May Freezer/Pantry Challenge

[qsaver704]

This month I am TRYING DESPERATELY not to overspend on groceries. I am getting back to using up everything, getting creative, etc.

I have used up a box of jello that has been here forever. To liven it up, I put canned pineapple in it. I have cooked up some chicken for a chicken noodle dish I made up (cheap chicken, free noodles, free Philadelphia cooking cream, add a veggie, have a meal). We have also eaten lots of the Easter candy floating around, all the peanut butter, jelly (fresh strawberry I made LAST MAY!), okra (FROM LAST SUMMER"S GARDEN), meatloaf, pizza, cheese, tortilla shells, etc.

Looking forward to being even more creative to stretch the dollar!

[Spirit Deer]

I've sworn off buying groceries for all of May, except for milk and fresh produce. I'm trying to get the freezers and pantry under control again so need to use up some of the stuff that's been in there a while. Besides, this is going to be a very expensive month due to some other upcoming expenses. Cutting the grocery bill will help a little.

Last night I made taco salad using two stray taco shells that were in the pantry and some corn tortillas from the freezer, along with browned hamburger and Cheddar cheese from the freezer, and fresh tomatoes harvested from the Aerogarden. It's on the menu for tonight as well. We also had milk that had been thawed from the freezer several days ago.

[MsMarieH]

Used up leftover chili and the last of a box of whole wheat spaghetti making cincinnati chili.

This morning, I used up the partial can of tomato sauce leftover from last night and the leftover half of an onion as part of a barbecued ribs sauce in my crockpot.

I too am definitely trying to reduce my trips to the grocery store this month and mostly just buy fresh stuff. In another month or so, when my garden gets going, I'm hoping to not even do much of that.

[joyofsix]

I'm trying to do this too. We had some car repairs and other stuff. I'm trying to keep the groceries to the very minimum. I made a menu to use stuff on hand. Ideas to use these things?. Breakfast will be pancakes, oatmeal, etc and lunch is sandwiches, leftovers or soup. Here's hoping for all of us.

[joyofsix]

Today's lunch
leftover spaghetti for 2 kids
ramen for 1 kid
veggie fried rice for me
making homemade pudding for afterschool snack

[Dancing Lotus]

I need to get in on this. I have a tiny bit of debit from my visit with cricket this month. My rule is to never carry a balance so I have to pay it all off. I know I'm all stocked up after spending 27.00 at aldis today, that leaves me with 75.00 from this weeks budget to apply to debt.

Tonight will be Black bean pasta made from pasta I got free last month, a can of black beans from the pantry, mushrooms bought on sale last week and left over spinach from Tuesdays salad.

and for dessert/tomorrow's snack I'm baking banana bread from last weeks .39cents a pound sale

[piney]

Using some beans,cabbage & okra out freezer today for dinner used one banana & some nuts out freezer had 2 ripe bananas to make muffins but most of them will go in freezer.

[Spirit Deer]

I made supper using a bag of frozen veggies from the freezer, an onion that needed to be used, the mushroom which may be the last of the crop , and some mini-meatloaves from the batch cooking in the freezer.

[jean08]

Today I used up 2 turkey burgers from the freezer. I also made hamburger rolls to eat them on.

[qsaver704]

-finished a chicken casserole my mom was gracious enough to send over about 3 weeks ago
-been eating lots of leftovers
-working on a box of cereal now

My son (4 years old) looked at me tonight and said "you gave me leftovers mom". I thought he was complaining until he said, "thanks, we don't want to waste food!"

[Grammarbug]

Gathered my first produce of the season. I gathered turnips and had enough to put up 1 1/2 quarts of the turnips and 3 quarts of the turnip greens. I have kale ready also, but don't really know how to prepare it for the freezer.

[Grammarbug]

Today I put up more kale in the freezer for a total of 11 quarts of kale for my winter stews. I used fresh cantaloupe, strawberries, pineapple, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini from the fridge for dinner tonight.

[NikoSan999]

I'm in for the rest of the month. I'm only going to do loss leaders or extremely cheap the rest of the onth. We got hit hard with medical bills for all 3 of us plus car repairs.
Also need to use up some stockpile items so I can start buying again on sale with new expiration dates.

Today, I made deep fried cherry pies using a can of cherry pie filling and egg roll wraps.
For supper making a pork tenderloin and putting a can of small white potatoes in with it in the oven. Using a box of scalloped potatoes that need to go. Leftover can of corn in fridge from couple nights ago. Maybe garlic bread.

[Ramona]

We're also eating from the freezer, buying only fresh produce on discount and milk and bread.

I'm concerned that most of my frozen goods have been there a month or two and I want to eat it down before it changes taste.

[qsaver704]

Well, I guess it is June now, but I figured I would just stick with this thread. I HAVE to clear out the pantry and freezer this month. A) the freezers (regular frig one and the outside one) are both so full I have to be careful getting anything out
B) we got a new to us car and the payments are going to KILL us!

We are going to be eating what is here to save money this month.

USED:
leftovers brought home from Memorial Day cookouts
bacon, grits, hamburger meat, hamburger helper, corn, roast, 1/2 bag of potatoes, 1/2 bag of carrots, lemonade drink powder, cranberry juice, frozen shrimp, peanut butter, cheddar cheese, shredded chicken, mixed veggies, frozen mac n cheese dinner