Spring Clean Your Kitchen Pantry

Getting Started

• Start your spring cleaning by removing all items from the pantry or cupboard, so that you can thoroughly clean and sanitize the shelves. Use a mild detergent, appropriately mixed in warm water to clean, and then rinse with clean warm water.
• At this point, you may want to consider sanitizing the shelves. If using commercial sanitizing wipes, be sure to read the label for use. If you are making your own sanitizer with chlorine bleach, again read the label on the bottle of bleach to be sure it is safe to use on kitchen and food contact surfaces. The bleach should be unscented.
• When mixing chlorine bleach to use as a sanitizer be sure to follow the guidelines from University of Minnesota Extension for the correct concentration of chlorine bleach to water. For ultra-chlorine bleach (6% sodium hypochlorite), mix ¾ teaspoon per quart or 2 ½ teaspoons per gallon of warm water. Regular chlorine bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) should be mixed at a concentration of 1 teaspoon per quart or 1 Tablespoon per gallon of warm water. Spray or wipe on the solution and allow the shelves to completely air dry before returning food items.

Keeping or Tossing

Next, check the "use by" or "best by" dates on the food items from your cupboards. This date is determined by the manufacturer and is the last date recommended for use of the product for best quality. Most people wonder if the product can be used after this date and the answer is, it depends. It depends on the product itself, how it was handled, how it was stored, and how it is to be used. For example:

• The shelf life for baking powder and baking soda is 12-18 months. This is critical for these items, otherwise, the desired effects of leavening or helping a batter rise may not occur. To test the freshness of baking powder, mix 1 teaspoon with 1/3 cup hot water. Vigorous foaming means it still has rising power. Mix 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda with 1 tablespoon vinegar, if it fizzes, then it will still leaven a food.
• Spices and herbs tend to be other items that stay in our cupboards for many years and lose their potency for flavoring foods. In general, ground spices and herbs are good for 1 year, and whole spices for 2 years, when stored in a cool, dry location. If you have any of unknown age, you can use the "sniff" test to help determine their freshness. Ground spices when opened should have a strong aroma and spicy smell. Break, crush, or scrape whole spices looking for that strong spicy smell. Herbs that have a fresh aroma when crushed between your fingers are still good to use. Do not smell pepper or chili powder though, as they can irritate your nose.

For shelf-life information on other items, the Washington State University Extension publication "Cleaning Out the Kitchen Cupboard" offers additional tips. And, the USDA FoodKeeper app provides detailed information on safe storage and shelf life of all food products as well.

Now, determine what you are going to discard. Certainly, any canned goods that are rusted, dented, or bulging should be discarded. Look for signs of pests, such as egg casings or small holes in packaging and discard as well. This is also a good time to inspect and wipe off jars and cans of accumulated dust, dirt or other residue. By using food at its peak of quality, we can prevent food waste. If you are not sure about an item, remember, when in doubt, throw it out.

Restocking

• As you prepare to re-stock your cupboard, check the "use by" or "best by" dates and place older dated items in the front to ensure they are used first. This is the FIFO (First In First Out) method of storage.
• Michigan State University suggests that for future items use a permanent marker to mark the date of purchase and then use FIFO as you stock the shelf. This will be much easier to read than the manufacturers' dates.
• Remember that the ideal storage temperature for non-perishable foods is between 50°F and 70°F. If at all possible, avoid storing food in cupboards by the stove, dishwasher, or under the sink, as well as locations with extreme temperature changes such as the garage or basement.

A clean and organized kitchen pantry helps make food preparation more efficient and enjoyable and is also important for food safety.