Spring Pantry Challenge

[Amys1st]

Ok, winter is over (at least by the calendar!).

Lets see who wants to do a pantry challenge. For anyone new to this, we started in January to see how long we could eat out of the pantry to save money at the grocery store and also weed out some stuff in the pantry that needs to be used. The freezer is also fair game to supplement your pantry finds.

Once you get started you will find that you spend less money at the grocery store and take more days in between visits. This is not a contest, but a chance to pick up some fugal ideas and maybe be more creative in cooking and/or save some $$. Everyone supports one another and the recipes I have taken away were great the last few months.

[Rainbowbird]

I'm in

Have been away from MDC quite a bit as DS and I have been sick the past two weeks!) Relied quite a bit on convenience foods and takeout to get us through GASP!!!

Now I'm starting to get freezer stocked for impending arrival of our new baby on May 25th. So far I've got 8x8 pans of homemade chicken pot pie, white lasagna, and a meatloaf in freezer. Doing a shepard's pie tonight. Anytime I cook between now and when I go into labor, I'm freezing half of it. Also going to bake some banana bread and oatmeal cookies, and freeze those.

However I'm afraid we will be spending quite a bit on food this month. I want a stocked pantry and fridge for when the baby comes....don't want to have to worry about running out of things or having to shop a lot post-partum! But I'll be reading this thread for ideas, since I've also spent a lot of money stocking up on OTHER things---i.e. toilet paper, Lansinoh, breastpads, witch hazel pads, new cloth diaper covers, etc. all the various and sundry items that you find you need when the baby arrives!

[Amys1st]

Do I detect a bit of nesting Rainbowbird? :LOL

Your groceries should be thru the roof this month but again that should help w the pantry challenge and feeding your freezer.

[Hollysmom]

I'm in. Last month's thread really helped me cut down on my spending. I am going to try to do even better this month!

[isosmom]

I'm in :

[Hollysmom]

Used up the frozen pesto from the freezer that I made months ago and made some nice rolls.

The only problem I am having with this pantry challenge is we have tons of pasta...so while I love pasta I am getting a bit tired of it. My sister jokes and we are all on the anti-Atkins diet at our house :LOL

[isosmom]

Have you used your pasta as a side? I find I can eat it more often if it isn't the main dish. Also you can use it as your starch, so like instead of rice under your curry you can use pasta. Just some ideas.
I liked keeping track of my spending last month, so I thought I'd do it again this month. Spent $54 at Whole Foods yesterday. I was going to go to the farmer's market but dh wants to wait until Thursday so he can go, too.
We had black bean chili last night and tonight is a Moroccan veggie crock pot thingy.
And then on Wednesday will probably be a curry to use up all the older veg in the fridge before we go to the farmer's market.

[Amys1st]

isomom- you make the most mouth water named foods. I need to come to your house for dinner!

As far as pasta goes- maybe some cold pasta salads? Boil pasta and then cool then add whatever to make a salad. Maybe its a better variety.

Tonight mac n cheese for dd, us scallops on pasta.

[isosmom]

Any time Amy

Well, my mom has dd today, so I had some extra time to bake while ds napped. I had some malt-o-meal that has already expired and I wanted to use up. So I used the recipe on the back of the box for Magic Muffins and made those. But most of them in the freezer for another time. Also made a semi trifle today and used a pound cake I had in the freezer that I think has about had it's time and used yoghurt instead of custard and some frozen berries. We'll see how ds likes it.

[Amys1st]

We are getting ready to put our house on the market, so this is a good month to use stuff in the pantry and freezer. I might make a huge batch of Italian sauce to get rid of our stash of whole tomatoes. then make mannicottis to feed the freezer.

Tomorrow its Buffolo chicken sandwiches. Served w blue cheese dressing & celery. I saw a quick recipe to whip up some sauce then, we grill the chicken and put the sauce on it. We can then have our creamy cucumber salad on the side along w some fruit in the fridge.
This whole week we seem to be eating leftover this and that and putting odds n ends together to make meals. We had omelets the other morning to combat our over supply of eggs. Maybe we will make egg salad again or just hard boiled eggs.

[gridley13]

I need to join in! Nothing to add right now... will post soon!

[Shantimama]

I so need to do this - I keep buying more groceries even when my cupboard and freezer are full We have a freezer full of organic meat we bougt in bulk but I have to admit I really don't like eating meat much these days so I haven't been cooking it much. dh and the kids like it, though, so I should just do it and keep making vegetarian dishes on the side.

[Hollysmom]

Good Afternoon,

Got home quite late last night so we ate leftovers. I am hoping to go to my run club tonight so it looks like dh and dd will be eating them again.

Went to Wholefoods at lunch today to get the few organic convenience foods I like to have in the house. I find Wholefoods so expensive, but I can't get most of this stuff anywhere else. Anyway, I spent $48.67, which includes $19 for California Baby bubble bath that dd loves. :

Oh and Amy I forgot to mention your dd and I have the same birthday

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by HollysMom

Oh and Amy I forgot to mention your dd and I have the same birthday

Its a great day- its also our wedding anniversary as you can see!
We are doing dd's bday party that day and one of her friends's parents also have that day as a wedding anniversary as well. We usually go out the night before since its now her big day as well.

[Hollysmom]

I didn't even notice the anniversary

That is so neat! Did you plan it that way? :LOL

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by HollysMom

I didn't even notice the anniversary
That is so neat! Did you plan it that way? :LOL

not really no, but we did plan Liz- but she was due 4 days later. She came on her own on the 24th at 12:41 pm. We were married 5 years before at that to about the minute.

OK, back to our regularly scheduled boards,

I'm "decluttering" the pantry area today. We are having a realtor come over tomorrow to start the process of home selling. We are not putting up the house right away but this should get the ball rolling.

[gridley13]

I did horribly on my first day of the challenge. DH was off today so we went to Jungle Jims (this amazing huge international grocery store) and bought some great stuff :

It sure was good, though! And we got some great bargains. For some reason they were selling containers of fresh mozzarella (the kind in the brine) for $1.01. We got 3. Of course they will probably go bad before we eat 3 containers . However, yesterday I made chicken and rice and the kids ate the leftovers today... so they are doing great!

[Hollysmom]

Hey, how is everyone doing on the challenge?

Well we had Mother's day dinner at our house for 6 adults so I had to spend a fair bit. Went shopping on the weekend and spent $251.89 (that includes wine and beer). That bring my total to $300.56 for the month already . Going to really have to eat out of the pantry for the rest of the month to spend less than April.

Had frozen spagetti sauce last night...yes pasta again, but we didn't have any on the weekend.

[Amys1st]

Kristine- thats why we have things like this- for when big dinner parties come up.

I am already at $110 this month. But we have been doing a lot of fresh eating since the weather is warmer and the veggies are coming out!

[weebitty2]

not joining ya this month, ladies. It's pantry STOCKING month at our house :LOL We haven't bought anything but flour, milk, butter, fresh produce, and cheese since january. it's lookin' MIGHTY bare at hour house :LOL