FOMO is something we probably won’t experience soon, since we practice social distancing, but FIFO, which means “first in, first out,” is something you will want to get closer to.
If you are one of those who have flocked to the supermarket and now you are facing a pantry full of food, as well as the freezer full of frozen vegetables and meats, you may be wondering what you are going to do with all this food. Keeping a well-stocked kitchen organized is key when it comes to keeping food fresh and limiting food waste. So how can you do that? The FIFO method will prepare you with a process to move food in and out of your kitchen.
How to order the pantry and the fridge?
Combine similar things with similar things
Canned beans go with other canned beans. All the yogurts in your fridge should come together in one section. The same goes for cereals and oils in your pantry, cheeses in your refrigerator, and meats in the freezer. It seems obvious, but many people put cans of tuna, oil and pasta packages on the same shelf. This, in addition to being disorganized, favors us not remembering the real quantities we have of each product.
Put items with expiration date soonest
The second thing you should do is look at the expiration dates of all the items within each category. Place items that are due to expire first toward the outside of the refrigerator, freezer, or shelf. Otherwise, when you remember you had a can of fried tomato in the pantry, it may be expired.
Keep the newest items on the back
Store items with a later expiration date as far back as possible. It is logical, and it is the measure that all supermarkets take when they go to replace products.
Always pull the first thing you find
This organization plan will be of little use and you will look for products that expire later, instead of giving out those that can sell early. Make sure, when you are preparing a meal or looking for a snack, that you should always take out the front of the pantry.
Keep the FIFO method going
As you continue to shop for food, push the older foods forward, leaving room in the back for the newer foods you just bought. Just make sure the due dates are in order (they should, but this isn’t always the case).
Understand the expiration dates of your food
Expiration dates are at the heart of the FIFO method and can be tricky because they are not always easy to understand. In fact, they can be downright baffling: Most adults are confused by the various food date labels.
- Best if used before : This date refers to when the food product will have the best taste or quality. Please note that this is not a purchase or security date.
- Sale: This date tells the store how long the product can be displayed. It is used for inventory management and is not a safety date.
- Use until : This date tells us the last recommended to use while the product is in the highest quality. It is not a safety date unless it is in a infant formula product.
- Freeze: This date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain maximum quality. It is not a purchase or security date.
You will notice that apart from infant formula , date labels are not about safety, but about quality.
