Stocking Your Kitchen with Perishables: Notion Pantry Planner in Real Life!
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Not sure how to stock a refrigerator? Refrigerator staples vary person to person but I’ve created a refrigerator staples list that can be adapted to any meal plan and preference! This refrigerator stock list will help jumpstart your perishable stocking. I’ve also included information about how to stock a freezer. Keep reading and learn how I do all of this using my Notion Pantry Template!
Read about how I organize my dry goods with my Notion Pantry Template here!
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Are you tired of rummaging through your fridge and freezer to find something to eat? Or are you constantly finding expired and spoiled food in your fridge or freezer? It may be time to stock up on some refrigerator and freezer staples! Let’s discuss how I stock stock my refrigerator and freezer, and provide you with a list of 10 refrigerator staples and 10 freezer staples to make your grocery shopping easier. I use my Pantry Planner for Notion to organize all of my perishable and nonperishable kitchen stock!
How to Stock a Refrigerator
The first step to stocking a refrigerator is to clean it out. Take everything out of the fridge and throw away any expired or spoiled food. Wipe down the shelves and drawers with warm, soapy water, and dry them thoroughly. Now you're ready to start stocking!
Milk: Whether you prefer cow's milk or a plant-based alternative, milk is a refrigerator staple. I know cow’s milk grosses some people out but my toddler loves it and I use it for my late-night bowl of Frosted Flakes.
Eggs: Fun fact: I didn’t eat eggs as a breakfast item until college. It looks like my toddler is following in my footsteps. We still have a love-hate relationship but I bake quite often and eggs are obviously a necessity there.
Cheese: We have like 3 different parmesan options in the fridge at any given time. Shredded cheddar is a MUST HAVE, mainly to add to the aforementioned eggs. I also love the Trader Joes party pack of cheese for my afternoon charcuterie (aka me just eating cheese and some salami straight from the package).
Butter: My mom said we use a ton of butter. I love butter. I use it for cooking, especially (again) for the eggs!
Yogurt: Penelope is a yogurt fiend. But I also keep plain Greek Yogurt on hand as a sour cream substitute. I don’t know why I don’t just buy sour cream, it seems like a luxury for some weird reason.
Fresh vegetables: I haven’t found the right tray yet but I saw a girl on Tiktok who makes herself a veggie tray every week and I’m obsessed with the idea and will be making one immediately. I also like to have spinach on hand…for eggs. I’m realizing most of my refrigerator staples exist to help me make eggs…
Fresh fruit: Fresh fruit is kind of a non-negotiable when you have a 2-year-old. My go tos are apples, bananas, and a berry to keep costs somewhat low. We also do a lot of applesauce and fruit cups.
Condiments: Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and salad dressing are all refrigerator staples. I also count Trader Joe’s sauerkraut n this category. And I often make pickled red onions to have on hand too!
Leftovers: We have leftovers for lunch. I don’t usually buy lunch specific food because we have enough from dinner to eat the next day.
Beverages: Any other beverage goblins? My current beverage obsessions are Fresca, Orange-Peach-Mango juice, and Blackberry LaCroix!
Adding all of your favorites to the Pantry Planner for Notion to start is a bit of a pain but once they’re there, it’s easy to update your stock levels and see what you have on hand without standing in front of the refrigerator.
Refrigerator Stock List
Now that you know the refrigerator staples, let's talk about how to stock your fridge. Here are some tips:
Plan your meals: Before you go grocery shopping, plan out your meals for the week. This will help you buy only what you need and avoid food waste.
Use clear containers: I want to buy acrylic bins and store all of my snack options in their own little bin. I get overwhelmed and forget what I bought for a snack and end up starving or eating cheese from the bag.
Keep like items together: Group similar items together, like dairy products or vegetables, to make it easier to find what you need. DISCUSS THIS PLAN WITH EVERYONE ELSE WHO LIVES IN YOUR HOUSE!
Use the right temperature: Make sure your fridge is set to the right temperature (between 35-40°F) to keep your food fresh.
Rotate items: When you add new items to your fridge, move older items to the front so they get used first. Especially spinach.
In your Pantry Planner for Notion, you can update the preset properties to reflect your labels and groups to make pantry organization even easier! Plus, you can track expiration dates right in Notion to eliminate any concern about dumping things into new, more aesthetic containers!
How to Stock a Freezer
Now let's talk about how to stock a freezer. Freezing food is a great way to preserve it and keep it fresh for longer. Here are some freezer staples:
Meat: Whether you prefer chicken, beef, or pork, meat is a great freezer staple. Buy in bulk or on sale and save for later!
Frozen vegetables: Frozen vegetables are a convenient way to add nutrients to your meals. They're also great for stir-fries and soups. And for sprained ankles.
Frozen fruit: Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies or as a healthy snack. I, personally, use frozen fruit as ice cubes for my LaCroix.
Bread: Keep a loaf of bread in the freezer for quick and easy toast or sandwiches. If I make bread, I’ll slice it and toss it in the freezer if we won’t eat it in time!
Ice cream: Always have ice cream on hand. And Italian Ice. And Popsicles.
Frozen pizza: Try every frozen pizza brand and have 2 of your favorites on hand at all times!
Frozen seafood: Fish and shrimp are great freezer staples. I’m a meal planner and I’m really rigid with my schedule due to neurodivergence so I can’t just adjust my schedule to eat fish the same day I buy it. Frozen seafood is a good way to meal plan while still getting some yummy shrimp!
Frozen waffles or pancakes: My breastmilk was primarily Blueberry Eggo Waffles and Mini Cadbury Eggs for…at least 4 months. We will ALWAYS have them in the fridge.
Frozen dinners: Trader Joes is the best at these. The Butter Chicken, Fiery Chicken, and Mac and Cheese with Green Chiles are my favorites. Obviously also the Orange Chicken but that requires more than a microwave.
Soup: Whenever you make a pot of soup, make a double batch. After a month of making soup once a week, you will have 4 weeks’ worth of soup in your freezer. And then you can make soup every other week and defrost the rest of the time.
Organizing your freezer with these essentials is easy in the Pantry Planner for Notion! Just change the quantity you want to have on hand, adjust your stock levels, and never run out of frozen pizzas again!
Freezer Stock List
Now that you know the freezer staples, let's talk about how to stock your freezer. Here are some tips:
Label everything: Use a marker to label the date and contents of each container or bag. I hide a sharpie on the top of the fridge for this so no one takes it.
Use freezer bags: Use freezer bags to store items like meat, vegetables, and fruit. Target makes the best freezer bags. And make sure to freeze on a SHEET PAN first before standing up your bags.
Keep it organized: Group similar items together, like frozen vegetables or meats.
Don't overfill: Don't overfill your freezer as this can make it difficult to find what you need. Leave some space for air to circulate.
Use a thermometer: Use a thermometer to make sure your freezer is set to the right temperature (between 0-5°F). This will help keep your food fresh and prevent freezer burn.
Stocking a refrigerator and freezer doesn't have to be difficult. By keeping these staples on hand, you'll be prepared to make a variety of meals and snacks. Remember to plan your meals, keep your fridge and freezer organized, and label everything to avoid confusion.
I’ve found the best way to ensure my kitchen stays organized is by using Notion. I can plan my stock essentials, organize myself, and make a grocery list of what I need next to slowly build over time! Read more about the planner here or click below to purchase it for yourself!
