Ah, friends who hold me accountable and push me to better myself and my home… now that’s a finer thing! Over the next few weeks I’ve determined to get a fresh start in many areas of my home management. Hopefully you’ll ride the roller coaster with me as I get organized, pitch a lot of stuff, and set a few lofty goals.
Thanks to Jessica and Crystal, one of my “clean it out/use it up/pitch it now” projects is getting an early start. Rather than host a Once-a-Month Cooking Challenge, in January they are planning an Eat From the Pantry challenge. I’m in!
We need to defrost our three freezers anyway in preparation for our 1/2 cow that’s ordered for March. I also need to figure out what garden goodies I still have in there (I’m betting on lots of shredded zucchini) and get them used up before planting our new garden. Planting is still a few months away, but I’m a busy mom… months seem to evaporate into hours around here!
My own goals for the Eat From the Pantry Challenge:
- Take detailed inventory of my 3 freezers and pantry. Wanna see what’s in my freezers?! I’m doing this tonight!
- Toss all the candy and other junk that we have no business eating (I may or may not have some Halloween candy stashed — from last year. Did I just admit that?!), saving a bit for our basketball snack bags.
- Collect and bag the convenience foods that I “buy” for nothing with coupons. Those go to the church food pantry, and they are going now!
- Create and post a month-long meal plan (my first ever!) using the ingredients I have available as much as possible. Time to get creative, and I will most certainly be asking for your recipe links!
- Reduce trips to the store to once every two weeks for fresh fruit, veggies, and baking supplies, which will in turn reduce what we spend on food this month, which will pad our savings for the cow in March. Vague? Yes, but that’s what will work best for us. I’m excited to see just how little we spend!
Sound like a plan? Let’s get started! I’ll be back later with a freezer/pantry inventory. Gotta start somewhere!
This is a great idea. How often do I look in the freezer and have brought something twice or three times. Not to mention I could have used that money for an item we didn’t have. Thanks for the tip.
Sounds like a great plan! Can’t wait to see all your posts and details!
Good luck Amy! I need to clean out our freezer as well! I have no idea what’s in there, either! I don’t think I could stretch it for a month (not going to the store) but I’d love to stretch it to every 10+days!! Maybe I’ll join y’all!!
I’m sure I could stretch mine for several months, or the meat at least… we’ll see how far I get.
Good luck!!!
Awesome goals! Gosh, I wish I had 3 freezers! LOL! I posted some of my recipe plans on my site, too! Good luck with the challenge!
I am trying this too and for the same cow reason!
That sounds like a GREAT plan:-)
You are the second person that I have seen that is going to multi-task eating from the pantry and spring cleaning the freezer…lol! Good goals to have!
Count our family in on the challenge!!!
I think I still have some candy from Halloween ’08, too. heehee Just the good chocolate stuff though that I swiped to bake with:)
Um, if you throw away three bags of Dove Dark Chocolate…
Well, I’m not sure we can be friends anymore. ” )
No way, girl! The dark chocolate is mine. All mine! It’s just the kids’ garbage that I toss. {evil laugh}
Great goals! THREE freezers… holy cow! (and it looks like I mean that literally). Good luck on the challenge.
I love the idea of saving the money for a cow!