It is that time of year again.

No, not THAT time of year! To be specific, this is the time of year, after all the other fun and festive and fabulous times of the year, when I really need to clean my fridge. And I am going to put that in quotes, “Clean My Fridge”, as there is a lot more to this process than just a little cleaning.

You see, for the past week or two, there has been containers of freshly baked and delicious cookies on my counter and in my fridge. Next to the holiday staple of the hot chocolate tray, complete with candy canes for stirring. And the bags of chips, Mikesell’s brand from Ohio, to be specific, that my wise and awesome cousin shipped to us all as gifts. (They really are THE BEST!).

These are all wonderful things. But there is still a problem, and that problem is that any other time of the year, I would not dream of having candy in jars on the counter, easy access to dozens of cookies, multiple bags of chips on hand, three different types of desserts in my fridge… well, you get the picture, I am sure.

Any other time of the year, I would head to my breakfast counter and make my healthy breakfast shake and take my supplements, but lately I’ve found myself making a detour at those baked goods, despite the fact that I know that Pecan Balls are not an appropriate breakfast food for adults.

So, join me in “Cleaning the Fridge” or whatever you want to call it. How to? Read on.

Take a deep breath. Empty the trash, and reline the can with a new bag. Clean off a counter. Take another deep breath.

First, take stock of what you have in the fridge, freezer, on the counters, etc.

DO NOT OPEN anything else. Got boxes of crackers, bags of chips, cookie ingredients? HOLD ON TO THEM. New Years Eve get-together, Super Bowl Party? Yes, those snacks will keep. Don’t open anything else.

Plan your menu for the next few days to wrap up what you have. For example, we had left-over side dishes from Christmas dinner, so I made a pork roast on Friday, and we ate it with some of those side dishes. De-lish.

Consider your health and wellness goals that may have been ignored for the last few weeks, and recommit to making those good habits your regular habits again.

Dig a little deeper in the fridge and freezer, and purge the left overs from before your Christmas Dinner. Review the produce bin, toss out anything that has gotten slimy during your week of vegetable neglect.

Plan, too, your menu for the next few weeks with those healthier habits in mind, and re-stock your fridge with healthier options.

My “Clean the Fridge” today walks hand-in-hand with a trip to the grocery for that healthier option restock.

As my final step, I also put away some of our holiday themed serving dishes to reclaim some cleared counter space. (Insert a big sigh of relief here!)

Make some time today or tomorrow to “Clean the Fridge” or reclaim your counter for good habits, and you will thank yourself later!