Engie asked for a fridge and pantry tour, and what the heck? Except SPOILER there is no pantry **whomp whomp**
We DO have a gross basement fridge (nothing wrong with this fridge except that Ben is in charge of cleaning it, and it has **never** been cleaned.)
It mainly holds overflow milk, bread (I like my bread in the fridge **shrug**) and random alcohol and mixers. Sometimes if I have ingredients I don't want the kids to eat, I stash them in here, and it is the official Thanksgiving Leftover Storage Spot.
The freezer on top is... a waste of space? I mean we do have a whole ass DUCK in there that I will never let Ben cook because I think duck is gross. Also popsicles, overflow chicken nuggets (LOL) and... other stuff that's too gross to eat because it has been frozen longer than 3 of my kids have been alive. There's at least 1 homemade pot pie and probably a lasagna from the time of the Obama administration. Plus big bags of frozen fruit that I overbought at some point and maybe some bagels in the back?
Also not my space to clean, so **shrug**
What I have? Is a mess with LOTS AND LOTS of condiments, and even though I clean them out every few weeks, I always have more than we can reasonably use.
I also wipe the whole fridge down every week and clean out the meat and veggie drawers, and my fridge is still messy and has spills and crumbs. WHY?
In a perfect world, the upstairs fridge would be counter-depth, and this particular fridge/freezer combo would live in the garage to hold snacks and ice cream and beer. SOMEDAY MAYBE.
Right now, it is ALWAYS super full, first with groceries and, then, as the week progresses, with various tupperware containers of leftovers.
Always both produce drawers and usually the very bottom shelf are full to bursting
MORE PRODUCE cut up and ready for snacking on the shelf
SO MUCH CHEESE YOU GUYS.
Current lunch and snack fave-- mini bagels. The perfect size for Minnie's bento box!
Stephany asked about favorite breakfasts, and this is mine. I like to eat it in the car with a coffee on my way to work or home from school drop off while I listen to a book. It is a ton of calories and really well balanced and keeps me snack and craving free until lunch time.
Dorothy has been LOVING these meat and cheese snacks from Aldi-- she takes one for lunch with pretzels or crackers, fruit, match sticked baby carrots, and something sweet, and it's a perfect sandwich alternative for a kid who does not like sandwiches.
Our cabinets are kind of a shit show. Actually, if you come over, you will see that EVERY DRAWER, CLOSET, AND CABINET in the house is a shit show. It is just who I am, and I am not going to change NOW if the first 45 years are any indication.
We have one teeny little terrible spice cabinet
This other regular size cabinet gradually also became spices and small baking ingredients (the big stuff like sugar and flour is in an even bigger jumble-- I AM WHO I AM)
Also with flour and sugar is SOME BUT NOT ALL of my casserole dishes and pie pans and also parchment paper and foil and frosting bags because why would I ever store them with, like, frosting tips?. It makes zero sense.
We do not have a pantry, but DO have 2 really big cabinets jam effing packed with food of all kinds in a manner that defies categorization.
Like the fridge, these cabinets are really, really DEEP in a way that is actually super not helpful because WHO THE HELL KNOWS WHAT'S ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK? That's a rhetorical question because
I know in the space of my brain that used to be absofuckinglutely BRILLIANT when I was, say, a PhD candidate defending my preliminary exams or researching my dissertation. Now I am a Wisconsin-sized mom who can always find you that particular kind of protein bar or box of tea you've been searching for in the cabinet. ASK ME WHERE YOUR PISTACHIOS ARE because I KNOW THAT ONE, too.
Like 3 rows of cereal deep
And then! In the laundry room! Right as we are on the way to the garage, we have boxes of random prepackaged snacks that we can grab to fill activity bags or the center console of my minivan or my purse. NO ONE LEAVES WITHOUT A SNACK DAMNIT.
Underneath those are bins of other stuff we need to grab on the way out the door: lipstick, lip balm, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, Minnie's tablet, tiny jars of play doh, mess-free coloring books, random kiddie books, markers, stickers, bouncy balls, small wooden puzzles, ziploc bags of Legos with a Lego mat to play on, etc. NO ONE LEAVES WITHOUT AMUSEMENTS, either.
Phew! There you have it. WHERE ALL THAT FOOD GOES.
While I was writing this, I thought of some mom hack stuff I have learned over the years, namely about things to always have on hand because you never know when a million kids are going to be at your house, etc.
Treats you should always stock:
Cinnamon rolls in a tube (can be a fun breakfast or a cozy snack)
Cookie dough (when you don't even have time to make cookies)
ingredients for chocolate chip cookies (specifically
THESE)
brownie mix
frozen pizza
Twizzlers and/or gummy bears (with the pizza and popcorn you are ALWAYS READY for movie night or a fun matinee)
tiny marshmallows
Back up meal at the ready:
Frozen chicken nuggets
Boxed mac and cheese
canned green beans
applesauce
(this stuff like NEVER GOES BAD, and when it almost does JUST SERVE THIS TERRIBLE MEAL and restock for like $6. But chances are you will have an oh shit dinner night long before anything expires)
Smoothie stuff: (the quick and dirty oh my god it has been a whole day since my kid ate any fruit edition)
bananas
milk
yogurt
frozen fruit
granola
If I always have all of this stuff on hand, I can solve all situations with food. LIKE THE EMOTIONAL EATER I AM.
Any essential items you keep stocked that might be surprising to others? Does anyone have a fridge salad bar? What's your emergency cabinet meal that you always have on hand?
