My most recent visit to the grocery store confirmed that holiday food sales are already underway. That fact, combined with the holiday entertaining that is at hand, makes now an especially good time to turn your attention to cleaning up your pantry, fridge, and freezer.

• Try to focus your meal planning around ingredients you already have. Rather than buying more groceries, try using what's in your freezer and cabinets. (Bonus: You'll save a bit of money.)
• If you are unlikely to use something and it's unopened and unexpired, donate it to a food pantry. (Even the cake and cookie mix. People who need food assistace have birthdays too.)
• If it's gone bad or is old enough to vote, toss it already.
• Reorganize your food storage so that you know what you have and you can use it before things go bad.
• Get into the habit of using up at least a few stored items each week and not replacing them right away unless they are essential.
• Once you've made room in your fridge and cabinets, don't fill it up right away. You'll want that space for the holidays.
• After the holidays, re-visit your food storage and see what went unused. Don't need to buy that again.

How do you manage food storage?