We've all faced a time when our pantry was a mess, and we didn't know where to start. It happens to the best of us. The best way to combat it is a full deep clean of your kitchen pantry.
You may need to take out an entire day on the weekend from your busy schedule, or at least a few hours.
Once you have the pantry cleaned out and organized again, you'll be thanking yourself. Organizing can do wonders for your stress as well.
Don't know how to do it? Here's a complete guide to help you through the process.
Benefits of Keeping Your Pantry Clean and Healthy:
Many people hated washing dishes as a chore when they were a kid. If you're one of them, there's a high chance that you won't be a fan of cleaning out the pantry.
But, going through, organizing, and keeping the pantry clean goes a long way and has numerous benefits.
Let's discuss why tidying up your cupboard and cleaning out your pantry is necessary:
Better physical health:
Purging your pantry now and then assures that you keep healthy food in your household. It can contribute enormously to keeping you physically healthy as well. Some experts suggest that a pantry cleanout is more effective than walking. We'll discuss the exact process in the upcoming sections.
People who keep processed food items in their pantries suffer from several health conditions. By regularly cleaning your pantry and keeping nutritious food in it, you can motivate yourself to start and continue eating healthy.
Timely utilizing stored food:
According to a data report published by the USDA, almost 30-40 percent of the food produced is wasted each year. Losing more than 1/3rd of the total produce is an alarming statistic and something that deserves our attention.
If you're regularly cleaning out your pantry, you're contributing your part to decrease that percentage. People who go through their cupboards and pantries regularly know what they have for their stored food. They know which item is near expiry and the ones that will last until the subsequent scheduled cleanout.
Consequently, they timely utilize the stored food before it becomes stale, saving it from the fate of being thrown away. On the other hand, people who don't clear their pantry often waste their stored food.
Relieving stress and anxiety:
If you haven't seen the recent Marie Kondo show, here's a little surprise for you. Cleaning out your pantry has a significant impact on your mental health.
There is ample research that a tidy and healthy pantry means a tidy and healthy mind. According to a study, people with a clean, organized home lived more peacefully.
People, especially women, who have a cluttered home suffer more from depression and anxiety. Hence, people who regularly tidy their pantry and keep it clean and organized keep stress, anxiety, and depression at bay.
We know that keeping your pantry well-organized boosts your mental health. Not only that, but the cleaning act itself also helps relieve stress and anxiety. In the words of Leo Bugata, the author of the Zen Habits blog, “Wiping things down, mindfully, is just as full of wonder as any other moment in my life.”
In addition, knowing your pantry is full of healthy, fresh food no doubt instills a sense of calmness and satisfaction. On the other hand, people who do not keep healthy food in their pantries rarely experience this peace of mind.
How to Clean Your Pantry?
Now that we're all aware of how crucial it is to clean out your pantry, here's how to do it:
Empty your pantry:
Sometimes, you have to create a bigger mess to get everything clean and organized again. The first step of a fruitful pantry cleanout is to empty the entire pantry. Without doing so, it's almost impossible to clear out any spilled messes, throw away the expired food, and efficiently organize your pantry.
You can use your kitchen table or shelves to stash the contents of your pantry temporarily. If your space is small, you can use a clean kitchen floor.
Filter the waste stuff and throw it away:
Once you've taken out all the things in your pantry, start filtering out the stale or expired items. Items that have been in your pantry for too long shouldn't go back in.
Check the food labels and toss all the expired food in the garbage can. You can also donate the food that hasn't expired, but you no longer feel the craving to eat it.
Organize all the stuff into different sections:
Now that all the pantry items have been purged, don't go for tossing things randomly back into the pantry. Instead, sort all the food, spices, and such and organize it according to usage.
For example, if you use certain food items frequently, keep them in the same pile. On the other hand, reserve the shelves on the back for condiments or stuff you use only once or twice a month.
Thoroughly clean the pantry:
Before putting all the stuff back into the pantry, thoroughly clean all the shelves, cupboards, ceiling, walls, and floor. Make sure you get to every nook and cranny. Once you have done this step, your pantry should look spick and span.
Restock everything:
The final step in cleaning your pantry is restocking everything in a well-ordered manner. Try keeping similar things near to each other. Everyone eats and cooks in their distinctive fashion and according to their liking.
So, don't imitate how other people keep their stuff in their pantries. Instead, go for something that you find comfortable and easy to work with, and stick to it.
Some Helpful Hacks:
Cleaning your pantry and keeping it organized isn't difficult, but everyone could use a few tips. Here are some of our tested hacks that can make things significantly more manageable and more straightforward for you:
● Thinking about which items to keep and which to get rid of isn't that easy, and many people find it difficult. For your convenience, you can make four piles. Let the first pile be for trash, one for compost, one for donations, and one for the stuff you're keeping.
● Before putting everything back in the pantry, try putting all the food items in clear, see-through containers. Not only does this look superior, but it also makes it easier for you to find stuff.
Moreover, these containers also provide extra protection from kitchen and pantry pests that can chew through plastic and paper. Airlock or airtight containers are a great choice if you can afford them.
● Silicon pouches function in the same way as clear containers. The difference is that they are made up of a more easily packable material. If your containers are opaque, try labeling them.
● Although adhesive paper is a popular option for lining pantry shelves, it's not practical. The paper edges start to peel after a while. It not only looks terrible, but it may attract moths and cockroaches.
With time, these spots become their favorite breeding grounds, and before you know it, your pantry becomes infested with pests. Using removable rubber shelf liners is a better option. You can even wash them whenever they become too grimy.
● Potatoes, garlic, and onions do well in cool, dark places. Hence, try keeping them in wire baskets instead of keeping them in a crisper drawer.
● Using warm or hot water instead of cold water is more effective for cleaning purposes. If you have a cleaning solution that works best for you, that's great. If not, you can try different DIY solutions. We suggest mixing white vinegar, lemon juice, and hot water to clean pantry floors and walls.
● Getting rid of sticky spots or spills on the shelves can be a little tricky. Place a rag dampened with hot water on the area for a couple of minutes. If you come across any rodent droppings, don't vacuum or sweep them. Instead, clean it with a disposable paper towel and thoroughly disinfect the area.
● While restocking the pantry, people find it more convenient to stack things based on how frequently they use them. For instance, you can keep the seasonal or holiday ingredients on the topmost shelves.
Similarly, food ingredients that you use daily should be kept on eye-level shelves. At the same time, foods with a longer shelf life deserve a place on the knee-level shelves. Keep heavy ingredients, or bulk items on the floor.
What Should and Shouldn't be in Your Pantry:
Pantry cleanout is futile without knowing which food items to keep and which to throw away from your stash. Here is a brief list of healthy food choices that should be in your pantry:
Sweeteners:
According to experts, some sweeteners that your pantry should never run out of are:
- Honey: When it comes to natural sweeteners, nothing beats the likes of honey. Raw honey is a robust antioxidant and possesses potent anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup is rich in nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Moreover, it is also a potent antioxidant, making it an exceptional choice.
On the contrary, here are some sweeteners that should stay as far away from your pantry as possible:
- Aspartame: Neurotoxins are substances that poison the brain by damaging, destroying, or impairing its normal functioning. Aspartame is a neurotoxin that can accumulate in the body and wreak havoc over time.
- Pancake syrup: Pancake syrup has several cons. For instance, food coloring is an ingredient, and it also has an unhealthily high fructose content.
Condiments:
Among all the condiments, here are some healthy choices that you should keep in your pantry:
- Apple cider vinegar: This is a versatile condiment with numerous health benefits. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are unmatched. It is an excellent choice for people with diabetes and helps control their blood sugar levels.
- Tahini: You're missing out on some heavenly stuff if you haven't tried tahini yet. It is a Middle Eastern condiment rich in protein and instantly makes a dish irresistible.
Some condiments that are not suggested for keeping in your pantry include:
- Ranch dressing: Ranch dressing has a lot of calories, which makes it an unhealthy choice. Just 30ml of this condiment contains a whooping 129 calories. It also contains highly processed oils.
- Bleached White Flour: Not only does it suggest in the name that it is bleached by using chemicals. White flour is low in fiber, and it causes bloating and other digestive issues.
Fats and Oils:
While keeping fats and oils in your pantry, make sure you stock these:
- Coconut oil: Coconut oil is an excellent choice for something to be kept in the pantry on a long-term basis. You can safely keep it at room temperature for even a year without any risk of it going stale.
- Olive oil: Just like coconut oil, olive oil can be used for a more significant duration. In addition, it enhances the absorption of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants from the food you eat. Moreover, the rich taste that comes with olive oil makes it a perfect item for keeping in your pantry.
Not all fats and oils deserve to be in your pantry, especially these:
- Hydrogenated vegetable oils: As the name suggests, Hydrogenated oil contains an abundant quantity of hydrogenated or trans fat. As discussed earlier, trans fat can cause serious heart issues and other health risks. For this reason, purge your pantry from any hydrogenated vegetable oils and avoid storing any for future purposes.
Processed foods:
Other than the products mentioned above, another food item you should maintain a safe distance from is processed foods.
Low-fat or fat-free processed foods make it almost impossible to manage your weight. People who frequently eat low-fat processed food become overweight, as our body finds it difficult to digest them. This study gives us a better insight into how processed foods make us gain weight.
Excessively eating processed foods increases the risk of all-cause mortality. Their high quantity of trans fat also increases the risk of heart issues and diseases.
Hence, under no circumstances should your pantry contain processed foods. We suggest getting rid of them as soon as possible to make your pantry healthier and cleaner.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have this step-by-step guide and a few hacks up your sleeve, it's time to get busy cleaning. Remember, a clean pantry doesn't just keep everything organized and easier to manage.
Instead, it increases your productivity level in the kitchen, too! Imagine spending time looking for something before cleaning the pantry. You're significantly reducing the time after cleaning and organizing.
And, you won't have to stumble upon expired food either accidentally. It's a win-win situation!
She is passionate about helping others understand their body.
The key to figuring out why you feel the way you feel is to take a more significant look at what is going on inside you & even around you, and then ask questions!
She is excited to help & support you on your journey of optimal health and wellness!
