We’ve all been there: You stock up on a couple cans of cannellini beans or a few boxes of dried pasta at the store, only to realize you already have more than enough at home. Personally, I've ended up with three half-used bags of polenta and several jars of chili crisp, so I’ve made it a mission to stop overstocking my pantry and reduce food waste at home. Enter: the “no-buy pantry challenge."

Essentially, this task entails cooking from what you already have in your pantry and avoiding buying groceries for a set period of time (such as a week or, if you’re feeling ambitious, a month). A pantry cleanout challenge has tons of benefits—it helps you declutter, saves room in your kitchen, and reduces food waste, but it also forces you to get creative by using what you have. Coming off the holiday season, it’s also a great way to spend less on groceries.

Ready to whittle down your own pantry and start shopping your kitchen? Follow our guide to starting your own no-buy pantry challenge.

How to Start a No-Buy Pantry Challenge

1. Set a Schedule

Pick a timeframe for the no-buy part of the challenge, when you’ll refrain from buying any groceries outside of perishable staples such as fresh produce, dairy, eggs, and proteins. One month is a popular choice, but if that feels overwhelming, start with one week. With a shorter span, you can make the no-buy challenge a regular part of your routine each month to prioritize using up what’s on hand.

2. Empty and Clean Your Pantry

First things first, take everything—yes, everything—out of your pantry. Transfer items to a large surface like a dining room table or kitchen island so you can take stock of what you have. Check the expiration dates, especially for ingredients like spices and leavening agents that might not look spoiled but can lose their potency, and toss any expired or unwanted items. With your pantry empty, give it a thorough cleaning, wiping down shelves and removing any stubborn food stains or spilled ingredients.  

3. Take Inventory and Organize

After you’ve purged any expired ingredients, reevaluate what you have left to work with. Before putting anything back into your pantry, organize similar items into groups, such as baking ingredients, canned goods, and liquid ingredients (such as oils and vinegars). While you’re reorganizing your pantry, consider investing in new storage solutions, such as spice racks, lazy Susans, and stackable shelves, which can make it easier to quickly locate ingredients. While you’re at it, write down a list of everything in your pantry, which will prevent you from doubling up at the grocery store and make meal planning a breeze.

4. Zone and Restock Your Pantry

One of the best ways to keep tabs on your pantry's contents is to organize it by zones. Choose zones that make sense based on your individual lifestyle—that could mean separating items by ingredient type or meal type (think breakfast, dinner, and tea/coffee). When moving ingredients back into your pantry, keep them organized by zone, storing the items you use most frequently at eye level and items used less often on higher or hard-to-reach shelves.

5. Build a Meal Plan

Now, the fun part: cooking! Remember that list you made? Use your inventory to build a meal plan around what you have on hand, starting with ingredients that are already open or expire soon. Challenge yourself to cook only recipes that lean heavily on what’s in your pantry, such as chili, grain salads, and casseroles. You’ll probably still have to buy a few fresh ingredients like milk or vegetables, but these should be minimal—the idea is to buy as little as possible.

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How to Avoid Overstocking Your Pantry

A no-buy challenge is a great way to clean out your pantry, but you shouldn’t have to do one too often. Follow these tips to reduce clutter and keep tabs on what’s in there all year long.

• Make a List: In addition to organizing and zoning your pantry, keep a list of all the ingredients you have on hand, noting when items are about to expire or starting to run low. Keep this list somewhere front and center, like your fridge, and reference it both when grocery shopping and meal planning.
• First In, First Out: As you buy groceries, place newer ingredients behind older ones, so you use items with a closer expiration date first.
• Love the Label: Whether for dried goods, leftovers, or frozen foods, labeling is one of the best things to do to keep food fresh and cut down on waste. Keep a roll of painters tape and a permanent marker in a kitchen drawer, and label ingredients with the date once they’ve been opened.
• Make It Crystal Clear: Transferring items like flour, sugar, and pasta into clear, airtight storage containers isn’t just for aesthetics—it also makes it easier to see what you have, keeps ingredients fresh, and prevents pests.
• Get in the Zone: Categorize ingredients into zones within your pantry. Place the items you use the most frequently at eye level, put heavier items on lower shelves, and store less frequently used items on top shelves.