This week, I am blogging TODAY, only because I would like to challenge you to something. Then I will be back on this blog again on Thursday, February 7th, to see how you are doing! Some of you may not like this challenge, but let’s take a serious look at this, and see what we can do. If you have followed along with me for the past month, you should have freezer meals on hand, and your Pantry/Freezer lists updated. Right? So this challenge shouldn’t be too difficult for most of you. I know some of you may be a bit behind, but now would be a great time to get caught up with this series.
I would like to challenge you to a Pantry/Freezer Challenge, for the entire month of February (just 28 days). You will be limited to just what is in your pantry and freezer! So you will have to be creative! The Pantry/Freezer Challenge is a great way to trim the budget, keep close accounts on what you have, and rotate your current stock to avoid waste.
Each Thursday, I will come back here to update you on how the Challenge is going on my end, and I would love to hear how it’s going on your end as well.
What this Pantry/Freezer Challenge is NOT:
- It’s not about NOT buying ANY groceries for the month of February. You will need things, such as milk, eggs, bread, fresh fruits/veggies, etc. This challenge is only for the bigger items, like meat, canned vegetables, staples, etc.
- It is not about living on beans and weenies for the entire month. It’s about going through what is in your pantry and freezer and making meals with those ingredients until you run out, and it becomes time to go grocery shopping again for the big stuff.
- This Challenge does NOT include times you go out to eat. It’s only about what is eaten at home.
We want to see how long we can go before we have to go buy the main grocery items that we typically would. We also want to see how much money we can save this month!!
What this Pantry/Freezer Challenge Is:
- It’s about saving money!! I read today that the average family of four spends $151 a week on groceries; that’s over $600 a month on groceries; almost $7,500 a year! Wow! Think of the savings that we would accumulate each month if we could do a Pantry/Freezer Challenge in our homes, at least one week a month! Think about it, one week without groceries equals a yearly savings of $1,812 (based on the above average).
- It’s about being focused on what you have on hand already!
- It’s about using what we already have on hand, so we don’t let food go to waste!
- It’s about being good stewards!
How this Challenge works:
- If you haven’t already done so, you will need to make a list of every single thing that is in your pantry and your freezer.
- Plan your meals for each week according to what is on your Pantry/Freezer lists.
- ONLY go to the grocery store when you need things such as milk, eggs, cheese, fresh fruits/veggies, paper goods, cleaning products, etc.
- Keep track of what you are spending on the minimal amount of groceries that you will purchase.
- Check in on our blog each Thursday to let us know how you are doing. In checking in, I also want to hear how much you have spent for groceries, in the prior week.
- Plan leftovers into your menu planning!
- If you eat it, write it down. Keep a food journal to go back to at the end of the month to see what kind of meals you actually did eat for the month! You may be surprised!
- EMAIL ME IF YOU NEED MORE RECIPE IDEAS!
CARE TO JOIN ME?
I’m looking to find a few people who are willing to take on this Challenge, with me! Are you up for it? If so, comment below and let me know you’re all in! Then send me an email (listed below), so I can have a way of contacting you through the week to see how you are doing.
Now, since I typically blog on Thursday’s for At Home with GCH, I switched days with another blogger for just this week, so I could get this message out to you in time to accept this challenge, if you so choose. With that said, that means that I will not be back again, until Thursday, February 7th. Thursday is my normal blogging day. I will check up on you then to see how you are doing, AND give you an update of how I am doing with the challenge, too! Are You Ready? Here we go….
Let’s do this together!
Have a GREAT week, Ladies!
Christi
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To contact Christi in regards to this blog, please email her at:
Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com
Alright, Christi. You got me. I think I see some turkey in my future. Lol. (I have 2 or 3 birds down stairs.) this is great timing for my family as my husband just went back to work after an injury and won't get paid again until the end February. Funny how God comes up with this stuff right when we need it. 😉
God's timing is always perfect, isn't it Tracy!! So glad you will be joining me! Invite others to join you, too!! 🙂
I am in. I started on January 20th trying to stretch until February 20th and I might add, have some good meals planned. My question is: What is the average amount of money spent on meals for two?
The answer to that Martha is based upon where you live, and how you eat. For my husband and I, we spend around $300/month for groceries. I make a lot of homemade meals at home. We buy a lot of fresh fruits/veggies, which some families do not do. I don't buy a lot of boxed foods either. I do buy canned veggies, too. We go out to eat 2 to 3 times a month. AND we eat leftovers, which some families refuse to do! Also, when I cook I make an extra portion of everything, so Gary has something to take in his lunches. So actually all in all, I am spending $300/month for 3 people. I also look for super bargains on meat. Pork Tenderloin is one that we love buying on sale. We can spend $15 on a pork tenderloin, and get 5 to 6 meals out of it! LOVE shopping like that!
Be sure to take the rest of this week Ladies to take inventory of everything in your cabinets, pantry, and freezer. Then sit down and make a menu plan for the month. I am planning some Meatless Monday's as well. Remember to include Leftovers night, and nights that you plan to go out and eat: put all of those on your menu planner, too.
This is such a great idea! We live in Los Angeles, so prices here (for everything!) are probably a lot higher than they are where you live. But I do have a lot of stuff in the freezer (haha, who doesn't!) that will get used this month. I love the idea of being a good steward – that's what I based my blog on. I make up recipes for using up "singletons" (where you have ONE of a vegetable, not enough for a whole side-dish, so it needs to go into something else); recipes for taking last night's dinner and making something new out of it, instead of just eating the leftovers as-is; and making meals with what I have, substituting ingredients, if need be, in tried-and-true recipes. I think using our resources wisely makes God happy! Can't wait to see what everyone finds and makes!
I love your website Dana! You have some amazing recipes on there!! I, too, am not one to just heat up the leftovers and serve the same meal twice in one week. So I will take the leftovers and use them in different meals, or in a different manner than it was originally made. i.e. Spaghetti Sauce was used a couple of nights ago for a Spaghetti meal. Leftover Spaghetti Sauce will be used for Parmesan Chicken on Wednesday. If we have left over Pork Tenderloin, it turns into Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches the next time, and so on. It's all about thinking outside the box!! 🙂
great ideas, christi! like dana wrote, "I think using our resources wisely makes God happy!" <3
I just hate to see food go to waste. There are too many people in this world who are starving, and when I see people who refuse to eat leftovers, it makes me really sad!!
So far we have six women who will be joining me for this Challenge! If you want to join too, just send me an email and let me know! I'd love to keep up with you to see how you are doing!
I am unofficially doing the challenge.
Sandy, you are so funny!!! 🙂
I'm with Sandy on this one!! I have SO much in my pantry and freezer (1/2 pig) so I'll do my best to clean it all out!!
What is Dana's website? Is it healthy/low cal meals?? I go to Weight Watchers and have teenage boys, so trying to find things we can all eat is a challenge!!!
I would do this with you, but we just pretty much emptied our pantry & freezer and are planning a grocery shopping trip next Friday. I'm planning on making up some freezer meals next weekend though 🙂
Freezer Meals will save you tons of money, and time!! Good job Shandy!!