Eat From the Pantry Challenge Week 3 Update

Still participating in the Eat From the Pantry Challenge and it is going OK.  Not staying out of the stores, but I am being much more careful in what I am buying.  I am considering each item and making sure it is something that we really will use.  It's extremely nice having a monthly meal plan though!

• Well, we used up a bit of things, but I didn't do so well using up what needed to be used.
  
• There was a birthday here this past week, and I did follow through and make the cake with what we had on hand.
  
• I didn't let the green peppers spoil that I bought some time ago – I chopped them up and froze them to use in things later. Honestly, these will probably become part of an Eat From the Pantry Challenge later on this year – oh well!
  
• We've done OK with keeping the refrigerator cleaned out and not letting stuff get pushed to the dark corners to spoil.
  
• We have used up some canned stuff that has been sitting around for a long time – like that sloppy joe sauce. (When will I learn that we just don't like that stuff?!?)
  
• My downfall this week was not using the fresh veggies we have, so that needs to be a priority this week.
  
• We STILL have a bag of potatoes that MUST be used this week! Maybe I should just make potato soup with them this weekend and get it over with! And I ended up using all but 6 potatoes last night for dinner! Yeah! See what happens when you make this list – it helps!
  
• I also have some bone-in chicken breast (12) that can be cleaned out of the freezer. It takes up SO much room in the freezer! It is on sale again this coming week and I would really like to stock up on it again – but this time to actually take it off the bone myself and make boneless, skinless breasts with it. I then cook the remaining bones with the meat that I don't get off the bones and use the stock for soup. I take the meat off the bones and freeze for chicken salad and other recipes that need cooked chicken.
  

So here is the update of my January Mealplan and (note to self) I guess it is time to start planning for February. I boldfaced the meals that will help me use those potatoes and chicken.

January Mealplan
1. Roast pork loin, mashed potatos, mixed veggies
2. Crockpot rotisserie chicken, seasoned rice, spinach
(mixed veggies)
3. Hamburger steak, boiled potato, veggie
4. Meatloaf, mashed potato, veggie
5. Meatballs, julienne potato, veggie
(rice instead of potatoes)
6. Chicken pot pie
7. Spaghetti (use buitoni), salad
(used remaining opened boxed of dry pasta)
8. Beef stew over rice (use canned carrots)(used fresh carrots found in fridge)
9. Taco soup, chips
10. Chicken & rice bake (from can of evap milk)
11. Soup w/leftovers
(lasted 2 days!)
12. BBQ chicken (crockpot) sandwiches,
13. Lasagna (need to use noodles) buy ricotta/cottage cheese
14. Chicken alfredo (HH), veggie
15. Chili w/ baked potato
16. Crockpot chicken, (look for recipe),Smashed potatos, veggie
(mashed potatoes instead)
17. Grilled cheese and soup
18. Sausage and rice casserole (use hamb w/ old bay seasoning)
19. Waffles, sausage, scrambled eggs
20. Macaroni and cheese w/beef, veggie, salad (need to buy)
21. Tacos, (buy tortillas or make homemade tortillas), Mexican rice
22. Soup w/ leftovers
23. Chicken tetrazzini, veggies
24. Sloppy joes, smashed potatos, veggie (need buns)
(found buns in back of freezer!)
25. Philly cheesesteak HH, veggie
26. Beef stroganoff HH, veggie
27. Chicken and dressing (stovetop), sweet potato (frozen or boxed),veggie
28. Taco casserole w/chips (buy chips)
29. BBQ pulled pork (crockpot),veggies, potato/rice/pasta (need buns)

Reminders:
• Need to make pumpkin pie (use canned pumpkin)
• Use whole wheat pasta in soups
• Use up instant grits for breakfasts(used some)
• Muffin pouches for bfast (used 2 - lots more to go!!)
(these are gone! Made snacks for Clovers!)
• Monitor potatos to make sure they are used (used some for lunch/still have more to use!)(used some in the stew – more to go)(used some and still have a 10lb bag to go! MUST USE THEM THIS WEEK!!)
• Use what is in little freezer (soups)
• Packets of Yakisoba in soups (used some/more to use next time)
• Canned cabbage, pole beans in soups one more can to use
• Use oatmeal in meatloaf, muffins, breads (used some oatmeal for breakfast and oat flour? In meatballs)
• Birthday cake (use mixes), powdered sugar & short/butter in freezer

Summary of Week 2 Eat from the Pantry Challenge

Here is an updated list of how we are doing with the January Mealplan. Very grateful to the "Eat from the Pantry Challenge" at LifeasMom.com.  We ended up eating out, 2 nights actually, due to being out of town. And we ate one or two meals that weren't on the list since I wasn't feeling all that great (and still don't) :( We'll plug away at the list again this week and try to use up more of what is on it. I have learned that when I don't feel good, I don't want to look into the dark corners of my fridge and have to 'put together' a meal...however, I managed to do that last night and cleaned out a lot of misc. stuff from earlier in the week. Like the 3 bags of frozen corn I bought this week and did not get put away. Found it on the counter the next morning (still very cold thanks to the extra cold weather!) Made creamed corn with it!
Now I think I am ready to start fresh again this week!

January Mealplan
1. Roast pork loin, mashed potatos, mixed veggies
2. Crockpot rotisserie chicken, seasoned rice, spinach (mixed veggies)
3. Hamburger steak, boiled potato, veggie
4. Meatloaf, mashed potato, veggie
5. Meatballs, julienne potato, veggie (rice instead of potatoes)
6. Chicken pot pie
7. Spaghetti (use buitoni), salad (used remaining opened boxed of dry pasta)
8. Beef stew over rice (use canned carrots)(used fresh carrots found in fridge)
9. Taco soup, chips
10. Chicken & rice bake (from can of evap milk)
11. Soup w/leftovers (lasted 2 days!)
12. BBQ chicken (crockpot) sandwiches,
13. Lasagna (need to use noodles) buy ricotta/cottage cheese
14. Chicken alfredo (HH), veggie
15. Chili w/ baked potato
16. Crockpot chicken, (look for recipe),Smashed potatos, veggie (mashed potatoes instead)
17. Grilled cheese and soup
18. Sausage and rice casserole (use hamb w/ old bay seasoning)
19. Waffles, sausage, scrambled eggs
20. Macaroni and cheese w/beef, veggie, salad (need to buy)
21. Tacos, (buy tortillas or make homemade tortillas), Mexican rice
22. Soup w/ leftovers
23. Chicken tetrazzini, veggies
24. Sloppy joes, smashed potatos, veggie (need buns)
25. Philly cheesesteak HH, veggie
26. Beef stroganoff HH, veggie
27. Chicken and dressing (stovetop), sweet potato (frozen or boxed),veggie
28. Taco casserole w/chips (buy chips)
29. BBQ pulled pork (crockpot),veggies, potato/rice/pasta (need buns)

Reminders:
• Need to make pumpkin pie (use canned pumpkin)
• Use whole wheat pasta in soups
• Use up instant grits for breakfasts(used some)
• Muffin pouches for bfast (used 2 - lots more to go!!) (these are gone! Made snacks for Clovers!)
• Monitor potatos to make sure they are used (used some for lunch/still have more to use!)(used some in the stew – more to go)
• Use what is in little freezer (soups)
• Packets of Yakisoba in soups (used some/more to use next time)
• Canned cabbage, pole beans in soups one more can to use
• Use oatmeal in meatloaf, muffins, breads (used some oatmeal for breakfast)
• Birthday cake (use mixes), powdered sugar & short/butter in freezer

Summerary of Week 1 of Eat from the Pantry Challenge

January Mealplan
1. Roast pork loin, mashed potatos, mixed veggies
2. Crockpot rotisserie chicken, seasoned rice, spinach (mixed veggies)
3. Hamburger steak, boiled potato, veggie
4. Meatloaf, mashed potato, veggie
5. Meatballs, julienne potato, veggie (rice instead of potatoes)
6. Chicken pot pie
7. Spaghetti (use buitoni), salad (used remaining opened boxed of dry pasta)
8. Beef stew over rice (use canned carrots)
9. Taco soup, chips
10. Chicken & rice bake (from can of evap milk)
11. Soup w/leftovers (lasted 2 days!)
12. BBQ chicken (crockpot) sandwiches,
13. Lasagna (need to use noodles) buy ricotta/cottage cheese
14. Chicken alfredo (HH), veggie
15. Chili w/ baked potato
16. Crockpot chicken, (look for recipe),Smashed potatos, veggie
17. Grilled cheese and soup
18. Sausage and rice casserole (use hamb w/ old bay seasoning)
19. Waffles, sausage, scrambled eggs
20. Macaroni and cheese w/beef, veggie, salad (need to buy)
21. Tacos, (buy tortillas or make homemade tortillas), Mexican rice
22. Soup w/ leftovers
23. Chicken tetrazzini, veggies
24. Sloppy joes, smashed potatos, veggie (need buns)
25. Philly cheesesteak HH, veggie
26. Beef stroganoff HH, veggie
27. Chicken and dressing (stovetop), sweet potato (frozen or boxed),veggie
28. Taco casserole w/chips (buy chips)
29. BBQ pulled pork (crockpot),veggies, potato/rice/pasta (need buns)

Reminders:
• Need to make pumpkin pie (use canned pumpkin)
• Use whole wheat pasta in soups
• Use up instant grits for breakfasts
• Muffin pouches for bfast (used 2 - lots more to go!!)
• Monitor potatos to make sure they are used (used some for lunch/still have more to use!)
• Use what is in little freezer (soups)
• Packets of Yakisoba in soups (used some/more to use next time)
• Canned cabbage, pole beans in soups one more can to use
• Use oatmeal in meatloaf, muffins, breads
• Birthday cake (use mixes), powdered sugar & short/butter in freezer

January MealPlan

Here is my mealplan for the month. This is not necessarily in any order as I like to keep some flexiblility. I sometimes change it around and even change a meal entirely, but I have something to work with. All of these meals are from my pantry/freezer. I included reminders for myself to use certain things from pantry. I tried to note what I might need to buy, too.

January Mealplan
1. Roast pork loin, mashed potatos, mixed veggies
2. Crockpot rotisserie chicken, seasoned rice, spinach
3. Hamburger steak, boiled potato, veggie
4. Meatloaf, mashed potato, veggie
5. Meatballs, julienne potato, veggie
6. Chicken pot pie
7. Spaghetti (use buitoni), salad
8. Beef stew over rice (use canned carrots)
9. Taco soup, chips
10. Chicken & rice bake (from can of evap milk)
11. Soup w/leftovers
12. BBQ chicken (crockpot) sandwiches,
13. Lasagna (need to use noodles) buy ricotta/cottage cheese
14. Chicken alfredo (HH), veggie
15. Chili w/ baked potato
16. Crockpot chicken, (look for recipe),Smashed potatos, veggie
17. Grilled cheese and soup
18. Sausage and rice casserole (use hamb w/ old bay seasoning)
19. Waffles, sausage, scrambled eggs
20. Macaroni and cheese w/beef, veggie, salad (need to buy)
21. Tacos, (buy tortillas or make homemade tortillas), Mexican rice
22. Soup w/ leftovers
23. Chicken tetrazzini, veggies
24. Sloppy joes, smashed potatos, veggie (need buns)
25. Philly cheesesteak HH, veggie
26. Beef stroganoff HH, veggie
27. Chicken and dressing (stovetop), sweet potato (frozen or boxed),veggie
28. Taco casserole w/chips (buy chips)
29. BBQ pulled pork (crockpot),veggies, potato/rice/pasta (need buns)

Reminders:
• Need to make pumpkin pie (use canned pumpkin)
• Use whole wheat pasta in soups
• Use up instant grits for breakfasts
• Muffin pouches for bfast
• Monitor potatos to make sure they are used
• Use what is in little freezer (soups)
• Packets of Yakisoba in soups
• Canned cabbage, pole beans in soups
• Use oatmeal in meatloaf, muffins, breads
• Birthday cake (use mixes), powdered sugar & short/butter in freezer

Clean out the Pantry Challenge!

Well, I have been reading about the challenge that Money Saving Mom is doing and I have decided to participate as well. Part of the reason is that January is such a busy month for me that not shopping much will free up some much needed time. Not to mention that I do have quite a few things from my recent shopping in December!

Here are my guidelines:

1. Make a list of what is already in my pantry and freezer.

2. I will purchase milk, produce, eggs, bread as needed during the month. I think the challenge is for 3 shopping trips in the month of January, but I will quite honestly probably go more often as I take my Dad shopping once a week anyway.

3. I will still purchase good deals as they crop up (and there are some coming up). But we are a family of 8 (4 boys, 2 girls, DH and myself plus 2 cats and a dog) and it takes a lot of shopping to keep up a stockpile anyway. I'm not going to pass up good deals because we will need the food later. I have coupons already that I had previously intended on using in January, so I will use them; but they are for frozen food, and we need to eat what has been hanging around for awhile to make room for the new.

4. Make more efficient shopping trips. I tend to not plan the trips so well and end up spending more than I should be spending. I would like to work on being a bit more efficient in that respect. Plus, just getting what I go in for and not justifying other things with "I'm saving so much money on what we need - it's OK if I get this too."

5. My budget is $200 every two weeks, so any money I save, I will keep it in my grocery envelope for a good meat sale so I can stock up on meat - especially since we will be eating what is in the freezer and will definitely need to replenish it!

6. Instead of a weekly menu plan, I would like to try a monthly menu plan or a biweekly plan. Maybe not down to the exact meal, but at least a general idea. I used to do a 2-week plan and it was so nice to not have to plan each week. It helped so much. I just quit doing it and we have suffered by eating alot of pizza lately (although it was free w/coupons) and other pre-packaged food. I don't mind doing that occassionally, but every night is not good.

7. I want to utilize my crockpot more during the month of January. I need to find/try more recipes, maybe one new one a week. I like Crockpot365. Of course, using what I already have in my pantry!!