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If you’re like me, Thanksgiving seemed far away until suddenly... it didn’t.
If you’re hosting, you’ve probably already started a mental list of everything you need, from the turkey to the desserts you’re hoping someone else will bring. You might even be wondering whether someone still has your folding table from last year.
While all of this is on my mind, I take a look through my refrigerator and freezer to see what I already have. I could call it a “clean-out,” but that sounds like work. Really, I’m just taking inventory and noticing what might come in handy over the next few weeks, whether it’s an easy meal on a busy day or an ingredient for the holiday meal itself.
For many of us, making room for holiday food means tossing the things we forgot were there: the container of soup from a few weeks ago, the frozen meals that seemed like a great idea when we made them, or ingredients that got pushed to the back of the shelf. Research from ReFED and NielsenIQ shows that 42% of Thanksgiving hosts throw away food while clearing out their refrigerator or pantry to get ready for the holiday, and 36% clear out the freezer.
That’s a lot of perfectly good food heading to the trash before the holiday even begins. And let’s be honest, with grocery prices the way they are, throwing away food is a little like throwing away cash.
What if you tried something different this year?
Think of this week as a good time to shop your own kitchen before you buy anything new. Open the refrigerator and freezer doors and take a few minutes to really look at what’s there. Notice what needs to be used soon and what could come in handy later, whether that’s an easy dinner on a busy night or an ingredient for your Thanksgiving table.
You’ll probably be surprised by what you find, and every meal you make from food you’ve “found” is food you don’t have to buy. You might even discover that some foods taste better the second time around. Soups, stews, casseroles, and holiday leftovers often develop richer flavor after they’ve had time to sit and the ingredients have had a chance to blend together.
As you take inventory, start your holiday shopping list at the same time. You may discover you already have ingredients you’ll need in the coming weeks, like butter in the freezer, stock for gravy, frozen cranberries, or baking ingredients tucked away in the pantry. The less you buy that you don’t need, the more affordable your holiday becomes.
I’ll admit it, I love my freezer. Anything I can’t eat right away goes in there, whether it’s a pot of soup or a few cookies I’m saving for later. It makes lunch or dinner easy on the days when I don’t have the time, energy, or desire to cook.
The holidays are about gathering around the table with the people we love, and abundance is a big part of that. Abundance can also mean making the most of what is already in our kitchens.
So, here’s your one small thing for this week: before you think about what you need to buy, take inventory of what you already have. Plan a few meals around it, save yourself some money, and make a little room for the abundance that’s on its way. Sometimes the easiest way to stretch your holiday budget is simply to use what is already in your kitchen.
