Organizing Tips (National Canned Food Month)

 

Canned food is budget friendly and useful to use when you are cooking. It saves you cooking time. Keep in mind the sodium content of canned food. However, these days you can find unsalted soups and vegetables in the can food aisle in the market. This month dedicate some time to sort your pantry shelf and create meals with your canned foods.

In February, you can carefully organize your canned foods on your pantry shelf. Make sure you keep the canned foods in a dry cool place. Also, write down the expiration dates of each of the cans. It is recommended to use the oldest canned foods first before they expire. Also, to rotate the cans as well as using seafood can food before it expires.

Foods that come in mason jars are also beneficial because you can repurpose the jars after you finished eating the food item. Tin can be repurposed for making pencil holders, for plant pots, tea lights, and for other arts and crafts. However, do not store your open canned food with the can in the refrigerator. Can food stored in a can without a lid does not last long in the refrigerator. Always store leftover canned food in another container with water or salt water.

First, store your closed cans and closed jars in your pantry with the label facing you. Second, you can use an organizer, can dispenser, or a magazine holder to store your canned foods. Another way to store your canned foods and jars is by the size of the can or jar. Arrange your canned foods and jars by vegetables, fruits, legumes, seafood, nuts, and other food type. Depending on your pantry space, you can have one shelf for your soups and the first area to find it quickly is the kitchen.

Do not leave leftover food on the counter for too long. Use your canned food as soon as possible once it is open or store it in a glass or reusable plastic container. Before you cook with canned beans, rinse, and drain the canned beans. Do the same thing with canned vegetables by rinsing and draining to reduce the sodium. Nonetheless, depending on how you will use your canned food, draining and rinsing the liquid from the canned items is recommended if you want to reduce the sodium.

Yet, if you purchase unsalted can food items or no added salt can still be rinsed off and drained. If you store canned food in a drawer, make sure you have a list of the canned food items that were stored in the drawer. Third, make sure all the cans have labels on them or make labels for the canned foods that have loose labels.

In addition to storing your canned goods in your kitchen pantry, have a duffle bag to store emergency canned goods. Every three or six months, review your canned goods from your kitchen pantry and from your earthquake emergency bag. Wash and dry your cans before storing them in your emergency bag, pantry, or drawer.  Nevertheless, the entire month of February is National Canned Food Month. Here are resources for organizing canned foods and canned jars. 

How to Organize Canned Goods So You Can Actually Find Them-Homes and Gardens:

How to organize canned goods so you can actually find them | (homesandgardens.com)

How to Organize Canned Goods in Cabinets, Pantries, and More-Better Homes & Gardens:

How to Organize Canned Goods in Cabinets, Pantries, and More (bhg.com)

*Transparent Canned Food Clip Art:

transparent canned food png - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)

* Clip Art of Food Can:

clip art food can - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)

* Clip art Images of Canned Foods-Clip Art:

clipart images of canned foods - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)

* Font and background from PiZap