Nine women signed up to do the Pantry/Freezer Challenge with me during the month of February. It’s not too late to join us, if you are interested! Just email me below and I will add you to our Facebook group, where we share recipes, menus, encouragement, shopping tips, and more!
WEEK 1:
This first week was all about making an inventory list of everything that was in our pantry and freezer; making a menu for the month; creating a shopping list. It was all about preparing for the month of creating great meals with just what is in your freezer or pantry! It was all about finding great shopping discounts and buying the groceries needed at a deeper discount than we have before. So, how did you do?
Last week, after I made my grocery list, I went shopping. I went to Aldi which is one of my favorite discount grocery outlets. I actually should have taken a picture of all the groceries I left with just to show you how much I got! Our cart was overflowing! When we checked out, I told the cashier that if we had purchased the same goods at any other store, we would have spent an easy $200!! But, I walked out of the store with spending only $143.79!! I was thrilled to say the least!
The trip to Aldi didn’t include just food. We also purchased Shampoo, Toiletries, Toilet Paper, and Paper Towels. We stocked up on canned goods, cereal, and things like that. I didn’t buy any meat, as our freezer is FULL of meat! So there was no need to waste money on meat. We did stock up on fresh produce, and we will replace that as needed during the month. Milk and dairy products are also something that we will restock during the month. Anything else that fits into our Pantry or Freezer…well, we won’t shop for those items. We’ll eat just the meat and frozen meals that I cooked ahead and stored in our freezer, or what is in our pantry!
I’m off to a pretty good start! I hope you are, too! I’d love for you to share your journey with me in the comments section below! Good or bad! Let’s talk and see if you are off to a great start, or need a little bit of help. Either way, I am here to help!
Some ask why I am doing this challenge. The best reason I can give is because I want to be the best steward of God’s provisions as I can be! I don’t want to be wasteful of anything He provides! 2 Peter 1:3a“God is very powerful because He is God. So He has given to us everything that we need to live always. ….” If God truly has given me everything that I have, and I believe that He has, then it is my duty and responsibility to be wise with what He has given me. Right?
I look forward to hearing how your first week went! We will continue to check in with each other through the month of February. Below you will find a list of the meals that were created during my first week. I am only including the dinner meals, as I usually do not have lunch, and my breakfast is always a Green Smoothie! 🙂
February:
1st: Sausage Pizza
2nd: Roast Beef / Gravy / Potatoes / Corn / Bread
3rd: Spaghetti / Garlic Bread / Tossed Salad
4th: Baked Ham / Potatoes / Carrots
5th: Dinner out with friends
6th: Leftovers
Be sure to leave your comments below! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me at Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com.
Be Blessed!
Christi
lst: chilli
2nd: homemade burritos
3rd: roast beef sandwiches
4th: grilled pork chops/ steamed broccoli-cheese/ butterbeans/corn bread
5th: cube steak/ mashed pototes-gravy/ corn
6th: shrimp creole/ garlic bread
7th: chilli
Only trip to grocery store was milk, bread, and my eyes stayed in my aisle, a mircle for me.
Way to go Martha!! How much was your total grocery bill for this week?
I hit the store last Friday to stock up and officially start the challenge on Saturday. I knew I would need more cereal for the kids, produce & dairy, and other miscellaneous items to get me through the full month. But prior to going, I had a master list of everything I would need to make the recipes for the month, plus the inventory lists for what I already had. So by the time all was said and done, I spent $200 (not bad for a family of 5). My meat inventory alone allows for meals for TWO months!
I noticed that the attitude of using what you have is oozing to other areas of my life. I’m an avid crocheter with enough yarn to last me for quite a while. But it was all in bins that I couldn’t see easily what I had, so I’d just go buy more when I started a project. This challenge prompted me to buy the open cubicle type storage shelves, and I’ve pulled almost all yarn out of the bins and placed in this unit. I can now see at a glance the colors I have, the types of yarn, etc. So I can check easily what’s on hand before I just go buy more.
Tonight will be a quick trip to the store for pet foods and milk. I keep thinking I should be getting more, but I don’t need it! AWESOME!
Saturday: Chili
Sunday: Super Bowl Party (more chili)
Monday: Captain Crunch Chicken
Tuesday: LeftOvers
Wednesday: Sausage Marzetti
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: either cook or go out
So glad to see how this is pouring over into other areas of your life, Amy!! GREAT job!!! What your total grocery bill for last week?
Christi — I spent $200 last week. Nothing so far this week, but will buy dog & cat food, and milk tonight.
Check back and let me know if you made it out of the store with nothing more than what you listed above!! 🙂
Will do! And, I forgot to mention that in the past two weeks, my daily expenses at work have been cut in half! I was typically spending around $10 a day for breakfast & lunch; but I’ve been under $5 every day for the past 2 weeks!
That’s awesome!! Are you taking your lunch now? What are you doing to reduce the cost?
I went and got all my produce and meat from aldis and woodmans. Filled in a few gaps at the dollar tree to save money. Now im making meals that will have left overs to make small microwave meals to keep ahead and helpful for my husband to grab and go…less eating out for him. I bought cheap cuts of meats but have found great recipes to transform them.
Great start to Week 1, Debra!!!!
Made our trip to the store last Thursday with our menu and our inventory. Got only what we needed to complete meals we already had listed. Started on the 1st …
1st – Tacos.
2nd – Mexican Casserole…yummy!
3rd – Million $1 Pie for family get-together – didn’t have one ingredient but googled a substitute for condensed milk and used it with everything in my cabinets. Supper was a sandwich.
4th – Chicken Enchilada Soup…totally yucky, but previously bought the stuff for this and it has been sitting in the cabinet. Now I am glad that is now gone!
5th – Geese rolled in bacon with grits (originally was to be sausage, but I live with hunters who had a successful hut Saturday…bought nothing extra, just changed up the meat on the menu.)
6th – Missions Night at the church but hubby had to make his hot dog chili for the men’s group with what we already had.
We have been to the store once to buy milk and fresh pineapple and strawberries. We are still go on everything with the exception that we will be buying our fresh produce and milk throughout the month. Kids wanted more Little Debbie’s for snacks, but compromised by putting them back when I promised to make the brownies I already had ingredients for at home. Note: we are now on our 3rd box of cereal out of the 6 bought in January. As promised, once it’s gone, it’s gone for this month. 🙂
Sounds like you have good control on week 1 Erin!!! Anxious to see what the kids do when the last cereal box is empty!! 🙂
Well, it turns out that the vitamin supplement I’ve been given helps to curb my appetite. Not the intended side effect, I guess, but it’s happened. So instead of getting a full breakfast AND a full lunch, I’m getting one of them, and it’s lasting until I get home. Or I add in something much smaller to tide me over. I may be saving money & losing weight by the time this is all over LOL
I started a little ahead of you all with grocery shopping and stocking up. But, I did it as you were suggesting by checking what I had already, and just adding to it to complete. So, I totaled up last night for two: January 10-19, I spent $345.00, which included toilet paper, laundry, etc. Since that time, I have spent $48.00 – -a total of $393.00. And I still have plenty meals left for at least another two weeks, except for salads, fruits, milk. Of course, no kids at home either. Planning receipes around what I have in the pantry and freezer, plus staying on the aisle of the grocery story that I particularly need something has been of great help to me.
How much do you typically spend for the two of you Martha??
To be honest, I had sort of lost track. I don’t think I was way out of line because I do like my freezer well stocked with the week’s current sales. That always made me feel good to know I was cooking the “specials.” But, the problem came in with not specifically meal planning and using what I had. I felt “out of control” in that area. that
I am just joining the challenge. We shop every Sunday and we go to places like Costco and Sam’s Club. We are practicing only buying what we need for that week. I am intentionally cooking more healthy meals and that means more fresh vegetables and fruit, so that is basically what our weekly shopping is about.
This weeks menu is mostly from the freezer and what I have in the pantry. I have two grandchildren living with me, so must have lunch stuff for them. We also use the weekly shopping time as our time together. It has become a tradition that we go to church, stop for Starbucks, shop (usually three stores), put stuff away, and get organized for the week ahead, and then do whatever we want to for the rest of the day. It just starts the week off right and I am rarely stressed about food preparation. Now eating too much of it, I am consistently stressed. LOL
Awesome Jackie!! Would you like to join our Facebook Challenge Group??