2012 Pantry Inventory and Menu Challenge

[qsaver704]

I'm in. I am going to try to switch over to once a month shopping and see if that helps curtail my buying.

[peanut]

qsaver704: I'm cutting down to twice a month...once a paycheck. That way I can actually go without any shopping in-between times I think. Produce keeps up to two weeks in my fridge.

[tervsforme]

I'm in, my budget is going to be tight, tight for 2012, so I need to really watch my grocery budget. I've stocked up on a few things the last few weeks while stuff is on sale, but I hope to really slash my grocery budget in 2012.

[joyofsix]

I'm in. I always like to do this in January.

[Handy Andy]

I am in as well. I have a pretty good stockpile for just two of us and if I am going to meet my 12.12.12 debt pay-down goal I made on another thread I am going to find additional ways to save money.

Eating the tons of food (2 chest freezers, packed full, kitchen cupboards and another room with 6 cabinets full of food) we already have would probably be a good start.....

[monkeywrangler71]

I cleaned and organized the food storage room and deep freeze this afternoon, and made an inventory list. I'm going back to work next week and want to have meals planned and prepared.

I really need to deal with the turkey leftovers today, hoping to incorporate them into some casseroles for the freezer.

I have a grocery list started to fill in the holes in my inventory, but hoping to put together a couple of weeks worth of meals over the next few days that will use what we have.

[peanut]

MonkeyWrangler: thanks for reminding me. I still have a Thanksgiving turkey carcass in my freezer. Need to make some soup stock.

[zakity]

Over the last few days, we have used:

pizza:
the rest of the mozzarella in the fridge
two packages of Italian sausage
three cans of black olives
two cans of spaghetti sauce


turkey soup:
turkey bones and meaty bits (this made enough for two things of soup and the meat for another meal)
handful of carrots and potatoes
the remaining handful of veggies from the veggie tray


and the rest of a package of rolls leftover from xmas

[pollypurebred39]

Started today

Made 3 small trays of baked ziti. DH ate 1/2 of tray, except oldest to polish it off after he comes in after work. Put 2 of the trays in the freezer.

Used 2 containers of kraft cream cheese recipe tubs, 1 large jar of sauce, a pound of mozzarella, 1 box of low carb ziti, 4 onions, a bunch of peppers.

DH has been chowing down on macaroni salad since Christmas, we've 1 container filled yet. Red beet eggs, about a dozen left. and we have green onion dip that's going to go bad if we don't eat it.

[NicJean]

So, I used this recipe (from an '09 magazine) and LOVED it this week.

Broccoli Turkey Casserole
1/4 cup each chopped onion and celery
2 Tbs butter
4 cups chopped turkey (cooked already)
1 lb frozen chopped broccoli (thawed)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
3 oz (1/2 can) french fried onions

In large skillet saute onions and celery in butter till tender. Stir in turkey, broccoli, soups, rice. Pour into greased 9x9 casserole dish (2 1/2 qt.) Bake uncovered at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes till bubbly, add cheese and french fried onions, bake 5 more minutes.

Can be assembled, then frozen -mark french fried onions in pantry.

[greekislandgirl]

Ι want to join this challenge! I have a full freezer, pantry, kitchen cupboards, etc. I don't really have any more space to keep adding to the stockpile. Whereas up til now I was buying everything I use to stockpile (because with inflation, everything is cheaper now than it will be later), now I'm going to try to only buy stuff that's actually "on sale" (a more normal stockpiling tactic). And I want to start using the stuff we have especially the freezer, because freezer space is so limited and I find I can't really take advantage of sales the way I want to because I can't freeze things.

The only things I HAVE to buy, thanks to the stockpile, is milk (although I try to buy 9-12 bottles at a time of that too).

So my goal is to ONLY buy milk and stockpile stuff that is on sale, plus seasonal vegetables from the farmers' market as needed.

Today DH has a cold so I made turkey-vegetable soup. I made vegetable stock using my stock bag that was in my freezer (all my peels and ends of veggies over the last few months), and used stockpiled turkey, frozen peas, potatoes, carrots, rice, and dried parsley. Every ingredient came from the stockpile!

[pollypurebred39]

NicJean, Thanks for the recipe. I'm going to try it with a few adjustments to work with what's in our pantry. Like switching out the broccoli for another vegetable, omitting the cheese, and switching the french fried onions for buttered bread crumbs, chicken for turkey, or maybe ground turkey. I think it's going to be fabulous! Thanks!

Today was a continued leftovers and deep pantry day. Pulled out the day old spaghetti bread 75 cents, Huge loaf! Made toast for breakfast. DH is still eating the scones I made for Christmas. Lunch was leftover baked ziti, and some chips and pretzels with green onion dip. The green onion dip is going to expire, and since we were sick on Christmas the pretzels, chips and green dip never got opened. My DH almost danced a jig. Crazy old coot! (I mean that in the most loving way. ) I NEVER, I mean NEVER buy that kind of stuff unless it's a party. He only gets it other times if my MIL brings some over. LOL! He's been smiling all day. So much dip since I bought 2 containers of it, in my defense they were 69 cents for a huge container, and we were supposed to have 12 people.

In the crockpot is chicken cacciatore. I had done up a few bags of of these from garden vegetables and 1 pound chicken breast cubed. I got that chicken for $1.29!! Unheard of! So the entire crockpot is $1.29 A full pot of rice in the rice cooker @ 25 cents since I bought the rice in bulk. Add in spaghetti bread. Total for supper for 3- $2.29!!! There's sure to be leftover rice and leftover spaghetti bread.

[MakeADollarHollar]

Still having problems with my hand so set DH loose in the kitchen again last night. Used...

1 can Refried Beans
Wraps from freezer
1/2 can of Enchilada Sauce from freezer with a few tablespoons water added to make it stretch

Today for lunch he had leftover Bean Wraps, I had leftover Chili Dogs

Tonight we are having 2 Bone-In, Thick Cut Chops from freezer, leftover Potatoes, Broccoli, Carrots, Green Beans that were cooked with the Christmas Ham

[hotprincesscm]

We ate a package of hotdogs out of the freezer, a box of mac n cheese, and a can of peas....I'm trying to get rid of the processed foods before the new year....as our resolution is to eat healthier....we are almost there...only one more package of hotdogs in the freezer....I'm slowly going to try and get down the stockpile in the pantry to start over fresh with better for you foods for the new year....if all goes well I shouldn't really have to buy anything besides milk and fresh fruit and veggies over the next couple weeks....I'm hoping anyways.

[peanut]

We ate a pound of ground elk for supper in Swedish Meatballs. No sauce. Had some carrots and parsnips too...and some dilled carrots and beans. It's taking us a long time to use things up, with just the two of us here.