Keeping your pantry in order makes it easier to find what you need, but could it also be the secret to keeping your healthy eating resolution? A solid pantry organization strategy can put healthy choices front and center and help you eliminate the stuff you want to avoid. It’s a lot easier to stick to a health-conscious plan when you’re not regularly staring down a combination of empty boxes and sugary snacks. Here are three tenets of reorganizing your pantry for a lifestyle that leads to wellbeing:
Create More Transparency
Transitioning food from its original packaging into glass containers has a few advantages. Not only can this free up some shelf space, but you can more easily see the quantities remaining for each item (and stop running out of stuff unexpectedly). When your healthy snacks are always in stock, you may be less likely to run through the drive-thru in a state of starvation. You’re also more accountable to yourself and your family when you can’t hide what you’re stocking the pantry with. A lot of people also feel more comfortable storing their food in glass versus plastic because it contains fewer chemicals.
Put Healthy Stuff in Your Eyeline
Once your food is in glass cylinders and boxes, move the stuff you want to eat most to eye level. A pantry organization strategy will better serve your healthy goals if the first thing you see when you’re hungry is a good choice. There’s nothing wrong with keeping some treats in the pantry, too, but try pushing them to the back of the shelf or moving them up to the top shelf. Keep granola bars, fruit, and trail mix toward the front and within easy reach. You may also find it helpful to create zones (baking, snacking, grains, sugary treats) and put the healthiest options within each zone at eyeline.
Do Some Prep Work to Eliminate Excuses
Being in a hurry is one of the top reasons people turn away from healthy food choices and toward a donut at the coffee shop. Create some healthy snack kits and put them in a basket near the front of your pantry (start with crackers, a protein bar, and an apple in a Ziplock bag). Never again will you stand in the front of your pantry, eyes glazing over as you wonder if there are any more packages of dried fruit somewhere. A bit of prep on Sunday night could lead to a week of healthier snacking. But only if your pantry is organized so you don’t get overwhelmed and give up.
Pantry organization isn’t just for Type A’s anymore! It’s for anyone who wants to maintain their healthy eating goals. It all starts with purging unhealthy or expired food from your pantry, then organizing your food into more transparent storage. With a full pantry full of smart choices, you’re ready to tackle your wellness like a champ. Contact Closet World today to learn more about our custom pantry options. You could be looking at a brand new pantry before you know it!
