Photo by Flickr user Steven Depolo.
Whether you want a smart food storage solution for your once a month meals, you do a lot of freezer cooking, or you just want to cut back on your food waste, making and maintaining a freezer inventory is a good idea. This short, handy guide covers all you need to know about successfully keeping inventory of what’s in your freezer.
Photo by Flickr user Tony Alter.
Why is it important?
To some people, it may seem like a silly thing to do or just another list to keep track of, but keeping a freezer inventory can actually be quite helpful. Here are a few reasons why:
- You're less likely to go over your food budget. If you have a clearer picture of what you already have and what you truly need, that is one area of shopping that will be a little more efficient.
- There'll be no more accidental overbuying. Have you ever returned home from a grocery trip only to realize with dismay that you've purchased a few things you weren't out of yet? This will help prevent buying duplicates.
- Meal planning is easier. Knowing the status of the ingredients you have and which ones you're running low on lets you know what meals you should plan throughout the week.
- You can eat your food in a more timely manner. Any foods that expire soon or leftovers that won't keep much longer can be eaten in good time instead of being tossed later.
All of these things ultimately contribute to being less wasteful: of your time, your money, and your food.
Photo by Flickr user Rusty Clark.
Getting Started
First, take everything out of your freezer. Get rid of things that are past their expiration date, leftovers that are too old, items affected by freezer burn, and anything else that is unsafe for consumption or otherwise inedible.
Next, write down what you have left. This list doesn’t have to be in any certain order yet; right now, concentrate on making note of everything.
Group your food items by type in preparation for storing them. Organize your list into categories that make sense: fruits, veggies, meats, and so on. Make note of the quantities of each item. Write down when the food was first purchased or frozen.
Clearly label all items. Draw up a freezer map as you put things away so you know what goes where. This may only come into play if you are storing in a chest freezer and don’t want to dig around aimlessly to find what you are looking for.
Photo by Flickr user sporkist.
Keeping it Up-to-Date
The only way this will be useful is if you keep the information current. As soon as you use something, cross it off or alter the quantity so it is accurate. When you go grocery shopping, add your purchases to the list and label them before you put them away.
Photo by Flickr user Oliver Tacke.
Free Resources
- Squawkfox has printable labels, a freezer map, and an inventory list with columns for item, quantity, and cost
- About.com has an inventory list you can print which has sections labeled for prepared meals, fruits & vegetables, meats & seafood, and snacks & misc
- Once a Month Meals has an inventory list specifically designed for those who do once a month cooking – the categories include once a month meals, other meals, breads/pastries, fruit, vegetables, seafood, snacks/treats, meat, and other
- Organized Home provides an unlabeled inventory sheet with checkboxes for quantities
