Getting ready for the April Pantry Challenge! - Page 3

[Hollysmom]

Went to the health food store today and spent $18.85 on fruit and meat. This is my first spend on food for April because I did a huge shop at the end of March.

Quick question. Do you guys include cleaning supplies, shampoo etc in you monthly total or just food?

Put the crock pot on this morning. Trying a new recipe. I'll let you know how it goes.

[hlkm2e]

We had a nice vegetarian pantry dinner here. I made baked potatoes and topped them with a couple veggie toppings. I made asparagus (99cents this week) grilled in the oven with olive oil, lemon juice and some feta cheese (we buy this in bulk, my dh is Greek) Stir fry with broc.(frozen), corn(frozen), toms(canned), green peps( on sale), and onions, and sauteed some mushrooms(on sale) and onions.

It tasted great and got to use all the sale veggies from the grocery this week!

[Amys1st]

aspagrgus sounds good mmmmmmnn

Today, I had a can of canned chicken. I chopped it up added what was left of organic plain yogurt in our fridge due to expire next week, dumped the remainder of some salsa and added shredded cheddar and some olives from the pantry. Pretty good mexican style chicken. I used chips to scoop it up but I think it would be good on a bed of lettuce- but we are having that tonight w grilled chicken(in the freezer ready to go).

Time to feed the freezer but we eat more fresh produce this time of year and I hate to use the oven when its warm and heat the house up.

[isosmom]

Does anybody know of a way to turn a thick potato soup into a veggie pot pie? I've got about 4 c of potato soup from the crock in the freezer and thought it would make a good pot pie with a few additions. Any suggestions?
I've spent about $15 the past couple days on snacks out with the kids. Since the weather has gotten good we're out so much more and eating on the go. Brings me up to $151 for the month.
Dh's birthday is next week so we're going out to a nice dinner (which I won't be counting in the budget! ) so I'm strictly going from the freezer and pantry next week to save money. I'm hoping just to replenish our neccesities at the grocery this week.

Amy - There's a pretty good recipehere under recipes for tofu sloppy joes.

I do include my cleaning stuff in my budget, but don't have to buy it very often. My mom usually has tons of shampoo she's looking to get rid of and I just use vinegar to clean, so that's really cheap. I buy my dish soap and hand soap from Trader Joes, good and cheap, and stretch my laundry detergent with Borax.

[Hollysmom]

I love asparagus!

Amys1st - That chicken sounds really good!

Spent another $39.06 on some food today. Brings my April total to $57.71.

Crockpot thing worked out not too bad, but I don't think I will make it again. Oh well there are lots more crockpot recipes out there to try.

[isosmom]

Went to the store today and spent $58 for the week. That included the kid soap ($8) and dish soap ($2). Also went and got bagels with the kids for $5 this morning. So I'm up to $214 and we're half way through the month! Not bad, but it could be better, could spend less eating out, snacking with the kids.
This week we are pretty much eating out of the freezer. Tonight I'm making carmalized onions and wheatberry's that I've got already cooked in the freezer with lentils. That's going with roasted veg soup I've already got in the freezer. For other meals this week, we're having pizza (got the dough in the freezer), leftover curry (yup in the freezer) and tofu dogs with baked limas (from the freezer).
Would still love a pot pie recipe for my potato soup if anyone's got one to share.

[leomom]

I'm craving banana pudding...anyone have a recipe that is relatively healthy and can be made without evaporated milk? I'm drooling here!

[Amys1st]

Your craving is better than mine- chocolate chocolate chocolate! Will someone hand me an ovulation pleeeezzz! I even ordered pizza tonight! :
I forgot about my period this week so I put my cleanse on hold for a week until its over. But this cravings this time are driving me insane!

But the good news- I am making brownies from ingredients in the pantry and a bannana bread to ease my cravings

Anyone need the recipe again?

[Hollysmom]

Okay, I totally lost one of my posts....I must have forgotten to hit submit

Anyway, spent another $53.55 on groceries, including cat food and litter and we had take out on Saturday $23.00. Brings my total to $134.26...not bad, but we are getting low on stuff so I will have to do a pretty big shop this weekend.

How is everyone else doing?

[Amys1st]

I'm at about $70 for groceries mtd. But I 've done a bunch of take out - at least twice-three times. Also I did a huge shopping at March's month end.

We are stocked very well in pantry, fridge, and freezer though. So we should still come out under this month.

Tonight its fish on the grill and either grilled potaotes or rice.

[Hollysmom]

Milk, yogurt and lunch today...$27.54. Monthly total: $161.80

[Amys1st]

we are having all leftovers tonight. Whatever is left is on the table.
Tomorrow sinc eI got some great produce at the market its salads w grilled chicken breast plus corn on the cob.

[isosmom]

Got a question for you all. I just bought some skinless, boneless chx breasts to substitute for the sliced tky I buy for dc. Thought it would be cheaperand healthier. But I'm veg, so don't really know how to go about just making plain chx for the kids. I'd appreciate the help, thanks!
Just came back from the grocery. Spent $62 plus spent about $15 last week out with the kids. Planning on going to the farmer's market tommorow for produce. Brings my total to $291 for the month.
Making soup today with some chickpeas I've got cooked and frozen. Also having some wraps with hummus, mango and rice. And probably some leftover curry since dh took it out of the freezer.
Made some breadsticks for dc this morning and planning on making the oatmeal-carrot cookies someone posted a while ago with dd sometime this week.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by isosmom

Got a question for you all. I just bought some skinless, boneless chx breasts to substitute for the sliced tky I buy for dc. Thought it would be cheaperand healthier. But I'm veg, so don't really know how to go about just making plain chx for the kids. I'd appreciate the help, thanks!
.

Is the chicken like the sliced version you buy?
if not sliced:
I usually grill it and chop it up in salad (DD loves salad) or put it in her creamy cucumber salad since she loves the dressing on it.
She is not a big "nugget" eater never has been.

[Amys1st]

I've been meaning to make the tofu sloppy joes but it has not fit in the menu this week. Thanks for the idea!

[Hollysmom]

Well, we have been really good about not eating or ordering out, which is a big thing for us. Went for my big shop this weekend and spent $125.45 which brings my monthly total to $287.25. Not too bad.

Have been eating leftovers for my lunches and am making parmesan chicken tonight with broccoli and potatoes

I find grilling skinless chicken breast gives them the most taste. The key is too cook them enough, but not too much or they can get dry or rubbery.

[isosmom]

Thank you ladies for the chx advice. :LOL But maybe you don't understand, how do I cook them enough, but not too much? :LOL I'm clueless here, really.

[Amys1st]

hmmmm, I like to grill boneless chicken until its a very light pink inside. Being a veggie, you don't have a meat thermometer do you? :LOL

You could grill it on a stovetop in a skillet and then cut it in half to check if its cooked inside.

Also, you could boil it until white inside and then finely chop it.

[isosmom]

Thanks. I think I'll attempt it tommorow.
I had some extra time so I put some macaroni and cheese in the cp for dinner tonight. It's dd's favorite

[isosmom]

Just came back from the farmer's market and spent $30, bringing me to $321 for the month. But what did I buy at the farmer's market?
10 lb of oranges, a big bag of fresh peas, a pound of strawberries, broccoli, tons of apples, asparagus, scallions, green garlic, greens, chocolate croissant, sweet potato, bread, and of course kettle corn! All organic but the oranges. We will be eating well this week!