Refrigerator Update and Stock Pile Tips!

For anyone who cares, and even if you don't, I'm reporting about the status of my refrigerator! About five minutes after posting my last post, I was in the kitchen emptying shelves. It took me a good chunk of time, but the inside of the fridge is looking amazing! While I was cleaning it, I was imagining the thank you note it will be sending me here any day now. :) Seriously, how does a refrigerator with all closed containers in it get so gross and dirty?

Now that my fridge was cleaned, my oven felt left out, so it's working on getting a good cleaning while I type! ;) Thankfully some appliances come with a 'self-clean' button. Anyone want to work on inventing one for the rest of them?!?! ;)

It's good to clean out. It's a great feeling at the end of it, I can see and find everything in my fridge now. Nothing has anything sticky on it and I have a cupboard worth of tupperware again! ;) I also discovered I have a great variety of sauces and marinates that I've been forgetting about. Now I've got all kinds of ideas for dinner menus again too! :)

Speaking of dinner, which reminds me of groceries, the sales around here are great for stock piling. I'm sure they are probably similar in most parts of the country because all the Thanksgiving dinner items are on sale. I wanted to remind you all to stock up on items that you know you'll use a lot and don't just buy enough at the rock bottom prices for your Thanksgiving dinner plans. For example, we have canned green beans and corn on sale for 49 cents at one local store. I got the limit worth. They're good until 2013 and I know they are things I'll either use in recipes or on the side when I'm in a bind and for that price, it's worth it. This is also the season to buy pie fillings. Most flavors are on sale now and they are expensive during the rest of the year. If that's something you use as a topic for a favorite dessert or you're a pie baker, get a bunch this week. Like I mentioned earlier, turkeys are a great way to get meat for cheap. I just bought a turkey that was over 20lbs for $9.99. That averages out to about 49 cents a pound! This is a great week to thing long term, as far as sales go. Even if you end up going to several stores to get stocked up on the foods that you family will enjoy for longer then next weekend. Get that pantry stocked! :)

Also, keep in mind baking season sales will be coming up next. Watch for really great deals on all kinds of baking essentials and make room in your pantry for another stock up! :)