The Art of the Fridge Restock
I'm back from Hawaii and my fridge is bleak.
Hey there,
How are you? And how’s your kitchen? Last we spoke, I was getting ready to abandon mine for a little over a week. But time has flown (as have I, all the way to Hawaii and back) and my little jaunt in the sun and sand has come to an end. Which means I can no longer ignore the reality of the situation happening in my fridge right now. At the time of this writing, it’s bleak—I have wilted greens and expired sauces abound, but nary the ingredients for a complete meal in sight.
I’m sure you’ve been in my shoes before, and will be there again in the future. So today, I want to share my quick little guide to getting refrigerator things back in order.
We got in mid-day yesterday after a redeye with barely enough energy to do much other than collapse on the couch. I ordered takeout Chinese for dinner (thank you No 1. Chinese in Fort Greene) and put my fridge-management effort off until after I’d had a full night’s sleep. I got that full night’s sleep (well, mostly, the pregnancy insomnia/jet lag cocktail is a strong one) so today I’m buckling down and getting my refrigerator ready for the week ahead.
Here’s how:
Assess the situation. This where I pay for the sins of pre-vacation Erica. You may be a little more organized than I am, but I was eager to get out of the cold and onto a beach, so left my home in haste. And the refrigerator shows it. Now that it’s time to tend to her, I’ll look for things that need to be composted (a quarter of an avocado, some old rice) and tossed (random little sauce containers from pre-trip takeout, some certainly expired oat milk) and do that composting and tossing. And while this isn’t the time for a full fridge overhaul, I do like to wipe any exposed surfaces that need wiping. I also check for staples that I’ve run out of and make note. Most importantly, I check what’s left in the fridge that I can use. And I use that information to…
Make a plan. I’m not typically much of a detailed meal planner, but I find the little extra guidance helpful the week after a big trip. So based on the items I have left in my fridge that are still edible, I jot down an idea of what Quentin and I will be eating for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks for the week ahead. After this trip, I’ve got a tub of cream cheese that’ll be used for breakfast toast, still-good tortillas for a dinner of black bean quesadillas, and some cottage cheese that’s miraculously still edible—I’ll be snacking on that with fruit and granola. If you wan’t more guidance on meal planning, Nisha wrote this great article for Vox (Abigail and I were interviewed!) where you can gain some insight. Here’s a look at my full plan for this week:
Now, make a list. A grocery list, that is. I use my meal plan as a guide, but am also sure to include staple items—half and half for coffee, spindrift and apple juice for sipping on, condiments that are running low—and as always, I keep my list as organized as possible. Here’s this week’s list:
Head out on your shop. This one’s self explanatory. I’m on my way out the door right now! My main advice here is if you, like me, have the flexibility—nay, luxury— to go to the grocery store at a time it’s less likely to be packed, do that. Here in New York, weekdays before 11am are a good bet.
And just like that my fridge went from frightening to full. (Aside, really, truly, not thrilled for the return of Aidan, how about you?) Keep up with the soup and quesadillas I’ll be making this week over on Instagram, and don’t be shy, let me know if you have any post travel tips in the comments section!
xx
Erica
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