My pantry wake-up call came one Tuesday evening when I went hunting for noodles to go in a quick stir-fry. I could picture the packet in my head, I was sure it was there. After pulling half the drawer apart, I found three different kinds of rice, a bag of fregola I’d forgotten about, and enough tinned tomatoes to ride out the next pandemic but no noodles in sight. Dinner worked out fine in the end, but it was clear my pantry had tipped over from busy but manageable into complete disarray.
If you’ve ever gone looking for one ingredient and instead uncovered culinary archaeology, it might be time to give your pantry a proper spring clean. Here’s how I tackled mine.
Take it all out. Every tin, packet, jar, bottle — the lot. Lay it all out on the bench so you can see exactly what you’re working with. This is the confronting part. For me, the moment of truth was the three bottles of Worcestershire sauce. When you group things together, you’ll spot your repeat buys and rediscover things you didn’t even remember purchasing.
With empty shelves, you’ve got the perfect chance to give everything a reset. Sweep or vacuum out any crumbs, then wipe down shelves, walls, and doors with a damp cloth or a bit of cleaning spray. I found a sticky patch I was loath to identify and more flour dust than I thought possible. Once it’s wiped clean, the space already feels lighter.
Now it’s time to make some calls. Check the dates and trust your judgement. Pasta that’s a few months past best before? Probably fine. A tin that’s bulging or leaking? Straight in the bin. Unopened items you know you won’t use can go to a local food charity or community kitchen. You could also offer things to family or friends — someone might actually be glad to take that spare jar of relish off your hands.
Here’s the part that feels most rewarding. Decant open packets of things like flour, oats, or pasta into airtight containers. They don’t need to be matching or expensive; I’ve got a mix of old glass jars and a few new acrylic tubs. Just make sure you label them. A strip of masking tape and a marker does the job perfectly and saves you from playing pantry roulette later.
Think about the shape of your pantry too. Tiered shelves, lazy Susans, or stackable containers all help to make things visible and easy to grab. My “pantry” is actually two deep drawers, so I’ve one for containers with clear lidsthat let me see what’s inside from above. I also keep a little roll of masking tape handy to mark anything that needs using soon with a big “USE ME FIRST.” It’s simple but it really does cut down on waste.
To finish, set up a way to track what you’ve got. It doesn’t have to be fancy; a quick list on your phone works. In our house, we use two small whiteboards on the fridge: one for freezer contents and another for meal ideas for the week. It helps me shop smarter and means fewer nights of staring into the pantry wondering what on earth to cook.
Spring cleaning your pantry won’t win you any medals, but it will make cooking easier, save you money, and keep food from going to waste. Best of all, you’ll know exactly where everything is. Which means the next time I go looking for noodles, I’ll actually find them before I’ve already started cooking the stir-fry.
If you’re now inspired to tackle the vegie crisper, check out my Crisper Clear-out Okonomiyaki.
I never used to cook a lot of seafood at home. I didn’t need to; if I wanted a delicious seafood meal, I’d just visit my parents. It took until I was in my forties to really start cooking seafood at home on a regular basis. Pan-frying the odd fillet…
Here’s to apéro hour — not a meal, not an afterthought, but a celebration of the small things done well. A drink that feels earned. A snack that sparks conversation. A reminder that joy often lives in the in-between.
If I had to name one habit that makes the biggest difference in how I cook, it wouldn’t be knife skills, fancy equipment, or even the quality of the ingredients. It would be this: tasting as I go.