Food Storage Series Part 6: Keeping Track of It All

This post will conclude our series on food storage. I absolutely welcome all your comments (because let's face it, I'm no expert). Do you have any great tips? Have you found great ways to organize your food storage in small spaces or on a limited budget? Do you have a state-of-the-art inventory system?


I do not have a state-of-the-art inventory system. As most everything I do with food storage, I keep track of what I have in a very simple way. In addition to trying to keep everything in my brain and remember generally what we have on hand, I use a white board on the fridge.

This white board looks ridiculous. I bought it when we were first married in August 2006. Since it was back to school time, the locker supplies were on sale. So I got this goofy teen white board on a great sale, and it's still on the fridge after almost 4 years. It didn't even come with a marker, so I have a dry erase marker attached to a random magnet with a rubber band. High class, I tell you.

I use the top part of the white board to keep track of the meal plan for the week. It's a constant reminder of the little things I need to do (start the crock pot, defrost that chicken, etc, etc). I use the middle of the white board to write myself reminder notes (don't forget Monday's appointment, dinner idea for next week, etc.). The bottom section of the white board is what helps me keep track of my food storage.

Every time I start to run low on an ingredient in the kitchen cupboards or fridge, I run down to the storage room to get more. If I start to run low in the storage room, I write that ingredient on the white board. I try to put things on the white board before I actually run out so that I have time before I need to buy it. Then I watch the sales. If one of these ingredients goes on sale, I stock up. If I end up needing something for a meal plan before it goes on sale, I still have room in my budget to pick one up.

It's nothing close to genius, but it's a simple system that works for me!