August Freezer/Pantry Challenge

**qsaver704** · 08-04-2011, 09:25 AM

It is the beginning of a new month. Who is eating items already in your house to save money, not waste, organize, make room for gardening or whatever?

**qsaver704** · 08-04-2011, 09:26 AM

I am eating out of my pantry and freezer again this month to save as much money as I can at the grocery store. I sat down and made menus. I should have 17 meals with only needing milk, bread, produce, etc. I also will need to pick up diapers, baby formula and baby food.

So far...

hot dogs, chicken patties, buns, mayo gone

**tervsforme** · 08-04-2011, 10:08 AM

I am in on this. I went through my pantry last weekend. My freezer is not too full, I'll double check that tonight, but I should be good for the next 2 weeks with just buying milk, bread and some produce. I have a bunch of canned veggies, but since veggies are so cheap and yummy now I would prefer fresh.

**Ssindi** · 08-04-2011, 02:12 PM

Now that I'm retired,I can post here more often. Now that I'm home and have plenty of time to cook ,I'm better at re-purposing leftovers.
We've had lots of fresh veggies from our neighbors on both sides. We've also had take home plates from some weekend events we attended and contributed foodstuffs. So we are doing OK on the grocery front right now.

**dinah** · 08-04-2011, 03:22 PM

i bought 5 cucumbers because they were on sale. i need to make sure i eat those up!

**qsaver704** · 08-06-2011, 12:32 AM

eaten lately:
-green beans
-last of the fresh garden squash
-2 chicken breasts (one into a chicken noodle dinner, 1/2 into a chicken pot pie for tomorrow, 1/2 shredded for later and back into the freezer)
-noodle box meal
-mixed veggies
-cream of soup
-sandwich thins
-cheese
-sausage

Today's lunch was mini pizzas made with sandwich thins I got with a free coupon, home canned pizza sauce from last year, sausage that we had leftover from a breakfast meal, and some Aldi cheese, very cheap!

**tervsforme** · 08-06-2011, 09:52 AM

Organized my freezer last night. Threw out a few things, but now I know what I have in there. I got some stew meat out that needs to be used up, I'll probably put some stew in the crockpot tomorrow, then will have that during the week.

Finished up
A bag of chocolate chips
a jar of salad dressing
a can of protein powder
a jar of salsa

It's a start...

**Ssindi** · 08-07-2011, 10:20 AM

Since we are using up what we have here,I have a question. What do you do with leftover salad? I have almost a 2gallon zip bag left from a party yesterday. I thought I read once about putting in the blender with some type of liquid(broth?) and making a cold soup. Of course I can't find any recipe like that now. Any suggestions before I venture into my own concoctions?
Thanks in advance.

**Jayne** · 08-07-2011, 12:11 PM

Is it just lettuce?...You could cook it like you would spinich and use it in soup...

**Ssindi** · 08-07-2011, 12:32 PM

Lettuces,tomatoes,onions,peppers,cucumbers and a few cured olives

**wunsagin** · 08-07-2011, 01:35 PM

I need to work on my kitchen freezer more, seems I can't get ahead. It is usually stuffed with bits and pieces that I need to use up.

partial bag of egg noodles
partial bag of broccoli
hot dog chili
4 hot dogs
hot dog buns
1 cup pineapple juice
4 sandwich buns
frozen strawberry jam
spaghetti sauce
2 bags mixed veggies

from the pantry I just need to use up
4 cans bean sprouts
can stewed tomatoes
2 cans sliced mushrooms

**dinah** · 08-08-2011, 10:25 AM

we've eaten 2 of the cukes and we're going to have another one tonight. lol.

**dinah** · 08-08-2011, 10:27 AM

but seriously i think we've been doing good with using up what we have.

we've used up

the frozen leftover taco meat
2 frozen chicken breasts
and we're making sure to eat up all the fresh fruit/veggies we have.

**NikoSan999** · 08-08-2011, 09:22 PM

So far that I can remember
3 chicken breasts...1 shredded for chicken salad and 2 cooked in sesame ginger and shredded for pizza, spanish rice or salad
1 bag salad
1 box ziplocs
1 box muffin mix
finished off 1 jar pizza sauce
1 red pepper out of fridge
1 box shake & bake
1 pkg hot dogs
1 pkg buns
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 box spaghetti
1 box cheesy bread
1 container hamburger from fridge
2 jars pickles
1 cannister coffee mate
1 bag Splenda
1 lg container reg coffee
1 bag shrimp scampi
1 jar mushrooms
2 cans soup

**NikoSan999** · 08-09-2011, 08:18 PM

Tonight...
Used up last of the cooked hamburger in container in fridge
Made spaghetti...opened up new sauce so have partial jar left...used most of another box noodles