to think I am not the only one who has a list of fresh food in the fridge and use by dates

[chomalungma]

I haven't got a freezer - so it's fresh food only.

Me and DS - I have a mixture of fresh and cooked meat as well as vegetables. All organised in the fridge. A list of items and use by dates - including some well preserved food.

Just disappointed I couldn't get a large chicken today - I love the MN chicken.

I was tempted to do a colour coded spreadsheet - but that would have been a bit excessive.

I haven't done the tinned food yet - maybe that could go on a spreadsheet.

Am I the only one :)

Surely you’d eat food in the wrong order and have to throw food away if you didn’t

Normally we do 2 - 3 small shops a week.

Now this is a week shop - and hopefully with some fresh food if we have to suddenly self isolate.

Hence the gammon and bacon.

I don't really have to go shopping for at least a week now.

I don't have a list but the information is all in my head. I check dates as I put stuff away. Occasionally a stray yoghurt will go out of date but I don't have much food wastage.

I love lists. I've currently got a list of what is in each freezer drawer. Saves time hunting for stuff and I know what I have when I want to cook.

I've also got a half arsed laminated calendar sheet I thought would be a good idea to write with a white board pen the contents of the fridge and their use by dates.

It would only work if my DP was also on board with my flights of fancy.

No, but that's a great idea (which I'm stealing). Thank you OP x

Christ no , no. Life is too short for that 😂

@chomalungma Ah that makes sense for you then. We tend to do one big shop for 10-14 days so more essential to plan, know when you’re taking things out of the fever etc.

No I just look at it and decide what we are having.

I'm shit at planning anything ahead. I buy alot of random stuff that i know i enjoy then check on the day or the night before what needs used up.

We very very rarely throw food away. I'm fairly lax with sell by dates and if i have anything I think I really wont use on time I give it away or cook it to be reheated to give it a few more days life.

I wish I hate the motivation to be as organised as people who write things like this down and plan ahead but it just doesn't come naturally to me at all.

I have a spreadsheet! Why not? I'm not hurting anyone, I have plenty of time on my hands and I pride myself on never letting food go out of date and into the bin!

Mine is colour coded. Nothing fancy just a bit of conditional formatting to tell me when the use by date is this week or next week. Did a roast chicken on Friday and feel like a failure as it's only done 2 of us for two meals.

Really only the meat and dairy has important use by dates. There are 7 days in the week. I seem to be able to remember the order for the 3 ingredients for those which might go out of date before the end of the week 🤷‍♀️

I've got a magnetic whiteboard thing that sticks to the fridge. I do meal planning at one side and the use by dates of everything in the fridge down the other side. Very useful.

You are my people.
I have a list of every morsel of food in the house, together with lunches and dinners for the next 10 days. I am treating the situation like we are living on a desert island and am not throwing anything away.

As long as you don't throw everything right after it's use by date out even if it's still ok, it's great. Rotate, rotate, rotate. First in, first out.

Really only the meat and dairy has important use by dates.
Have you ever tried stilton month after it's dare? Heavenly! Soooooo good.
Supermarket cheese usually needs extra time

I've gone for a simple Word table of items and use by dates and I also have one for the freezer (no use by dates) 💅

I usually shop weekly but I have a shopping app with a pantry list on it that you can tick when I need to buy and it is transferred to the shopping list. I generally meal plan but don't religiously stick to it.
I have 1 and half freezers that have plenty in. I'm currently challenging myself to eat everything in the freezers and cupboards, I'm interested to see how long it will all last, I expect a good 4 more weeks.

I am treating the situation like we are living on a desert island and am not throwing anything away

I have mentioned that to DS. He is adapting to having food he does not normally eat because that's the plan.

So pizza is on Tuesday

Nothing wrong with a spreadsheet if it makes you happy

but what did people do before the coronovirus?!? Get random food and bin the rest that was forgotten at the back of the fridge?

I'm just wondering how much food everyone has rammed into their fridges that they need a list/spreadsheet in the first place!

It seems a popular opinion and I'm not slating anyone for it, but o just can't see the need.

Why do you need use by dares for fresh food? Veg land dairy is good until it goes off and the shelf life of meat can be extended by cooking it.

but what did people do before the coronovirus?!? Get random food and bin the rest that was forgotten at the back of the fridge

No - I just did more shops in a week.

Now I have enough food to last 2 weeks.

I didn't throw food out before - but I did more shops.

m just wondering how much food everyone has rammed into their fridges that they need a list/spreadsheet in the first place

Enough to survive 2 weeks - and do lunch and tea.

I have done this for years. My fridge freezer is tall and narrow with the fridge on the top. I am short and couldn't see what was at the back of it so things used to get overlooked or forgotten about, especially things like opened jars. Keeping track of what is in there makes sense and certainly doesn't suggest that people are 'ramming' their fridges.

Ive done a list like that for years. When dc cook a meal, they can't just get the thing they fancy out the fridge they have to check what is there and what - if anything needs to be cooked first.