We just received this Facebook comment from Jennifer. She needs your help keeping track of her stockpile:
One of the main aspects of keeping your grocery budget low is to plan ahead for meals using the ingredients that you have on hand efficiently (eliminating waste by using the groceries you’ve purchased and utilizing your stockpile items before they expire).
I have been toying with the idea of keeping some kind of inventory of what is in my freezers and pantry, and was curious to know if any FLNWers have found creative solutions for tracking the food in their homes.
If you have any advice for Jennifer, please leave a comment! Go here for step-by-step instructions on how to leave a comment.
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I have a inventory list with monthly columns that I typed up with the products that we use most often. At the beginning of the month, I quickly scan my stockpile and write down the quantity of each item I have. I also look for items that are close to expiring so I can either use or donate them. At first I thought this would be too time consuming, but once you have your list made and just have to write in the numbers each month, it only takes about 20 minutes. It’s worth the extra effort to avoid running out and having to pay full price for the items we use so regularly. Also, by having monthly columns I can easily track how fast we consume specific products so when I find a stockup sale I have a better idea of how many I should buy.
I couldn’t find a pantry checklist on organizedhome.com. What did you look under? Thanks!
excel is a great program to utilize… we have a fridge and two freezers in the shop. “mostly” its stocked by… beef, pork, poultry… as we produce 80% of our food grown here on the farm we know that for i.e… beef in 2012, or poultry in 8/11 etc… butter etc… is pretty simple… ROTATION! always pull from the right… restock from the left… in the inside pantries (found all throughout the house) same routine… stock to the back so the oldest is in the front and the newest bought is at the front to be used first… 🙂 not an ipad/pod program but one that has worked for many many many generations before our modern technology…
I keep an inventory list posted on my fridge for all things in my freezer….the theory is that when something is used, it gets crossed out….in reality, I send kids to get stuff out and they don’t mark it off…
The rest of my stockpile, I just keep an eye on. I only stockpile things I use all the time, so it’s pretty easy to know what’s there.
I have crates in my freezer with the different meats catagorized. When the crate is almost empty, I need more meat!! 🙂
I have a “note” in my iPhone with all my home canned foods. When I use one, I reduce the number by one. It seems to work, because I often take a jar to work, and have the phone with me to keep it updated.
I try to keep an extra of the basic items like ketchup, mayo, etc. and when I take one out I put it on my grocery list. Going to organizedhome.com right now. Thanks, Christina!
Try going to organizedhome.com. They have Pantry and freezer inventory lists. I made copies on pretty paper and took them to Staples to get laminated. Note: if you laminate use wet erase markers they work best. These lists are fantastic!