November 15th is #CleanOutTheFridgeDay—a great opportunity to refresh your kitchen, reduce waste, and make meal prepping a breeze before Thanksgiving. 🦃 🍂
Food Network Star Catherine McCloud and the Declutter Empress Derria team up to offer you essential kitchen decluttering tips and meal prep strategies to make room for your holiday ingredients and the biggest cooking day of the year!
🎉 On this bonus episode of Declutter Empress Radio, host Derria chats with Catherine McCord, author of Meal Prep Time Saving Tricks for Stress-Free Cooking, to share practical ways to transform your kitchen into a zen oasis just in time for the holidays!
Listen on Apple Podcasts Spotify or iHeart Radio
Thanksgiving Kitchen Prep Action Plan
Getting your fridge and pantry holiday-ready means creating space for big Thanksgiving ingredients and making sure your kitchen is organized for the busiest cooking day of the year.
Here’s your quick action plan to get started:
🗑️ Purge and Donate
To kick off Thanksgiving prep, let’s start by clearing out your fridge and pantry! Catherine’s advice for this first step:
Toss Expired Items: Get rid of anything expired or past its prime. That extra space will make it easier to store large items like the Thanksgiving turkey and trays of ingredients.
Donate Unopened Goods: If you have non-perishable items that you won’t use, donate them to a local food bank—perfect timing to give back for the holidays!
Clean the Shelves: Give fridge shelves and drawers a quick wipe-down so your holiday ingredients stay fresh and organized.
Declutter Empress Tip: Set a 15-minute timer, play your favorite Thanksgiving playlist, and see how much space you can free up. Extra points for donating unopened items!
📦 Organize for Easy Thanksgiving Prep
Once you’ve purged, it’s time to organize! An organized kitchen means smoother, stress-free meal prep on Thanksgiving Day.
Visible Storage: Transfer dry goods like flour, sugar, and spices into clear jars. This way, your ingredients are easy to spot when prepping pies and casseroles. 🥧
Label Everything: Label jars and containers so you can grab what you need quickly, saving you precious time when cooking multiple dishes.
Group Ingredients by Dish: Store ingredients by dish or cuisine for easy access—think all the pie-making items in one spot.
Thanksgiving Prep Tip: Invest in matching containers that stack easily. This makes storing leftovers simpler and more organized after the big meal!
💸 Plan for Savings and a Stress-Free Thanksgiving
With grocery prices on the rise, Thanksgiving can get expensive. Catherine shares her top tips for meal planning and budget-friendly shopping to make the holiday affordable:
Inventory First: Before shopping, take stock of what you already have. Planning meals around what’s already in your fridge and pantry helps avoid doubling up on ingredients.
Shop Seasonal and Save: Prioritize seasonal produce like pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and cranberries—they’re fresher and often cheaper.
Batch Cook and Freeze: Make-ahead items, like pie crusts or cranberry sauce, can be prepared in advance and frozen to save time and space.
Thanksgiving Meal Prep Hack: Pre-chop ingredients like onions, carrots, and celery and freeze them in advance so you can quickly assemble sides and stuffing on Thanksgiving Day.
📝 Your Thanksgiving-Ready Clean Out the Fridge Day Plan
Follow Catherine’s POPE method to declutter and organize in time for Thanksgiving:
Purge: Clear out expired items and donate what you won’t use. 🗑️
Organize: Use clear containers, label everything, and group items by dish. 📦
Prep: Plan meals around your current pantry and fridge items to save money. 📅🍲
Execute: Use meal prep strategies to save time and reduce Thanksgiving Day stress. 🎉
Resources:
Website: Weelicious.com
Twitter / X @Weelicious
Follow Declutter Empress Radio on Apple Podcasts Spotify or iHeart Radio for more actionable advice on simplifying your space, decluttering, and meal prepping like a pro.
Let’s make this Thanksgiving organized, stress-free, and delicious!
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