Several RVing friends have complained about having to remove all their canned goods and boxes from the pantry shelves to make room for their recent purchases. Then they must put all the groceries back on the shelves. Some just put the fresh groceries on the shelves in front of the existing food. One friend admitted she hadn't looked in the back of her cabinets for months. When she did, she found many out-of-date items that had to be tossed.
Check your refrigerator and freezer for expiring items or those in danger of freezer burn. If you can't identify the item in a container, don't take chances: throw it away.
Take an inventory by expiration or "best buy" date now or on the next rainy day. This is an ideal bad weather project. Be sure to include items like baking powder, baking soda, yeast, spices and condiments. Stale bread can be grated into bread crumbs, placed in a zip-lock bag and frozen. Have family or friends help you and it won't take long.
Once the inventory is done, plan a meal or two around the expiring food. If you have something on your shelf that you just can’t stomach, swap it for something your friends or neighbors might not want. Better yet, combine the items on an interesting menu for a shared meal or two.
Here are some strange yet tasty combos:
Chili and spaghetti
Pineapple chunks and melted chocolate
Hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls (big pigs-in-a-blanket)
Bacon bits and avocado omelet
Sauerkraut, potatoes and chicken nuggets
Hot Grape Nuts with mandarin oranges
Cornbread with onions, red and green peppers, and chili powder
The inventory won’t take long, your shelves will be clean, you'll be organized, you won’t waste food or money, you can be creative with the expiring food, and you’ll have fun with your friends.
