An Empty Fridge Is A Good Thing?

For those of us who were brought up in less than desirable circumstances and without giving it any thought at all, an empty fridge is a bad, bad thing.  It means there is no food.  No money to buy food.   Now throughout my adult life I have poked my head into a few other refrigerators.  Not many, but enough. Some of these are so cram packed that I start to wonder if I really want to eat any food that a comes out of that fridge.  I do understand that there are some foodies out there who are really good at knowing what they've got and use it no matter where it is on the shelf.  But then you would think that they are already in the frame of mind that if you bought it, you use it.   Here in most cases I think the general rule would be to don't eat out of the back of the fridge.  Stick to the front.  Ewww.  

So here eventually I discovered that I wasn't equating a packed fridge with success.  I was equating it to something icky and unhealthy.  I had caught on to the fact that you needed to see it in order to use it a long time ago.  But I still wasn't johnny on the spot with throwing things out.  I thought it was a money issue.   I spent the money on it.  I didn't use it.  So now I'm throwing money away.  (Well, its not earning interest sitting there in my fridge either.)  When I did clean the fridge I wasn't getting any solace that I did my housewifely thing by ensuring a clean and healthy environment.   I'd give it a once over to make sure I did a good job and then try to put it out of my mind.   The problem?  All the open space in there.  Low-income people have empty refrigerators and empty cupboards.    You know, if your cup is full, its relevant in the fridge.  Right?   It means your on your ready with hosting when company arrives.  It means there is always something in there for the kids.  It means you are going to make it until the next payday.  If you can make it past pay day then you are doing really well.

So I figured that I needed to change my perspective on what an empty fridge means.  While doing this I had automatically dumped the fear of there will be none later.  Comfort is what I make of it.  I found comfort in an empty fridge because...

• I ate it all and now its time to shop. 
• The fridge is now clear for sorting and putting away new stuff.  Less time.  Less stop and go for rearranging. 
• If there is nothing to throw out, or if you threw out minimal, nothing went to waste and money saved.  (doesn't mean you spent less,  just means you didn't throw it away.)
• You had success with the Plan.  All went according to plan with what you thought you were going to cook and what you thought they were going to eat.  Success!
• If your goal is to eat all the food you buy,  you are more apt for it to be Saved by putting it in the freezer then remember to eat out of the freezer every once in a while. 
• You trust the food that is in there cuz you know its only been in there since the last time you shopped.  (save for a few of the bottled items)   
• No more doing the, I'll just leave it and let it go bad before throwing it out.   cuz like no one just throws out good food!  If you can't eat it and if you can't throw it, what is a person to do?   So...  before I go shopping give the fridge a quick once over and then either Throw It or Freeze It.