This Easy Kitchen Trick Helps Save Tons of Money

Have you ever pulled a package of mystery meat out of the freezer, wondering “what’s this?” and “how long has it been in here?” If I couldn’t figure it out, it ended up in the trash, a regular ritual in my kitchen until I fell hard for the Sharpie. That pen is now an essential tool for labeling leftovers, saving big bucks. Here are 3 reasons why you should give this trick a try.

Photo via Meredith Publishing

1) Pros Do It

I first witnessed the beauty of this simple technique when I took a shot at becoming a professional cook. I worked in a Tom Douglas restaurant and was blown away by the walk-in fridge full of bins and bowls and racks filled with prepped ingredients, sauces, stocks. There, by the door was a roll of masking tape, and in most chefs/cooks jacket pockets, a pen snuggled up to the meat thermometer. When meal service gets rolling, there’s no time to frantically look for what’s needed, so labeling everything was all about survival. And it works, making cooks more organized and efficient. It can work at home, too.

2) Costs Little, Saves A Lot

I now keep a couple of $3 Sharpies in the junk drawer, near the fridge, and have made it a habit to label and date every single leftover. That’s a whole lot at my house because I always double a  batch of whatever I’m cooking, so I don’t have to worry about what to make for dinner during busy weeknights. Of course, there are many cooks much more organized, and this simple step might sound beyond obvious. But, despite my best intentions, I’ll occasionally forget and almost always regret it.

3) It’ll Unleash Your Inner Artist

Extend your creative skills beyond making the meal by adding a little smiley face or a lavish landscape, depending on your ability and mood. Guess what? There’s a whole industry that’s blossomed around the humble practice of labeling leftovers. You can even get custom labels made, which will make your lunch the object of envy when it sits among a crowded shelf of brown paper bags in the fridge at work.

Here’s a Quick Guide on How Long Foods Last in the Freezer

• Tomato/vegetable sauces: 6 months
• Meatloaf (any type of meat): 6 months
• Soups and stews: 2-3 months
• Poultry and Meat Casseroles: 6 months
• Poultry (cooked, no gravy): 3 months
• Poultry (with gravy/sauce): 5-6 months
• Meatballs in sauce: 6 months
• Pizza dough (raw, homemade): 3-4 weeks
• Muffins/quick breads (baked): 2-3 months

More Ways to Save Money

• Best Baked Pastas for Chilly Winter Nights
• 7 Ways to Stop Wasting Food
• I Gave Up Paper Towels and Saved $653
• 3 Ways to Make Inexpensive, Impressive Dinners
• The Surprising Way to Make a Cheap Cut of Steak Taste Great
• Don’t Pay for Bottled Simple Syrup! Here’s How to DIY

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