Resolve to Start With What You Have: A 4-Step January Food Reset
The January fridge is a funny thing. At first glance, it can look empty. The typical, everyday staples are missing, but a closer look reveals plenty of odds and sods left over from the holidays.
There may be half-empty jars of artichokes, hummus, or chutney. In the cheese bin, you might find forgotten brie, goat cheese, or paneer. The produce drawer might hold extra cranberries, oranges, carrots, sweet peppers, or fresh chilies, while the pantry has open boxes of crackers, naan, and chocolate.
These tasty morsels provide the perfect opportunity to reset our intentions for reducing food waste and practice our food skills. Instead of wiping the slate by tossing those odds and sods, January invites us to start the year by using what we already have.
With that in mind, here’s a simple four-step plan to help you use up holiday leftovers and set yourself up for a more sustainable year ahead.
A 4-Step January Food Reset
Step 1. Take Inventory and Flag “Use First” Foods
Look through your fridge, pantry, and freezer and group what you already have.
- Cheeses and spreads
- Open jars and condiments
- Fruits, vegetables, and herbs starting to wither
- Bread, crackers, or buns threatening to go stale
Flag foods that need attention soon, move them to eye level or label them EAT ME FIRST.
Step 2. Plan Two Flexible Meals (Get Help if You Need It)
While meal planning, choose two flexible meals that use up several items from your EAT ME FIRST list. Consider:
- A simple curry, stew, or braise using vegetables, beans or lentils, and any open sauces or spices
- A frittata or omelette with cheese, vegetables, and whatever spreads or sauces are open
- Flatbreads, toast, or naan topped with cheese, olives, tapenade, or roasted vegetables
- A hearty salad with grains, cooked proteins, raw vegetables, dips or spreads thinned into a dressing, crackers crumbled on top for crunch, or bread turned into croutons
Can’t come up with ideas? Use Google or ChatGPT to spark inspiration. Try:
- “What can I make with brie, peppers, and roasted tomatoes?”
- “I have beans, fried plantains, and peppers. Give me 5 simple meal ideas.”
- “What are three meal ideas using hummus, flatbreads, baba ghanoush, and plain yogurt?”
Step 3. Savour Small Amounts
Leftover holiday sauces, dips and condiments may come in small quantities, but they deliver a big boost of flavour. Don’t pass up the opportunity to add a small dollop here or there:
- A spoonful of tapenade, anchovies or olives stirred into pasta or eggs
- Cream cheese or labneh mixed into mashed potatoes, curries or creamy soups
- Hummus, pesto, spinach dip added to salad dressings
- Extra beans mashed or added to rice dishes
Step 4. Freeze What You’re Not Ready For
Freezing buys time and keeps good food out of the bin. If you know you can’t use something in the next few days, freeze it before it’s too late. In general, most cooked foods and foods packed in oil freeze well. Foods with a high-water content tend not to freeze as successfully and are best used fresh.
Aim for Progress, Not Perfection
January isn’t about starting with an empty slate, it’s about starting where you are and practising your intention for a more sustainable year ahead.
Progress looks like fewer forgotten containers, more meals made from what you already have, and a little more confidence in the kitchen. Happy New Year!
