Your pantry is a simple list of what you have on hand. Keeping it current helps VitalPlate suggest meals from what you already own and nudge you before food goes to waste.
Adding items
- 1Open your Pantry.
- 2Add an item and choose where it lives: pantry, fridge, or freezer.
- 3Optionally add a best-by date if the package has one.
- 4Save — the item is now available for pantry-based recipe ideas.
Default shelf lives
If you do not set a best-by date, VitalPlate assumes a sensible default based on where the item is stored:
| Storage location | Default shelf life |
|---|---|
| Freezer | About 120 days |
| Pantry | About 180 days |
| Fridge | About 7 days |
These defaults are rough estimates to power the freshness nudges. A best-by date you enter yourself always takes priority over the default.
Freshness nudges
As items age, VitalPlate gives a gentle heads-up so nothing gets forgotten at the back of a shelf:
- Getting close — the item is aging and worth using soon.
- Probably past it — the item is likely past its best; give it a check before using.
- Use it soon — shown when a best-by date you entered is within the next 3 days.
Pair freshness nudges with the waste-first "what to cook tonight" idea in Cooking from your pantry to use up aging items first.
Nudges are reminders, not a food-safety ruling. When in doubt about whether something is still good, trust your own senses and judgement.