Let's be honest, a clean kitchen isn't always what happens after a busy day. We try our best, but it’s not always realistic. 

It's 3pm, you just finished up your errands, there’s clutter on the counter, dog toys everywhere, your spouse’s items seem to always end up where they shouldn't, you are starving, not yet ready for dinner but lunch was hours ago. You head into the pantry, move past the trail mix, take out the fresh apples you just bought because you said you would “do better” and you head straight for the box of cookies.

Now we aren't saying that you shouldn't have the cookies, we all deserve a special treat every now and then, but incorporating a well balanced diet is important and making sure you take time to reset and recharge for the remainder of your day to set yourself up for success!

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Here are ways we recommend organizing/cleaning your kitchen along with tips on how doing this will inspire you to take action towards healthier food choices.

Tips on Organizing/Cleaning out your kitchen 

Our first note is to begin by opening each cabinet you have and processing: is this the best place for this item? If yes, begin by taking out whatever you have in the cabinets one by one and start cleaning off the shelves with a disinfectant and reusable towel. Once completed, begin by thinking about what items are most used in the cabinet and which are not. The items not being used often, move to the back of the cabinet. For example, the heart shaped pans you used for Valentines Day once and haven't touched since, push those babies to the back! Now if the functionality of the cabinet isn't working for you, start thinking where the best place to relocate would be that makes the most sense for you. 

Once you found a home for everything in the cabinets, everything is sparkly clean, its time to move to the refrigerator. Best way we found to do this is to take each item out, just like the cabinets, and wipe down the shelves and look through the items in your fridge for expiration dates, things you don't use anymore, etc. Go through everything and once you have that knocked out, begin placing items back inside and again thinking about the functionality of your most used to least used, if you have items that are going to expire soon, brainstorm ideas on how you can utilize those ingredients in a meal within the next few days! This not only helps reduce waste but helps you to recognize new ways to incorporate ingredients!

Keeping the Essentials / Reducing Food Waste

Once you finish organizing your kitchen, getting rid of old items and realizing what items you do have, it's time to start incorporating them into meals for you and your family! By doing this, it helps you to save money on buying ingredients when you more than likely already have them. It helps for you to try different meal ideas, and nine times out of ten it will be a hit! Here are some ways you can incorporate items you already have and utilize them for quick and easy meals. 

• Do you have a good amount of produce that is still whole? Start by cutting up any remaining items to make it easier and faster when cooking. Utilizing produce containers helps to keep those items fresher, longer! 

• Have some spinach or kale that looks like it only has a little more life to live? What about yogurt that has a few days left till it expires? You can freeze them in small ice tray containers for ease or go ahead and throw it into a smoothie to make for a healthy midday pick-me-up! 

• Overbought canned goods? Don't have a use for them anytime soon? Grab a box and take them to your nearest donation center, food bank or local church!

How this Makes for Better Food Choices

Biggest takeaway, keep the healthiest items in eyesight! This will show you what you have, what you can make, and what you should grab! One thing we like to do is incorporate a colorful fruit/veggie bowl in your fridge or on top of your counter (depending on what you decide to put in there.) This will not only catch your eye but allow you to not be tempted by any other items! When you organize your kitchen and you follow the above steps, you should have placed the unhealthy items towards the back, out of sight and out of mind. You’ll be far less tempted to grab an unhealthy snack when having to dig for it or stare at it!

Overall a clean kitchen makes for your food to be properly stored, cleaned, and rid of any harmful bacterias that could be lingering without you even knowing. Doing this weekly or even monthly (depending) allows for a stress free cooking and eating experience.