Martha Stewart Shares Her Smart Pantry Method That Keeps Stocked Food Fresh

It's no secret that fall is the ideal time to start decluttering your pantry. Before the busyness of cooking and baking for the holidays begins, you want to make sure you've got your pantry inventory under control. And some of the biggest issues you might be facing are making sure you have everything you need as well as making sure it all stays fresh. A popular method, that even Martha Stewart swears by, is the first-in-first-out method of keeping stocked foods fresh. To make sure you have fresh food and your pantry is properly stocked, it's important to move older foods to the front and stock new groceries behind them.

If you're like most people, you have a lot going on in your life during the week. And the last thing you want to deal with is getting ready to cook a meal and finding out that a key ingredient in your pantry is expired. Not only is it frustrating, but it can also contribute to the common food storage mistake that's attracting pests. Using a simple organization method is not only a great way to keep food fresh, but it can also help relieve some stress at mealtime. And copying Martha's first-in-first-out approach to the pantry, especially if you stock up on specific pantry items, is a huge stress-reliever. Utilizing this method can also save a ton of money, because it reduces food waste. If you have older items in the front of your pantry you know when they need to be used before going bad.

Martha Stewart may not have invented the FIFO method, but she definitely helped bring it to the mainstream. And thankfully, this is a smart pantry storage solution that costs nothing but a little time. Pick a day when you have some time to devote to this, as it is a little bit of a project. The first thing you will want to do is pull everything off the shelves; this would be a perfect time to wipe them down as well. Organize everything by expiration date. If you have items in storage containers, be sure to mark them by the date you filled the containers. Next, you will want to designate areas of your pantry for different food categories. This will help you to know where stuff is when you're in a hurry. Place newly purchased items to the back of your pantry, with older items in front. Whenever you empty something, move the next item forward. Simple as that.

Whenever you go shopping, just add your newer items to the back of your rows. This method will help you stay organized, use items before they expire, and help you keep track of your food stock. And if you want to get really nerdy, you can have an inventory sheet on a clipboard hanging from the pantry door. Keeping an inventory sheet can also help you create more accurate grocery lists, so you're not impulse buying — it's a great way to stay on budget.