The Home Edit shares how kitchen organization brings better food choices

Many people are enthralled with The Home Edit, Joanna and Clea, and their organization concepts. From color coding to finding the right process, there are various elements to their method that many people have easily adapted into their own home. Why can’t those ideas apply to how people approach their food choices?

Recently, Joanna and Clea spoke to FoodSided about their approach to an organized kitchen and how it can be a resolution for better food choices. While will-power might be needed to pick the vegetables over the brownie, making sure that smart food choices are front and center can make the better option much clearer.

Many people open the refrigerator or freezer and say “there’s nothing to eat.” While that statement can be an exaggeration, the underlying problem can be their organization.

For Joanna and Clea, the change is simple. They said, “you must create designated zones for each category! Store items in clear containers and label by category. This will ensure that all of your items remain visible and accessible, as well as simplify your grocery shopping and meal prep routine. We also suggest removing items from their original packaging to maximize shelf space.”

With those ideas in mind, other lifestyle choices fall into place. Joanna and Clea think that resetting the space can help reset those food choices. They said, “It’s easier to make healthier choices when you have an organized fridge and freezer. You literally have to start fresh. Remove everything from space and edit your items. If something is expired or doesn’t help you reach your goals, toss it. Only then can you decide on a functional system that works for you!”

Of course, a few tricks make family life even easier. For example, The Home Edit suggests “keeping frozen meals on hand at all times. Healthy Choice Power Wraps are staples for us because our kids are picky eaters. They are delicious but also healthy…which we appreciate.”

In addition, the pair recommends “Birds Eye Vegetables because their options are so versatile. Their frozen vegetables can be used as a side or as an ingredient in a recipe…which is super helpful!”

Even with all the favorite foods in the house, sometimes food can get lost in that pantry. The ideas from the refrigerator organization can apply elsewhere, too.

The Home Edit said, “Designated zones are just as important in a pantry as they are in a fridge! Figure out what belongs in bins and what deserves a canister. Your favorite nuts, dried fruit, and dry ingredients are great canister candidates. Boxes of crackers, bags of chips, and cereal your children talked you into getting “just this once,” are better off being stored in a bin so they can be easily swapped out.”

For Joanna and Clea, they put the focus on a simple idea. “If your items are visible and accessible, you are more likely to eat them…not forget about them.” It is the easiest way to avoid food waste.

While it can be hard to pick just one place to organize, Joanna and Clea recommend the fridge or the pantry. Their reasoning is simple, “The items that live there have a high turnover rate, which makes them harder to maintain. Functional systems in these spaces are an absolute MUST!”

It isn’t that other spaces aren’t equally as important, too. Their concept is simple. “When items have a designated home, it takes the guesswork out of where things belong, and also holds you accountable when you start to exceed that space. Two very important things! This is the magic of systems at work, people!”

If you haven’t resolved to make some changes in home, it might be time. That organized life might be the spark to some more creative cooking in your home, too.

What changes have you made in your kitchen? Are you ready to adapt some of The Home Edit’s suggestions?