Stock Your Fridge Like a Pro

Lately, I’ve been having a lot more guests come into town. While I’m quite good at making my bedroom pristine, stocking extra towels, and filling up the bar cart, I’m always a bit worried about making sure they have enough to eat. I cook dinner on a regular basis, so there’s always food in the fridge, but it’s usually specifically set aside for a meal I’m planning to make. And the leftovers tend to be just enough for my lunch the next day.

Granola bars are a fantastic go-to snack.
Image: Shutterstock

I want guests staying with me to feel like they’ve got enough to snack on during the day, but I also don’t want to go overboard and have a massive amount of food left over once they leave.

Luckily, I’ve learned what to keep stocked, especially when guests are coming over. These are a few main staples that you can keep in your pantry and fridge to ensure your guests won’t go hungry:

• Mushrooms. They are super easy to add to eggs for breakfast, or to dress up a dish for lunch or dinner. They also keep for about a week and are very easy to cook with.
• Champagne + Rosé. Always keep two or three bottles of nice champagne for when guests come over to celebrate with you. If your guests don’t drink, swap the alcoholic beverages out for some sparkling apple cider.
• Granola + Nuts. These items can act as a quick grab snack for guests before you take them out on an adventure. They’re also great for stashing in your bag when you go out—just in case anyone gets hungry while you’re away from home.



Keep a little sweet on hand, too! Chocolate is a simple treat
that goes well with wine or a glass of milk.
Image: Shutterstock

• Cheese. When it comes to stocking cheese for when guests come over, I don’t mean shredded cheddar cheese for tacos. I’m talking a couple hunks of good cheese to serve up to guests with some nice crackers. My favorites are Gouda, Brie and a goat cheese. On that note, pick up some crackers that aren’t just saltines—whole grain crackers or Triscuits are great options.

• Chocolate. It’s great to keep a little bit of something sweet around, because let’s be honest…who doesn’t love chocolate with a nice bottle of wine?
• Eggs. Eggs can easily be used to whip up a quick frittata or omelet in the morning and they keep for quite a while. If you need quick go-to snacks during the week, simply hard-boil a few of the eggs.   

What are some things you always have stocked prior to guests visiting?