There are problems with the pantry.

There are lots of ways to run a home kitchen & pantry, but most all of them just don't work. We've tried them!

You usually end up buying food you don't actually eat. Or you buy food that lasts forever that you shouldn't actually eat. You buy food in packaging that's not user friendly and there's no system for keeping it all running.

This makes us EXCITED because we know that there IS a way to run a kitchen & a pantry that works.

When you do it right, you have: #1 a plentiful supply of nutritious foods you routinely eat. #2 You understand how much you have so you eat at home more often, which can mean you eat much better. Plus, #3 you are prepared instead of always in a pinch, and all of this takes you less time and money.

And creating a food system in your home has so many positive ripple effects! You get more PEACE, more EFFICIENCY, more TIME, LESS STRESS & better HEALTH.

Much like making bread, it's simpler than you probably think, but you have to get going!

The Solution-Part 1

When you want a kitchen that works, you have to start at the beginning-no cheating. Cheating catches up with you later.

The beginning is taking inventory. There's no way around this, so just bite the bullet. You need to see what you have.

We start with a food inventory first. You'll inventory your tools too...later.

Open up your cupboards and drawers. Look at all the nooks and crannies in your fridge and freezer. If you have multiple fridges & freezers (awesome! We'll be covering more on this later) don't forget about them. Remember the point of taking inventory. You need to know what you have.

Take it all out and put it on your counters and tables. You need to see it all in one place. What you see will tell you several things.

#1 Look at dates.

How old is everything? If it's old, is this because you don't actually eat this food or is it old because it was tucked away behind the big Tupperware filled with pasta and you forgot it was there?

#2 Look at quality.

Do you have commodity ingredients (flour, sugar, rice, beans, potatoes...basic ingredients you use to create meals) or do you have processed food (packaged meals, mixes, sauces, gravies, salad dressings, soda, pre-made snacks)?

#3 Look at packaging.

Is this item user friendly? Is it stored properly? Is it fresh or stale?

#4 Make decisions.

Your goal is to create a kitchen that works & gets you healthy so processed food has to go. You can do this in stages, or you can do this all at once. The key is to make a decision. "I'm getting processed food out of my house today" is a decision that means you're throwing it away now. "I'm not buying any more processed food to add to this kitchen" means you're using up what you have and not buying more.

Make your choice and stick to it.

Next, separate your food into what you're keeping and what you're tossing. Put away the things you're keeping and toss the rest.

CONGRATULATIONS! Now you have a clean slate! Inventorying is a bit tedious, but it's also extremely rewarding and satisfying. Like exercising-it can be painful in the moment but you feel fantastic afterward!

Next up, we'll get into making a list and getting the RIGHT things in your kitchen.