Pantry Inventory & Menu Challenge

[Domestic Gal]

I am starting to see some holes in the pantry and freezer finally.
Used up
whole chicken
box of stuffing mix
box of hamb. helper
bag of cooked ground beef
bag of mixed veg
last of the potatoes
can of cream of chicken soup
brick of cream cheese
1/2 lb bacon
rotini noodles
pasta sauce
frozen corn
frozen green beans
can of peaches
box of cereal
bag of marshmallows
bag of carmels
some instant mashed pot.
box of jello
man. oranges.

So far this month have only spent about $20 total so I am doing great. But I need to get some stuff that I am out of for baking this week so will spend a little on that stuff.
Need fruit also and will be getting about 10 loaves of bread since it is on sale for .99 and I have some .55/1 coupons.
This is for the 12 grain bread and we all like it so this is a good deal

[zakity]

We used up this week:
roast
sausage chub
hashbrown patties
good handful of potatoes
good handful of carrots
a dozen eggs
two chubs of hamburger
buns
5 lb bag of cheese
1 b bag of cheese
four packages of garlic bread
a bag of satsumas

[NikoSan999]

This is timely for me. I just went through the regular freezer and jotted down about a dozen items I wanted to use up and get out of the way. No way I could list our inventory, we are *heavy* stockpilers and keep the freezers and shelves full so I'll just list what I use up each day.

Just read the thread and I'd like to finish the month with you. Same as DollarHollar...way to much to list. I'd just like to keep groceries down until at least first of the year. I'll need some and not passing up really good sales but other than that I want to use what is on hand.

So last couple days that I can think of I've used...
Pork tenderloin, can cranberry sauce, part of bag of corn on the cob, last of a box of loaded mashed potatoes, bag of home fries, last of a pkg of bacon, ziploc of hamburger fried up for spaghetti sauce later in week, some English Muffins, almost a box of cheesy garlic bread, bag of marshmallows, almost a box of Rice Krispies. All needed to be used.

First part of week sometime I'll make the spaghetti and I've thawed out chicken breasts to bake another night.

[peanut]

on board NikkoSan99!

I'm thinking I might want to do another quick inventory to see what needs to be used up, before the next payday comes, so I can get my menus all planned for Christmas.

[MakeADollarHollar]

I remembered a couple other things I've used up...

A quart baggie of whole strawberries from the freezer - I put them in the jell-o dessert but don't like the way they lost all their flavor so I pick around them - basically they are just taking the long way to the trash can. Also finished off one of those monster size bags of tater tots that I got from the big box store.

[NikoSan999]

I, too, thought of something else. I know this has been all about food but got of the shower and just a thought....

For some reason, not me, there's about 4 or 5 bottles of opened shampoo and conditioner in there. Some are really low and I've been using those versus opening the new ones in stockpile. I don't even tell anyone they're there. I don't know WHY they do this. Really gets my goat. Also been using samples I've sent for of same. Money saved.

[peanut]

I just finished the basement freezer and cold room inventory. Interesting. I put it all on computer this time. In the past I've done paper copies...no idea why, just did. I think it will be much handier and more useful on my laptop, as I use it to plan menus as well.

[dinah]

we haven't used up anything. we've been bad this week about eating at home and cooking from scratch. i've got plans for this week!

[peanut]

A friend dropped off a bag of deer meat and I forgot to put it in the freezer! Most of it was still frozen this morning. But the bottom two pieces will have to be cooked tonight. Sudden change in menu. But a happy one. I love deer meat!

[NikoSan999]

Shook & Baked one of the chicken breasts. Also had about a cup of mac & cheese leftover in fridge that needed to be either eaten or out of here. Nuked it then crunched up some garlic & cheese croutons over it and had it for supper. Last piece of cherry pie with the last in can of whipped cream.
All out of fridge/pantry with no waste.

[peanut]

Used up some deer meat, a package of cauliflower, and made a quinoa tabbouleh to use up the mint in the fridge. Also used a frozen lemon, the rest of the cucumber, the rest of the fresh bell peppers, and the rest of the fresh tomatoes.

[zakity]

We used up:
ham out of the fridge
handful of potatoes
bag of broccoli
two baggies of pumpkin
the rest of the open garlic bread

[peanut]

Baking GF bread and Banana Walnut Coconut muffins. Used:

~ 3 bananas from freezer

Not counting the cupboard stuff and fridge stuff on this one, cuz I didn't use anything up.

[MakeADollarHollar]

What I thought was one package of fish in the freezer was actually two. One was much older than the other but DH and I both smelled it and it looked and smelled fine and since they were thawed, needed to be cooked. Made way too much for the two of us and DH woke up with a little stomach upset so I think I'll be safe and ditch the leftovers. They don't reheat well anyway. Note to self...rotate fish sooner.

[MakeADollarHollar]

I don't know when or why I bought them but I had a small bag of baby carrots hanging out in the produce bin. Decided I better use them up so I made a Carrot Cake. Also used up a baggie of walnuts from the freezer I've been wanting to rotate out and between the fish and veggie fry last night and the cake today I used an entire bottle of oil that needed to be rotated.

Thanks Peanut for starting this thread. We are pretty good about rotating our storage but this is *really* forcing me to stay focused and start moving some things that I often overlook.