Summer Pantry Budget Challenge....

[tinkmom2]

This is a contiuation of the spring pantry challenge. The idea is to take invetory of what you have in your freezers and pantrys and spend as little as possible at the grocery store. Here is the link to the previous thread.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2351213&page=42

 

[tinkmom2]

I went to the store today to restock. My bill was originally $155. I got it down to $125.00. It was double coupon day and I got a lot bogo. It was also meat week for me. I usually buy around $100.00 and under for the week for a family of 4 including soda,cat supplies, and incidentals.
Here is the menu for the week
chicken salad sandwiches made with pecans and grapes and miracle whip (lunch today)
salad with grilled chicken
beef and been burritos with avocado and rice
cajun dirty rice with shirmp, andoule sausage, and whatever veggies I can find
crockpot chopsuey and rice
one eat out date night for my DH and I
pizza night for the rest of the family
blue cheese stuffed chicken breast with potato
brat night with some potato

Have a good week!

 

[DawnM]

I am quite overstocked myself. A pantry challenge would be good.

A friend gave me 10 organic ears of corn. I am cooking them up now along with rice, green beans, and a meat of some sort. I have leftover meatloaf and leftover salmon, so one of those will do.

Dawn

 

[momx2]

I did this in the spring and pretty much cleaned out, so now I don't have much of a stockpile. Here is what I do have in the freezer:

2 pkgs. 1 lb. ground pork
6 pkgs. 1 lb. ground turkey
1 pkg. 1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. smoked sausage whole
1 3 lb. bag boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1.5 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 3 lb. sirloin roast
1 2.65 lb. sirloin roast
1 15 lb. turkey
3 2 lb. boneless porkloin
1 2 lb. beef ribs
1 1 lb. italian ground sausage
2 pkgs. 1.5 lbs. stew meat
1 3 lb. bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 bags Tyson breaded chicken patties
2 pkgs. ravioli
2 pkgs. Ball Park Franks
1 container of homemade sloppy joes
2 containers of homemade meatsauce
4 containers homegrown, frozen corn
1 pgk. corn on the cob
some chicken stock
1 turkey carcas (for soup)
3 bags fries
Various frozen veggies

That's it for my freezer. I know it sounds like alot, but for me, it's half empty to me.

Let's see if I keep myself from buying freezer items for awhile. Now watch Kroger have a meat sale in tomorrow's paper!

 

[Priorityonecb]

I'd love to get back on board with this! I do need to go do a stock up of the freezer, then I am back in! I've been doing really well lately though, spending less than $75 per week! This week we have the following choices...

Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Shrimp Alfredo, salad
Black bean burgers, fries, corn on the cob
Chicken breast sandwiches, fresh fruits and veggies
Chicken tettrazini, steamed broccoli, corn bread

 

[NHWX]

Last week I made a major effort and defrosted the big chest freezer in the basement. I also created a list of what we have in which freezer. It's not as full of food as I'd like but we definitely do have some to go through.

(Anyone have an idea of what to do with a whole lot of liver though? We've gotten some with our 1/2 cow order two years running and we just don't eat that much.)

I've already blown July's budget so there's not much I can do about that. Try for next month!

I keep shuttling back and forth in my mind between "buy it now while it's cheap" and "you can't spend that much in one month!" It's not a very useful place to be mentally. I think I'm going to get a snack (salad dinner because it's so ding-dang hot again I'm hungry again) and try to make a plan.

NHWX

 

[charming23]

Thanks to this thread I was able to use up most of my pantry and freezer stockpile. I am planning on stocking up again over the next few months for winter.

 

[jennyopenny]

I am in! This is a must for me.
We got a tonof free veggies yesterday, so I am dong my best to not let them go bad. (it really is a TON)

Today, I am making tomato sauce, and a chicken zucchini casserole. Last night, I made two loaves of zucchini bread.
We don't really do many cucumbers. I did pickles a few weeks ago. (when I had another vege basket gift~LOL!) Any ideas?

Oh, Hubby got a ham from work on Friday. (in the restaurant business) Need to divide that bad boy up too. Probably beans, ham, and cornbread this week.

Everything I cook is gluten free~due to child with celiac disease.

 

[dsilva51]

I'm in! I need to take inventory of my freezer and ditch what's old and what's good!

I know I have italian sausage patties for the grill one night, a big thing of chop meat I will defrost and make sauce and meatballs.

BLT's
Raviolli's
Hotdogs
hamburgers
chicken wraps
tacos
grilled pizza

 

[beansmom]

i am soooo in! we have 3 full freezers and a full pantry along with gifts from a friend's garden. We also have a few tomato plants and some squash and zucchini. We just bought a whole lamb this weekend. Time to cook up!

I will do an inventory this week then plan menus. We HAVE to eat this stuff down.

I have lamb and beef and chicken and a whole turkey. Tons of frozen alad veggies...I can't think of anythingm we need other than fresh salad stuff and milk. I think I will set a goal of $25 per week and see if i can do that.

Wish me luck.

 

[Cinerbelle]

I saw this thread and thought to myself "I bet there is a lot in there I don't even know I have"... so I took inventory and can NOT believe what is in there. I shouldn't have to shop for a month... what the heck was I thinking buying all this food!!!

Chicken Thighs – 4 pkgs.
Chicken Breasts – 3 pkgs.
Whole Chicken
Chicken Drumsticks – big pkg.
Thin Sliced Chicken Filets – 3 pkgs.
Pre-Cooked Chicken Breast Strips
Lemon Zesty Chicken Filets – 2 pkgs.
Ground Beef – 8 pkgs.
Steak – 2 pkgs.
Hamburger Patties
Maple Sausage
Al Pasor Meat
Ground Lamb
Ground Turkey
Gortons Salmon
Gortons Fish
Gortons Fish Sticks
Fish Filets
Tilapia – 1 little bag
Edamame
Corn on the Cob
Whole Kernel Corn – 4
Chopped Green Peppers – 2
Chopped Broccoli
Broccoli
Sliced Peaches
Blueberries
Strawberris
Frozen Chicken Nugget Meal
Frozen Dinner Rolls
Seasoned Fries – ½ pkg.
Chopped Onions - 2
Chicken Pepperoni – ½ pkg.
Tator Tots
Garlic Bread – 5
Tuxedo Brownies
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice-Cream
Monster Cookie Ice-Cream
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Double Strawberry Ice-Cream
Strawberry/Banana Smoothie Mix
Limeade
Lean Cuisine – Chicken Enchilada Suiza
Lean Cuisine – Turkey
Lean Cuisine – Steak Tips Dijon
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Skillet
Mashed Potatoes
Southwestern Style Rice
Tyson Chicken Nuggets
Sloppy Joe Sandwiches – pkg. of 4
Fried Rice
Pepper Beef
Egg Rolls
Jalapeno Cheese Poppers
Chili Verde Chicken Burritos – 2
Crinkle Cut Fries
Zesty Fries

 

[Priorityonecb]

Wow Cinerbelle!! You could bank all the money you could save doing a pantry/freezer challenge and pay for your next trip to Disney!

 

[Sagginit]

I am in! This is a must for me.
We got a tonof free veggies yesterday, so I am dong my best to not let them go bad. (it really is a TON)

Today, I am making tomato sauce, and a chicken zucchini casserole. Last night, I made two loaves of zucchini bread.
We don't really do many cucumbers. I did pickles a few weeks ago. (when I had another vege basket gift~LOL!) Any ideas?

Oh, Hubby got a ham from work on Friday. (in the restaurant business) Need to divide that bad boy up too. Probably beans, ham, and cornbread this week.

Everything I cook is gluten free~due to child with celiac disease.

what is it about the cucumbers you dont use/like? i have celiac disease too and love them. besides salad i cut them on an angle to make them more oval and put feta, herbs, and evoo with balsamic on top as like a mini greek salad bite thing. i also stole this idea from pfchangs. i use a GF soy sauce and sesame seeds to top slices/ chunks and eat that as a side dish to stir fry.

i have a lot of random GF baking stuff like xanath (sp?) gum and almond flour that i need to sort thru, pull out all those cook books and get baking.

 

[Cinerbelle]

Wow Cinerbelle!! You could bank all the money you could save doing a pantry/freezer challenge and pay for your next trip to Disney!

I know!! I don't think I have to shop for a month. I am afraid of how much I will find in the pantry.

 

[jennyopenny]

As for the cucumbers, I just don't like them...my three year olds are not used to them either. I keep trying...maybe eventually?? I may just have to do more pickles.

 

[50sjayne]

I saw this thread and thought to myself "I bet there is a lot in there I don't even know I have"... so I took inventory and can NOT believe what is in there. I shouldn't have to shop for a month... what the heck was I thinking buying all this food!!!

Chicken Thighs – 4 pkgs.
Chicken Breasts – 3 pkgs.
Whole Chicken
Chicken Drumsticks – big pkg.
Thin Sliced Chicken Filets – 3 pkgs.
Pre-Cooked Chicken Breast Strips
Lemon Zesty Chicken Filets – 2 pkgs.
Ground Beef – 8 pkgs.
Steak – 2 pkgs.
Hamburger Patties
Maple Sausage
Al Pasor Meat
Ground Lamb
Ground Turkey
Gortons Salmon
Gortons Fish
Gortons Fish Sticks
Fish Filets
Tilapia – 1 little bag
Edamame
Corn on the Cob
Whole Kernel Corn – 4
Chopped Green Peppers – 2
Chopped Broccoli
Broccoli
Sliced Peaches
Blueberries
Strawberris
Frozen Chicken Nugget Meal
Frozen Dinner Rolls
Seasoned Fries – ½ pkg.
Chopped Onions - 2
Chicken Pepperoni – ½ pkg.
Tator Tots
Garlic Bread – 5
Tuxedo Brownies
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice-Cream
Monster Cookie Ice-Cream
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
Double Strawberry Ice-Cream
Strawberry/Banana Smoothie Mix
Limeade
Lean Cuisine – Chicken Enchilada Suiza
Lean Cuisine – Turkey
Lean Cuisine – Steak Tips Dijon
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Skillet
Mashed Potatoes
Southwestern Style Rice
Tyson Chicken Nuggets
Sloppy Joe Sandwiches – pkg. of 4
Fried Rice
Pepper Beef
Egg Rolls
Jalapeno Cheese Poppers
Chili Verde Chicken Burritos – 2
Crinkle Cut Fries
Zesty Fries

Y'know--it's nice to see others with as much food as I have..

I'm in. I'm settled back down finally from our last Disneyland visit and whirlwind mothercat and kittens rescue (see trip report link) have done a recent cupboard tally and organization, need to do the freezers again desperately before blackberries get on.

[/IMG]
Did so well with things but one night of college moveout dumpster diving and some extreme coupon deals a checker regularly tempts me with at my store has filled each food storage space in my house to the brim and my Mom's complaining about the Turkey I have in her freezer...

 

[charming23]

So I went and checked our downstairs freezer and we still have some stuff left. So I want to try and use that up before we start our big winter stock up again. Here is what is left

a 13lb turkey
a 5lb ham
2 packs of chicken tenders
1 pack chicken breasts
2 turkey tenderloins
1 bag sweet potato fries
2 bags regular french fries
3 bags homemade shredded hashbrowns
2 bas homemade diced hashbrowns
1 bag breaded zucchini
1 bag sweet potato rounds
1 bag mozzarella sticks
1 package of fettuchine alfredo from Trader Joes
1 pack of dinner rolls from pepperidge farm
3 quart containers of homemade Cincinnati Chili
2 quart containers of chicken noodle soup
1 package vegetable samosas from Trader Joes

 

[dsilva51]

I know!! I don't think I have to shop for a month. I am afraid of how much I will find in the pantry.

Holy Moly Girl!

 

[thebeesknees]

So I went and checked our downstairs freezer and we still have some stuff left.
3 bags homemade shredded hashbrowns
2 bas homemade diced hashbrowns

Can you tell me how you make these? Do you just dice/shred up the raw potatoes and freeze them or do you need to cook them first? Thanks! I can usually get 2 lbs. at Dollar Tree for a buck, but sometimes, I have potatoes that need to be used before they go bad, and this sounds like a great way to use them.

 

[jennyopenny]

I can help with that one.

This is a great tutorial~
http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/make-your-own-frozen-hashbrowns