Pantry & Fridge Organization from a Neurodiverse Lens

Set yourself up for success with an organized pantry and fridge! Knowing what food you have at home (and where to find it) can save you time, reduce food waste, and prevent duplicate purchases.

Manage Your Kitchen ‘Inventory’

Keep tabs on what you have with a written kitchen inventory list. You can keep a physical list taped to the inside of a cabinet or the side of a fridge, or you can keep a digital list on your computer or phone.

Organize Your Inventory

Organize your list in the way that works for your brain. Inventory lists can be organized by food categories, such as proteins, dairy, fruits, vegetables, snacks, or breakfast items. Alternatively, inventory lists can be organized by where the food is stored, like pantry – bottom shelf, pantry – middle shelf, and so on.

Maintain Your Inventory

Periodically, it will be important to maintain your kitchen inventory list. This could be done while you are planning meals for the week and making a grocery list.

Space-Saving and Visibility Solutions

Once you’ve taken inventory of what you have, the next step is organizing your space in a way that supports visibility and ease of use. Have you ever heard “out of sight, out of mind?” This concept can get some people into trouble when it comes to the way their food is stored. For example, those berries in the back of the fridge, or that box of cereal that’s been sitting on the top shelf of the pantry, for way too long, probably would have been eaten in a timely manner (aka before the berries turned to mush and the cereal turned stale) if they were in a more visible spot. Here are some tips for organizing your pantry with visual cues in mind:

Designate Zones by Food Category. For example, keep the breakfast cereals and other breakfast items together in the panty; store all of the canned items together; store snacks together, and so on. Having a dedicated place will help you know exactly where to look based on the item you’re looking for.

Place Priority Foods in the Most Visible Spots. Do you have goals to eat breakfast consistently, or maybe goals to choose fruit as a snack more often? Then make sure these foods are the most visible. For example, keep breakfast foods in the pantry and fridge at eye level so that they’re the first thing you notice. Try keeping some fruits, like apples and bananas, on the counter so that you have the visual reminder  to meet your goal.

Have Countertop Awareness. Reflect on how countertop clutter affects your mood. Decide whether you should have everything stored out of sight or if you should keep certain items more visible on countertops as visual cues.

Use Organization Tools, like lazy Suzan’s, pull-out shelves, or clear storage containers. These items help to maximize storage space and visibility, while keeping your pantry or fridge organized. Consider labeling shelves, cabinets or containers to make foods easier to find.

Aim for Simplicity. Whatever approach you choose, keep it simple and manageable. Be cautious of overstocking your pantry, as this can lead to clutter and unnecessary duplicate food items.

Start with a Clean Slate. Consider starting fresh by emptying your pantry and reorganizing the food you already have on hand

Organization is a Supportive Tool

A well-organized kitchen can reduce stress, save time and make eating and food preparation more approachable. The most important thing is to use the system that works best for you. Start small, be flexible and remember that organization is a supportive tool, not something you must do perfectly.

Article by Regan Henry MS, RD, LDN, CEDS-C

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