Want to Clean Out Your Pantry? Here’s 5 More Tips to Get Started

I’ve written posts before about how to clean out your pantry, but it’s a topic that I’m pretty passionate about. After all, the idea of getting creative with ingredients you already have not only saves money but also prevents waste. And in today’s world, it’s pretty easy to be passionate about both of those things!

So let’s discuss 5 more ways that you can get started with a pantry cleanout:

Invest in a meal planning notepad.

Printable weekly meal planner pages exist as well, and are a completely valid option. But if you can invest in a meal planning notepad (specifically a magnetic one so it’s harder to misplace), I would highly recommend it. Part of a successful pantry cleanout is meal planning, and part of meal planning is having a tangible plan you can reference whenever you need to.

Get creative with swaps.

It’s so fun to get creative in the kitchen, and having things you need to use up gives you a perfect opportunity!

If you typically like to have pancakes for breakfast, and you have oat or almond flour to use up, why not try substituting it for the all-purpose flour you usually use?

Or perhaps you have bag of vital wheat gluten to use up but need a break from seitan. Try using it to make some high-protein bagels!

Make sure you’re storing things properly.

This is more of a tip for pantry maintenance than cleanout but I think it bears mentioning: make sure you’re storing things properly.

Because there’s nothing more disappointing then pulling out an ingredient to use and finding out it isn’t usable anymore (whether because it expired, smells off or has been commandeered by pests).

Storing things properly can make them last longer and keep better. So make sure you’re using tight bag clips, or plastic or glass jugs/jars to store your ingredients. It doesn’t have to be expensive either; you can use upcycled marinara sauce jars to store grains and beans, for example.

Look to the internet for inspiration.

The internet is chock-full of ideas (including some of mine, which I hope help you out!), and there’s no time like the present to capitalize on them.

I particularly like YouTube, where you can find pantry and freezer cleanout videos, meal prep and planning videos, and lots of vegan-focused content. Websites also exist (such as the one you’re currently on) that have printable recipes, lists of ideas, and so much more. It’s all there for the taking!

If something is beyond redeeming, it’s okay to throw it out.

If something smells off, looks off, or tastes off, it’s probably best to throw it out. Thus the saying “when in doubt, throw it out.”

But part of this process is learning from our mistakes, as to prevent any future food waste. Maybe stocking up on that sale of frozen dinners wasn’t such a money-saving move if they all got freezer burned before you got to eat them.

Try not to judge yourself too harshly for mistakes like these, and resolve to be wiser with future purchasing.

Hopefully these tips help you out and get you inspired to tackle your pantry cleanout! Best wishes from my kitchen to yours.

Until next time, peace 🙂