Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Pantry Challenge Update


So we are halfway through March and we are doing pretty well on our pantry challenge! So far we have spent $139 leaving us $161 for the rest of the month :)

It is truly amazing the difference you can make in your grocery bill simply by paying attention to what you have and not buying unnecessary items on a whim. Take last month for example I sent my husband to the store to get the items he couldn't live without for the month. He came home with $130 worth of pure junk....soft drinks, deli sliced cheese, toaster strudels, etc. The man couldn't find a bargain if he was locked in a room with it! When he told me how much he spent I about had a heart attack! Fast forward to this month and I sent him on the same shopping trip after having a talk with him about brand name items. This month he came home with an equal amount of junk but this time he spent $26...much better!

Our pantry is doing pretty well....I am going to need to get some more meat next week but other than that I think we are sitting pretty :) There are several items in my pantry that I am trying to figure out how to use such as cans of salmon (thanks WIC) and TONS of beans. I have managed to use up the majority of our surplus of 5 DOZEN eggs so at least I am making headway on one stockpile.

6 comments on "Pantry Challenge Update"

bre on March 16, 2010 at 7:17 PM said...

what did u do with the eggs?

Unknown on March 16, 2010 at 7:22 PM said...

Guess I could have said what I did with the eggs :)

Since time is streached here in the mornings I never have time to actually cook them when they are needed so we ended up not using them. I found a recipe in my MOMYS (moms of many young siblings) cookbook for Breakfast Tacos. You scramble up a dozen or so eggs, brown a lb or two of sausage, and make some hashbrowns. Then you layer them into tortillas in different combinations (sausage and egg, egg and hashbrown, etc.) Roll up, wrap in tinfoil, and freeze. When ready to eat just unwrap them and microwave for a minute or two. Makes a quick and easy breakfast when you only have one hand and no time :)

Holly said...

I found your blog from the Feb due date page on baby fit and I was just wondering if maybe for the beans you could pre cook them when you have time and then freeze them in like 2 cup amounts to use for soups and stuff. I HATE trying to cook bean right when I need them because it takes forever if they are dried. But having them already cooked would really help. Black beans make great black bean burgers and pinto beans are great for burritos. Just a thought!

bre on March 16, 2010 at 9:58 PM said...

I am so making those breakfast burritos. Why didn't I think of that?!?! Dh has a terrible time with what to have for breakfast and I am too cheap to buy readymades.

Holly, I don't think beans usually freeze well, they get kind of mealy in my experience.

Unknown on March 17, 2010 at 11:29 AM said...

Holly I actually do have some pre-cooked ones in the freezer right now :) I make them up in my crockpot and then throw them in...it is just coming up with a way to use them as fast as they are given to me....I hadn't thought of black bean burgers. DH is a meat only type guy when it comes to burgers but I can't stand the taste of beef. I will have to throw together some black bean burgers for me the next time I make him hamburgers :)

Twin mommy on June 5, 2010 at 10:26 AM said...

refried beans are great for freezing, and easy to make in bulk. They do well with black or pinto beans.

 

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