Stocked up on crackers, Sprite, and noodle soup this past week.

Thinking that these supplies are good for a distant rainy day, I barely tucked them away before Paul and the girls needed them.

Just thankful we did not need to make an emergency run to the grocery store and pay full price. 😉

In start saving from scratch, I had interrupted my routine, so I hit the reset button. I organized my food supply (Part 1) ^[2], created a menu (Part 2) ^[3], compiled a grocery list (Part 3) ^[4], and gathered my savings (Part 4) ^[5]. With all the groceries purchased, I’m ready to give those groceries a home.

Part 5: Giving Groceries a Home

In accepting help from my children, we unload the van. Now that my children are a bit older, they help carry lightweight items. My son can take the milk into house which is a big help.

Unload Groceries

Once in the house, I unload the groceries onto my kitchen counters ^[6]. This way, I can see all the items before putting 3 items away only to find a fourth one tucked in another bag.

Put Away Cold Foods

I then organize my refrigerator and freezer ^[7] putting the new items behind the existing items. This way, I am using my stockpile in the order it was purchased. Otherwise, the older items get stuffed in the back and spoil before use.

Store Grocery Items

With all the cold items put away, I then concentrate on the dry items. As I adjust my pantry’s contents ^[8], I make room for the new items. I continue placing the new items purchased behind any existing products. For example, a new bottle of salad dressing is placed behind the Italian and Ranch dressing currently in the pantry.

Prepare for Next Visit

Though all my items are put away, I’m not done cleaning up and preparing for my next visit ^[9]. To do so, I return all the reusable bags to the car, remove remaining items (i.e., toothpaste, cleaners, medication, etc.), and wipe down the kitchen counters.

As I prepared and choose the savings for my family, I take care to put the items away for easy accessibility at meal time. In start savings from scratch, I have almost completed the process. In next week’s post, I will complete this series with my evaluation process. Keep on saving while using time wisely. Happy organizing!

Question: How often do you organize your food supply areas?