My cupboards are too full!

LameWolf

I keep an inventory of the contents of the food cupboard and the freezer, on an Excel spreadsheet; that way it's easy to keep it up to date. The meal plan in on another spreadsheet.

The way I work it is to have "one in use and one spare" of things that last, and a sensible supply of tinned/frozen things we use regularly. I'm also very careful to use things in rotation, so that nothing goes OOD before it can be used.:o

The only thing I have something of a mountain of is HM jam - I have a plastic crate full of jars of varying sizes, and *goes to check* there's 10 different varieties, including two types of marmalade. I have a printed list, with the numbers of jars, which we alter in pen when one is taken out. I've promised myself not to make any more jam this year.:D

bargainbetty

Once a month, I do an updated freezer list (I start with good intentions, but the marking-off fails by mid month). I also do a quick check of cupboards for staples and try to make sure I use up old stuff first.

Honestly, once you have an inventory, you'll find it quite fun to see the bizarre concoctions that you might come up with to clear the decks.

jammy_dodger

OP you arent alone

i have a huge amount of food stuffs stored and now my eldest has gone off to uni i have taken stock of what i have in my cupboards i have 8 shelves bulging in the garage too which i need to do a stock take on but shall save this for another day

mostly pasta , tins and baking ingredients dried goods all in large storage boxes so beasties cant get in there

i aslo have 3 freezers a coffin sized one in the garage a medium sized one and a small one in the kitchen
i have to prepare myself for "letting go" not only of the kids but i really dont think a person on their own needs 3 freezers:eek::eek:

i too live 10 miles from nearest shop but am more than ready for zombie apocolypse

i grow my veg and have plenty stored and i make pickles chutneys and jams but only so much i can eat

funny enough since DS went away have not felt much like cooking either but i guess it takes time t o adjust

think i;; jion a no spend challenge or two and see if i can use up some of my hoards
best of luck
JD xx

gayleygoo

Thank you for all your replies, it's good to know that I'm not alone! You've all given me some good ideas and things to think about. Although I do think now that perhaps I don't hoard as much as many of you do! I haven't really any extra space for a food stash, perhaps my problem is that I just don't have enough cupboards or freezer space (OH does not agree with me ). It seems to be mostly dried and tinned stuff, and the stress of putting shopping away sometimes gets to me. I just need an overflow cupboard, right?

There are a couple of petrol station shops, a butchers, 3 takeaways and a Lidl all within a short walking distance from my house, and I don't anticipate extreme enough weather conditions that would keep me stuck in the house to starve! (I live in N.Ireland, we get Extreme Rain sometimes but that's about it) Perhaps I should stock up a little on water at least, as I recall there were pipes freezing last year.

Heavenleigh, that "pantry-room" is amazing, it's like having your own supermarket in there! I'd have to keep the door locked though, or my kids would have it cleared in no time.

Are your OH's on board with your emergency stash plans? I think that might be my problem - he grew up in a house where two tins of any same thing was considered an unnecessary excess!

ellie-g

I have a little house with limited storage but the cupboards are full of cut price dried foods, tins and toiletries. I am trying to use up these stocks but I think it will take a long time to get through the 250 tins of black eyed beans bought on clearance at 10p each. The way I see it, as these tins are now 59p each, I have had almost a six fold return on my money! I call it playing the supermarket (as opposed to playing the stockmarket)....LOL! Plus it's amazing, they have been added to meat dishes, salads, served with a tomato sauce, mashed with potatoes and cheese. The list goes on. Might seem a bit extreme but there's method in the madness...

Goldiegirl

I'm going be to building up my food stores over the next year / 18 months - If I see good offers on non perishables / loo rolls etc, I'm going to be snapping them up. I want to buy now while I have more money, to help after retirement when I have less

bubbs

Reading ths has made me laugh,i have that much food its unreal and loo rolls i have about 200:eek::eek: i shop at asda and always work it to get a price guarantee so once you have paid for your first shop the price guarantee pays for the next if you get my drift, tis is where all the loo rolls come from:D
I said to hubby the other day dont let me buy anymore tin food, his answer how can i stop you when i dont come shopping:rotfl:

bluebag

I must admit I had to get it under control. I couldn't see or find anything and I seemed to have loads of stuff but nothing to make a meal.

I order weekly online and keep one weeks worth in reserve.

ButterflyKisses

Our kitchen is tiny, we have a cupboard for cleaning stuff, cat food etc, a cupboard with all the crockery and cooking bits, one with glasses and the slow cooker/george forman and one (sob) for food. You would not believe what I can fit into that cupboard though!

[Deleted User]

Every now and again I do have a sort out of food stored and put the later dated stuff at the back and short dated stuff at the front (not that I take a lot of notice of dates :)) My freezer is chocablock at the moment so I am definitely not buying anything else until the New Year as I have more than enough food to feed half the street.I too am an inveterate bargain buyer but now have realised that I have quite a bit of money sitting on my shelves and in the freezer so I have decided until a good portion has gone thats it for shopping for me for a few weeks.
I don't mind as having got all of my christmas pressies and cards it means I don't have to go near a shop at all.I have several litres of long life milk to use if I run short and lots of veg in the freezer so as I no longer eat bread there is no reason to go shopping I bank online so my bills get paid that way.I can now put my feet up and be glad that I have no pushing or shoving in the shops to wade through.Inside each cupboard I have a list of contents so I am later on today going to sort out a menu plan for the next few weeks(Christmas and New Year I shall be away anyway)Its a good time of the year to use up the odds and ends collected during the year.I even have a large Ham in my Dds freezer from last easter that I couldn't get into my freezer:):) so that will get cooked in January I think and sliced andportioned up for when I have a bit more freezer space .Its so easy when you see a bargain to think 'Oh I'll get that just in case' My old Mum, God rest her, has a lot to answer for as its her fault I tend to hoard stuff I think,WW2 rationing ingrained into my generation the need for a 'Just in case ' cupboard
JackieO xxx