Keeping a tidy pantry is crucial for a healthy kitchen.
Over time, stuff piles up, and some things get forgotten or go bad. Here’s what to chuck to keep things fresh and safe:
Old Food
First and foremost, ditch anything that’s expired. Check the dates on your canned goods, sauces, cereals, and snacks.
Eating expired food can be risky—it might have harmful bacteria or lose its goodness. Regularly rotate your stock to use older stuff first and cut down on waste.
Stale Snacks and Cereals
Even if they’re not expired, snacks and cereals can go stale. If they’re not crunchy or taste weird, toss ’em.
Stale food isn’t just gross; it could mean your storage’s off or you’ve got pests. Use airtight containers to keep things fresh longer.
Extra Stuff
Got a zillion bottles of ketchup? Having too much stuff makes your pantry messy and hard to navigate.
If you find doubles, try to merge them and get rid of almost empty or super old ones. Give unopened extras to a local food bank.
Old Spices and Seasonings
Spices don’t last forever. They lose flavor over time.
Ground spices are best within a year, whole ones within two to three. Give ’em a sniff and taste—if they’re not punchy, replace ’em.
Broken Packages
Check for busted or leaking packages.
Dents, bulges, or leaks mean stuff might spoil or get dirty. Pests love that, too. Trash ’em pronto to avoid critter parties.
Keep a tidy pantry in your home and your food and kitchen will treat you right in the long run, you’ll see.
You can also hire the services of a cleaning company to help keep the heart of your home beating and sanitary. Book a cleaning with Clean House Services!