My refrigerator looks so empty!

**warramra** · 03-12-2009, 07:45 PM

I cleaned out my refrigerator today and it is looking very bare...but that is a good thing. I clean it out each month, wiping down all the shelves. But, today I went through and got rid of all the misc bottles and stuff that we haven't used in forever.

We have plenty of food in the pantry & freezers, but I have found the balance in keeping just what we need in the frig. Next week I will go on my 'big' monthly trip for staples, and I have just enough to last us until then. And, that has to be saving us money. For the last six weeks my weekly grocery spending is way down!!!! It has taken forever for me to get to this point that I want to do the happy dance

. Plus it means that I am getting much better about using up all our leftovers.

My kids on the other hand got really wide-eyed this afternoon and asked what happened to all the food...

**MommyBliss** · 03-12-2009, 08:03 PM

Good for you! I love a clean fridge! I got to clean ours out when I had to switch over food to the new fridge today. I too am making sure we eat up leftovers. It makes me feel like I'm getting it finally.

**lvngwell** · 03-12-2009, 08:05 PM

Our fridge just died and I lost alot

The new one is bigger and it sure looks bare!!! I need to find the time to do a restock, but no time!

**perSue** · 03-12-2009, 08:13 PM

Hey! Great job

lol @ the kids "where's all the food!?"

You wanna clean my fridge now? lol

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-13-2009, 07:02 AM

hey gang....here's the 'utility police'....haha....

don't forget an empty fridge 'runs' alot more and that drives up your utility bill...until you can get it full of new yummy food...stock it with water jugs to take up space....

**Laurie in Bradenton** · 03-13-2009, 07:29 AM

My DD syas when the refrig is emtpy we're poor. So I fill it up with pretty jello desserts. Usually I've got an emtpy shelf to hold some nicer glasses with the dessert in them. Then the statment is "Gee Mom who's coming for dinner." lol
I'm looking for a way to use up some of those condoments with out throwing them away. Any suggestions? Besides opening a salad bar to push all these half full dressing bottles?

Laurie in Bradenton

**justpeachy92** · 03-13-2009, 07:51 AM

Laurie,
If you have some thousand island dressing to get rid of one of our favorite meals is to brown up some ground beef. Place the meat in sub rolls. Pour on some of the dressing and put cheese on the top. Place the rolls in the broiler to melt cheese, then put lettuce and tomato on the top. It is like making a bigmac sub.

**onencgirl** · 03-13-2009, 08:11 AM

My frig is full of condiments. So many they hardly fit in the door. I need to go thru and clean- weed them out. This weekend looks like a good time to do this.

**tervsforme** · 03-13-2009, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Laurie in Bradenton

I'm looking for a way to use up some of those condoments with out throwing them away. Any suggestions? Besides opening a salad bar to push all these half full dressing bottles?Laurie in Bradenton

I use salad dressings for marinating chicken, pork, even beef. Italian dressing is great for marinating chicken in as well as any other vinegar based dressing or honey mustard type. Thousand Island is great on burgers and so is ranch dressing.

**perSue** · 03-13-2009, 10:55 AM

Laurie:
you can definitely marinate meat (chicken/pork) and some veggies in oil/vinegar based dressings.

what about a finger food night to help use up some dressings...
cruditee, deli meat/cheese, use crackers or cut breads into fourths and have an all around "picnic dinner"... and of course the dressings to dip in!