Eat From The Pantry (Freezer) Challenge
When Crystal from Money Saving Mom tweeted that she and Jessica from Life As Mom were hosting a Eat from the Pantry Challenge I knew I was all in. A few months ago I wrote about my freezer inventory and how it has gotten out of control. Too bad it has only gotten worse since then! OY!
I horded meals like a mama bear storing up for a long winter for her bear cubs. Hubby wanted to eat meals, I said “We must wait!” Can someone please tell me why I felt this necessary? Now we have to eat like savages the next few weeks so that I can clear my freezer in time for February’s cooking day.
So I have decided to join Crystal and Jessica and participate in the Eat from the Pantry Challenge. My goal is to only spend $15 a week at the grocery store. This money will go to purchase fresh fruits, milk, yogurt and bread.
Here is what I have planned for our meals in January. (If I don’t do this I will stray completely).
January’s Meal Plan
- Dinner at my parent’s house in celebration of Christmas (we are dragging it out this year)
- Lunch – leftovers /Dinner – Turkey Noodle Soup, Bread
- Lunch – Carole’s Chili (September Menu)/Dinner – Meal being brought to us by friends
- Out to dinner for family birthdays
- Meal being brought to us by friends
- Chicken Parmigiana (February Menu), easy garlic bread, peas
- Meal being brought to us by friends
- Pasta Bar, salad
- A meal using pantry items and cooked ground beef from freezer
- Lunch – Burritos (April Menu), Mexican rice, corn/Dinner – Meal being brought to us by friends
- Lunch – leftovers /Dinner – Meal being brought to us by friends
- Meal being brought to us by friends
- Deconstructed Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts (September Menu), rice, fruit
- Dinner with Church Family
- OAMM’s Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce, vegetable, wheat bread
- Sausage Biscuits & Gravy, fruit smoothies
- leftovers
- Lunch - Turkey Noodle Soup, Bread/Dinner – Pork Tenderloin recipe (still looking for a new one to try), vegetable and mashed potatoes
- Lunch – leftovers /Dinner – Meal being brought to us by friends
- Chicken Parmigiana (February Menu), easy garlic bread, peas
- Meal being brought to us by friends
- Burritos (April Menu), Mexican rice, tortilla chips
- Meal being brought to us by friends
- Try new recipe using sausage
- Lunch - Tacos /Dinner – Carole’s Chili (September Menu)
- Lunch - leftovers/Dinner – Beef Stew, dinner rolls, salad
- Burritos (April Menu),
- Dinner with Church Family
- Pork Tenderloin recipe (still looking for a new one to try)
- Deconstructed Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts (September Menu),
- Jody’s (Turkey) & Noodles, Mashed Potatoes, corn
- Lunch - /Dinner – Pasta Bar
Are you participating too?
I am! Although the other day I made salisbury steak to use up ground beef and egg noodles, but I made 5 lbs of the mix and froze half. Not sure that’s the point! LOL :-) I have some odd things to use up like wasabi and some puff pastry!
I do think that is part of it. Now your goal should be to consume it throughout the month of January. :)
I don’t know how “freezer happy” this recipe is, but I have an amazing honey glazed (grilled) pork tenderloin recipe if you’re interested. :)
Send it my way, or a link to if it is on a website! :)
Hi,
just curious, how do you get so many people to bring you meals? In the list above it shows Meals being brought by friends 9 times. Wow.
I suppose I have good friends. But I also had just had a baby! :) There are great online resources like Mealbaby.com and FoodTidings.com that you might think about trying as well. They are super helpful.
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