How to organize your Pantry for your health

This guest post is the by Kelsey Marion, Professional Organizer, Learn more about how to have an organized pantry.

An organized pantry is better for your health and wallet. An organized pantry will help with meal planning, budgeting, and your shopping list. Having a clear view of what is in your pantry will tell you what you have and what you need. When we are living in clutter we cannot focus at our fullest potential. By reducing the clutter into items that hold value or purpose in your life then we have space to make positive changes and/or form routines in our lives. By decluttering and being more organized we reduce feeling overwhelmed by the mess. I find when a kitchen is more organized it is more inviting to cook in. It enhances the chances of feeling less stressed or guilty, more room to function, and more motivated to make healthier choices.

Canadian studies conducted at Dalhousie University found that nearly half of Canadians eat take-out food or at restaurants. One can argue that the increase in take-out and restaurant outings is due to busier households. Today, it is common for both partners to work on top of household and caregiver responsibilities. The increase in responsibilities makes it probable for disorganized pantries and kitchens.

“A Dalhousie University survey found nearly 42 per cent of Canadians are either buying ready-to-eat meals or eating at a restaurant once or twice a week, while another 3 per cent admitted to doing so on a daily basis…While 18 per cent of the 1,019 Canadians who took part in the survey said they never eat out or buy ready-to-eat meals, 33 per cent admitted to only doing so on weekends.” -Adam Frisk, Global News, 2017

When your kitchen is disorganized it is uninviting to cook in, let alone meal prep. As a professional organizer, I recognize the value in organized spaces. I have had clients sharing with me that my decluttering and organizing services encouraged them to begin working out and eating healthier because they now have space to work-out at home and they know what is in their pantry which makes them more motivated to create healthier meals to consume. Think about it…you get home from a long day of work, your kitchen is a mess, your pantry is a mess, and you don’t really know what you have or what to make. Would you want to conduct a scavenger hunt through your pantry and take the time to figure out what to cook? Clutter is stressful for the brain, so you’re more likely to resort to coping mechanisms such as choosing comfort foods or overeating than if you spend time in neater surroundings. Many would opt-out to ordering a pizza because of feelings of tiredness or decision fatigue. Fortunately, life does not need to be this way. You can have a beautifully organized kitchen, pantry, and fridge that encourages a healthier lifestyle.

Think about it…you get home from a long day of work, your kitchen is a mess, your pantry is a mess, and you don’t really know what you have or what to make. Would you want to conduct a scavenger hunt through your pantry and take the time to figure out what to cook? Clutter is stressful for the brain, so you’re more likely to resort to coping mechanisms such as choosing comfort foods or overeating than if you spend time in neater surroundings. Many would opt-out to ordering a pizza because of feelings of tiredness or decision fatigue. Fortunately, life does not need to be this way. You can have a beautifully organized kitchen, pantry, and fridge that encourages a healthier lifestyle.

Get Sorted Quick Tips:

The first step is to declutter and edit. You need to take everything out to remove the expired food items or items that simply do not belong in the kitchen. Note the expiration dates by placing the ingredients that need to be used up earlier in the front.

Next sort through everything. Sort your food items into similar categories. Keep spices together, all grains and pastas together, and so on. You will not be purchasing food you already having and wasting forgotten food hidden in your cluttered pantry, thus, saving you time and money!

Clean all of the surfaces to refresh the cupboards and drawers before placing food and items back into the space.

Label shelves, containers, and baskets as a reminder when unpacking or when looking for foods. Labels make life so much easier!

Store snacks out of sight on a higher shelf – less tempting and less accessible to the eye will lower your chances of consuming the sugary or salty snacks.

Make healthy snacks + consumables accessible in eye level or visible areas. A visual encouragement to use and consume.

It allows you to be more mindful of what you are putting into your body. When we are more clear, efficient, and consistent in our routines our energy can last longer and our health can benefit in multiple ways.