also means that even things you use that get pushed to the back may not get used before their expiration date. Like that bottle of salad dressing with a "best by" date of April 2021. It may be OK to use, but it
may not be at its best. At worst, it could make you sick.
You know what this means. Rotate. No, it is not an especially fun job, but sometimes it just needs to be done. If the thought makes you cringe, tackle the pantry shelves like other dreaded areas that need cleaning out—a little at a time. Maybe
just one shelf today, another tomorrow.
Empty one shelf. While you are at it, wipe it down. It helps to keep things in order as best you can so you know what the oldest is.
Next, restock the shelf using the system you prefer. Put the newest at the back and the oldest at the front. Decide what to do with any expired items. Anything leaking or bulging should definitely be tossed.
If you made
some interesting discoveries, like my jar of gochujang sauce, put them near the front and make a note to find a way to use them.
Ideally, rotate things after every shopping trip.
