I don't normally do this - but here's a peek into my drawers.

I’m not the person with labeled bins and a perfectly organized pantry. If anything – I’m the opposite. I buy condiments and ingredients like I used to buy shoes.

And then I end up with a pantry full of, what I like to call ‘vintage’ (expired) ingredients.

So, when I decided to pull everything out of my pantry and put it all on the counter… it wasn’t about being organized. It was because my brain couldn’t take it anymore. Yes - even MY ADHD brain that is so accustomed to chaos.

I kept forgetting what I had. Rebuying the same things. Standing in front of a full pantry at 6pm with no idea what to make.

And then defaulting to whatever was easiest. Not because I don’t know what to eat.

Because I didn’t have a system that works with how my brain actually functions. And if you’re anything like me – you hate trying to come up with dinner ideas!

This Is What Was Actually Going On

At this stage, my brain is already juggling enough.

Menopause, sleep that comes and goes, ADHD, trying to stay focused through the day.

So anything that relies on:

• memory

• planning

• decision-making

  
  

starts to fall apart fast. Which is exactly what my pantry was doing.

It looked fine. But it required too much from me. And I could feel it silently beckoning me every time I tried to walk quickly past it. “OPEN ME!” it creepily whispers.  

Nope. I keep on trucking. I don’t want to see what’s inside.

The Setup (Because This Isn’t Just About Me)

I’m not cooking for one person. My husband Greg wants to eat better. Less processed food. Fewer carbs.

I’m trying to manage weight, cholesterol, inflammation, energy… all of it.

Maddie is 14, ADHD, very selective (ahem – super fussy), and would happily eat the same five things on repeat.

We’re both trying to save money but not spending it on wasted ingredients.

So no, this wasn’t about building some ideal nutrition innovation lab. You’ll never walk into my kitchen and mistake it for a Nancy Meyers movie.

I just needed something that works when no one wants to think.

What Was Actually in There

Once everything was out, the problem was obvious.

There was already good food:

• oils, vinegars

• canned tomatoes

• beans, chickpeas

• tuna, salmon

• nuts, seeds, oats

• coconut milk

• and a lot of pasta

  
  

So it wasn’t a shopping issue.

It was this:

Nothing was set up to be used.

The Actual Problem

Everything in my pantry required me to think and plan and that requires creativity that I don’t have when I’m hungry or tired at the end of the day.

So that’s where it all falls apart for me.

Because by the end of the day, I’m not interested in:

• figuring things out

• combining random ingredients

• making decisions from scratch

So I either overcomplicate it… or avoid it.

And then food sits. Then it expires. Then I buy more food.

And somehow still feel like there’s nothing to eat.

What I Changed

I stopped organizing my pantry like storage.

And started setting it up so I don’t have to think.

That’s it.

3 Pantry Hacks That Made This Stick

1. Front = Next

Whatever is at the front gets used next. Not what I’m in the mood for. Not what’s easiest.Front = next.

2. Build Meals Backwards

I don’t ask “what do I feel like eating?”

I ask:

👉 what needs to go?

That one shift fixes a lot.

3. No Hidden Food

If I can’t see it, it’s gone.

No stacking. No double rows. No “I’ll remember it’s back there.”

I won’t.

The System (This Is What Actually Worked)

The “Eat Me First” Spot

Front and obvious.

Anything:

• opened

• duplicated

• close to expiry

goes here. If I’m making anything, I start there.

The 5-Minute Reset

Once a week, I stand in front of the pantry and look at it.

I pick 3 to 5 things that need to be used.

That becomes the week.

Default Meals Only

I’m not inventing new meals every week.

I rotate:

• pasta

• rice bowls

• wraps

• snack dinners

Same meals. Just some slight upgrades.

One Open at a Time

If one is open, that’s the one getting used.

No duplicates floating around. Not anymore. Not on my watch. New me. New pantry!

Where AI Helped (Yes, it is a super valuable tool when used for good – not evil)

I was not going to sit down and build a meal plan from scratch. Except I knew I never would. This would go from my ‘to-do’ list to my ‘bucket list’ in no time flat.

So I used AI (now affectionally referred to as Jacq-AI)

I gave it:

• images of what I already had

• a list of what each of us needs

• notes on how we actually eat

And it gave me:

• a simple plan

• ways to use what’s already here

• combinations I wouldn’t think of in the moment

I don’t have to think about the full meal anymore. Now all I have to think about is:

• protein

• a vegetable

That’s it.

Everything else is already handled.

Because:

• the pantry is set up properly

• the meals are already mapped out

• the ingredients are already there

So dinner becomes:

“What protein am I using?” “What veg am I adding?”

Done.

It literally took the thinking off my plate.

What I’m Actually Making

Not Hell’s Kitchen but healthy and simple – which is what I was going for:

Monday - Pasta with tomato sauce and meatballs

Tuesday - Butter chicken with chickpeas and tomatoes

Wednesday - Tuna bowls with rice

Thursday - Chickpea coconut curry

Friday - Snack dinner

Weekend - Soup and sandwiches

Breakfast

Same things on repeat:

• oats

• eggs and toast

• yogurt with seeds

• smoothies

Lunch

Whatever’s easiest:

• leftovers

• tuna and crackers

• wraps

• snack plates

• salads

The Only Rule That Matters

Every meal is:

• a base

• a protein

• something for flavour

• whatever needs to be used

That’s it.

What I Stopped Buying

If it’s in the house, it gets eaten.

So I stopped bringing in:

• sugary snack bars

• drink mixes

• ultra-processed snacks

• anything that doesn’t actually fill anyone up

I didn’t ban them for good, but they are treats – and they stay in that category.

What Changed

I didn’t become more disciplined. I just stopped relying on my brain to manage everything.

Now:

• I can see what needs to be used

• I know what meals are coming

• I’m not standing there trying to figure it out at the worst time of day

If You Try One Thing

Before you plan anything, just look at your pantry and ask:

What needs to be used this week?

Start there.

Everything else gets easier. Trust me. If I can do it – anyone can.