January 13, 2011

Cutting the fat... literally and not so literally

I already admitted I am addicted to the farmer’s market. I have one more, somewhat related, confession: I am a food hoarder. I stockpile foods in my pantry and freezer “for future use” and while I slowly use up a can here or there, I continue to buy and stock up more.


For instance, right now in my pantry, I have, among other things:
  • white rice
  • soba noodles
  • Israeli couscous
  • fish sauce
  • vacuum-packed gnocchi
  • 3(!) types of pasta (lasagna, spirals, spaghetti)
  • a can of sardines
  • dried chickpeas
  • a can of green chiles
  • coarse-ground and fine cornmeal
  • stuff for Korean stock (dried shiitakes, kelp, etc.)
  • chocolate chips
  • steel-cut oats
  • rolled oats
  • a can of coconut milk
  • dried blueberries
  • chicken bouillon
  • a can of salmon
  • sesame seeds
  • canned pumpkin
  • panko
  • etc.

In my freezer:
  • several containers of chicken stock
  • corn
  • peas
  • shrimp
  • mixed seafood
  • puff pastry
  • tortillas
  • rice
  • leftover chana masala
  • some cannellini beans
  • walnuts
  • pecans
  • pine nuts
  • jjajangmyun-style noodles
  • anchovy powder
  • frozen cubes of cilantro, parsley, and pesto
  • chicken bones and random veggies (for future stock)
And don’t even get me started on my fridge!

Besides the perishables that are taunting me, I’ve got chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, capers, mustard... ahhh! It’s just too much.

As I discovered last year while moving, it is very easy to have an enormous amount of food without even realizing it. My lease is up at the end of March and although I don’t have to move, I am using the time as motivation to use up everything in my pantry and freezer. Also, I’m trying to reduce the amount of stuff I have in general in an effort to simplify my life and become a bit more efficient.

I'm hoping to accomplish this - without just dumping them into the trash - by buying just a few fresh ingredients to supplement whatever I already have and creating meals with these. Hopefully I will also avoid creating even more stockpiles of food with the leftovers.

So here goes!

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