Organizing Your Kitchen

A well organized kitchen will help you cook faster and more efficiently. To make sure your kitchen is in top working order, follow these tips.

Stockpiling Staples

Keep your kitchen running smoothly by always having an ample supply of staple ingredients on hand items such as flour, sugar, eggs and milk. Although you shouldn't buy more than you can use in a reasonable period of time, buy enough to avoid extra trips to the grocery store.

Some common ingredients, such as sugar and flour, can be bought in quantity and stored in canisters or other airtight containers for several months. Since herbs and spices lose their flavor in about a year, purchase them in small quantities. The staple ingredients you'll want to stock depend on the foods and recipes you prepare. The following list includes ingredients commonly used in preparing a healthy food. Use this list as a guide when compiling your own list.

All purpose flour, sugar, brown sugar, shortening, cooking oil, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, pepper, spices, herbs, vanilla, mayonnaise, or salad dressing, prepared mustard, honey, vinegar, catsup, Worcestershire sauce, bottled hot pepper sauce, bouillon granules, coffee, tea, pasta, cereals, bread, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, milk, margarine, or butter, cheese, salad greens, vegetables, fruits, and fruit juices.

Which Form to Buy

When buying meats, vegetables, fruits, and other perishables, choose the form- fresh, canned, dried, or frozen that best fits your needs and storage facilities. When buying green beans, for example, choose fresh if you plan to cook them in a day or two. But if you're buying them to use at the end of the week, or just to keep on hand, buy frozen or canned. If freezer space is limited, opt for canned or dried items.

Arranging Food and Utensils

For maximum efficiency, keep in mind where, what, and how you cook. Place food supplies and utensils as close as possible to the spot where you'll use them. Save easy-to-reach shelve sand cupboards for the items you use most often. Store less frequently used items in more-out-of-the-way places.

Arrange canned goods and packaged mixes on shelves by types of food so that you can find them quickly and easily Periodically check the expiration dates on the labels and dispose of foods past their prime. Store the newest cans or packages toward the back and move older items to the front.

Avoid storing foods near appliances that give off heat (such as stoves, refrigerators, and freezers), or in damp areas. Heat and moisture shorten the shelf life of canned and packaged food.