Knowing every ingredient you already have in your fridge, pantry shelves and beyond is difficult to keep up within your head. learn these quick  techniques for master inventory so you never overbuy again

Knowing what you have saves you money 

According to a study done by the united states department of agriculture (USDA) in 2018, it was found that american consumers waste about one pound of food per day or 225-290 pounds per year. Imagine taking your grocery budget, and throwing about 20% of it in the trash. Tragic right? but there’s a solution: only buy what you need for a certain period of time. This practice not only helps you reduce waste in your home, but also saves that precious 20% of grocery cash that would normally go into oblivion. 

The best way to buy what you need is to know exactly what you already have. Taking regular inventory of your pantry stock, refrigerator and freezer contents helps you to understand what you need to actually shop for. Master inventory is something I learned to do in culinary school and its stuck with me throughout my career and home life. It’s easy, and what you spend in time, is made up for in grocery bill savings on the back-end. Read on to learn my 5 easy steps on how to do master inventory at home. 

How to do master inventory 

1. Create a dated list and divide it up by ingredient types, or sections of your kitchen (fridge, pantry, etc). Make your own, or download my free template here

2. Then go through one section at a time, sorting each ingredient (like canned goods) so you know exactly how much you actually have. I like to take this time to consolidate ingredients into 1 easy to see container (like sugar and flour). be sure to label and date the items you take out the original packaging, so you can find it with a quick glance later. 

3. Next, write down the ingredient, and the quantity on your list. Leaving off how much you have can leave you asking questions when you actually get to the store. 

4. Repeat these steps until you’ve gone through all the contents of your kitchen. Jot down any recipes you might want to try, to use up ingredients you already have. 

5. You’re done! you can now take this inventory list (and your recipe ideas) to create a grocery list noting only what you actually need. No guesswork on aisle 7! 

Some helpful tips