Marie Kondo Your Fridge

By now every one has heard of Marie Kondo, the cute perky queen of organizing. Due to her Netflix show, hundreds of Americans are reorganizing their closets and thanking the items of apparel for sparking joy. Any home chef can do this with their fridge as well. This one did.
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To be honest nothing I threw out sparked joy, especially the ones with thick layers of mold. (I know,  I know) I had more science experiments in my refrigerator than a biology lab and enough penicillin to cure half the East Coast. Not good. As anyone will know , it's so easy to buy stuff and then forget about it , thanks to the busy lives we all lead. To prevent this buy small. If you need sour cream for a recipe and you don't normally eat it, buy the smallest cup. All of it will usually get eaten. Even a medium sized tub can wind up be forgotten.You can buy bigger sizes of ketchup and mustard. One, these are used , and two an opened bottle of ketchup can last up to two years while an opened jar of  mustard can still be eaten after two to three years. Honey is another foodstuff that tends to get put at the back of the shelf. It can last six to eight months after its' jar is opened. Remember that it's not just for sweetening drinks, but can also be used to neutralize the acidity in tomato sauce and chili.

Another part of fridge clutter is leftover something. Too many times, we're guilty of even putting a mouthful of soup in the fridge, not wanting to waste a drop. Yet days pass, there are better leftovers to eat, that container gets forgotten. Next thing you know it's a month later and there's a layer of green gook on top of it. If you know you're not going to eat it after two or three days, then toss. Certain leftovers can be repurposed. Leftover chili can be slathered on hot dogs and burgers. Leftover rice can be refried with veggies for a main or side dish. If you've made egg noodles or spaetzle, then have what's left with just butter the next day. It makes for a filling  yet light lunch or dinner. The remainder of that Sunday roast can easily be refigured into not just sandwiches but also salads.Nothing beats a tomato and roast beef salad or a roast chicken laced Caesar one.Leftover ham and its' bones can be easily added to homemade pea soup.Any uneaten mashed potatoes lying around? If there's enough , then dip in beaten egg, dredge in breadcrumbs and fry for a tasty snack or meal.Just keep reminding yourself that leftovers need to be thrown out after a few days. Don't leave a bowl of something in the fridge for weeks. You'll never  eat it.

Konmari your fridge. Getting rid of all those uneaten or never eaten foods will make you feel better. They may not spark joy, but dumping them will give you some satisfaction.