Living in a small apartment doesn't mean you have to go without great, fresh food. There are plenty of ways to save space in your kitchen and still have room for all of your culinary creations. With a little creativity and some space-saving tips, you can keep even the tiniest kitchen full of fresh food as well as neat, tidy, and sustainable! Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Label foods with expiration dates
This will help you to keep track of what needs to be eaten soon and what can be stored for later. It may seem like an obvious suggestion, but it's easy to forget what you have on hand when everything is stored in a jumbled mess. Labelling foods will help you to quickly and easily identify items that you need, saving you time and hassle during meal preparation.
2. Group similar items together
When storing food, try to group things together that will be used together. This will make it easier to find what you need and minimise the amount of time that you spend rummaging through your cupboards. It's a tip that applies equally to food items as it does utensils.
3. Sign up for a fruit & veg delivery service
Subscribing to a delivery service for your fresh produce will stop those impulse buys at the grocery store. When you eliminate over-shopping, you're more likely to eat the produce you buy while its fresh, reducing food waste – one of the most eco-friendly habits you can adopt! The small Good & Fugly boxes are perfect if space is a commodity in the kitchen – you won't need to worry about where to store an overabundance of potatoes!
4. Creative storage spaces
If you don't have the luxury of a big pantry, plenty of cupboards or bench space in your kitchen, don't be afraid to store essentials in unconventional places. Wire baskets in the fridge helps maximise space for awkwardly shaped fruit and vegetables; a pegboard or magnetic strip mounted on the wall can be used to hang utensils, knives or small items; and the oven makes a perfect storage space for bulky pots and pans.
5. Invest in a vacuum sealer
For small spaces, a food vacuum sealer is a worthwhile investment. Not only does vacuum sealing make perishable foods like meat and fish last longer, it allows you to store them almost flat. Bags of vacuum sealed chopped fruit, cuts of meat, or even soups, stocks and sauces can be 'stacked' in the freezer for maximum space saving.
