Spring Cleaning for Your Kitchen
Spring is here! That means the curtains are wide, windows are open and the spirit of spring cleaning in the air. With the warm weather afoot, here are some tips to cleaning your kitchen this spring.
1. Clean Out Your Fridge and Freezer
It’s time to dive in your refrigerator and deep freezer for all the food that got shoved to the back.
Starting with your freezer, throw away anything that’s freezer burned, going bad or out of date. If you package your own food, make sure to check the labels for the dates you froze them and use common sense when deciding what to keep. If you don’t label foods, now is a good time to remind yourself for later. Then, give your freezer a cleaning with a safe cleaning solution, paying attention to removable parts and their grooves.
Take a similar approach to cleaning the refrigerator. Throw away anything that’s been forgotten, is clearly out of date or of questionable freshness. If you don’t know how old the item is, it’s probably safer to throw it out. When you’re done cleaning the fridge, open a new box of baking soda and let it soak up any stray odors.
2. Check Dates on Pantry Items
The next step is inspecting your pantry. Throw away any expired cans of soup, bottled condiments and boxed noodles. Check the dates on any dried spices and seasonings. Just because they’re out of date doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad. However, seasonings will begin to lose their aroma and become less potent. If you’ve had a seasoning for a long time, it’s probably best to throw it out and buy a new one.
3. Getting Rid of Old Tupperware
Ever reach into your cabinet for a Tupperware container but can’t find a lid? Go through your reusable containers and make sure they have matching lids, and recycle or donate those that are cracked, broken or stained. Pair each container with its lid and organize them so you always have a set to match.
4. Donating Old or Unused Appliances
If you come across kitchen appliances that you use rarely, you should assess their usefulness. If they are faulty or broken, research the best way to throw away or recycle them. If you find an appliance that’s in good working order, consider finding a new home for it. You may consider selling it online or donating it to a family member or friend. You can also bring older appliances to your local donation center to help those in your community.
Make Room for the Best Italian Sausage
Now that you’ve cleaned out your fridge and freezer, you have room to buy ingredients to prepare meals for the upcoming weeks. On your shopping list, make sure to include Premio Hot Italian Sausage or one of the 40 varieties of recipe-ready sausage we offer.
Have any tips for cleaning out your fridge or freezer? Do you know of a good way to dispose of old appliances? Let us know in the comments below!