What one thing do you wish you had never stocked

**Elloise** · 07-09-2010, 02:31 PM

Not too many regrets, other than sugar free Almond Breeze. I can't do dairy, won't do soy, and sugar is BAD for me. I really liked making sugar free hot chocolate, or adding SF vanilla to coffee or whatever. Even the SF unflavored was great. But after the 20 boxes in 20 weeks, I was sick of it. Now I have probably 20 more boxes left in the stockpile and they are getting close to expiring. Time to donate it.

**pita1213** · 07-16-2010, 09:44 PM

I have tried to only stockpile things that I know we would eat or use. Early on I read about others that bought stuff because it was what you were supposed to stockpile in case of whatever badtime was expected at that moment. I tried to learn from their mistakes.
THe only thing I can think of that is taking me forever to use up is the box of kix and plain cheerios. when we got half way through each of them, they went in the same container. I bought them when I was watching my niece and still had most of a box when I stopped watching her. Now they are treats for the dog. I put a few in a toy of his that dispenses treats so it gets him moving around.
I bought oatmeal packets when they went on sale at target back in February. It's taking a while for dd to get through them but I have also taken them with us when we go camping for girl scouts as a second breakfast option for the girls and it doesn't cost the troop anything.
I'd love to take the flour and sugar. I do a lot of baking so it wouldn't go to waste. That hard brown sugar can be softened a couple of different ways. I have the better part of a 50 lb bag of flour in my freezer right now and about 15 pounds of regular sugar in my pantry. A friend brought them to me when he closed his bakery.

**cottageliving** · 07-17-2010, 12:18 PM

Pita 1213: I signed on to see where you live, because if it was close to me I would bring you the flour and sugar when I'm home next. Alas, we do not live close to one another at all.

until your post, though, I did NOT know that you could keep flour in the freezer. How long will it last? Is a year too long? I need to try harder to give the flour away before it is too old.

And thanks, I won't worry about the brown sugar if I can soften it again. Any tips on that would be much appreciated.

**ktesedale** · 07-30-2010, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by cottageliving

until your post, though, I did NOT know that you could keep flour in the freezer. How long will it last? Is a year too long? I need to try harder to give the flour away before it is too old.

And thanks, I won't worry about the brown sugar if I can soften it again. Any tips on that would be much appreciated.

Not the person you asked, but you hadn't gotten a reply yet, sooo...

Flour lasts at least a year in the freezer, and I've used older stuff with no problems at all. It keeps it away from any bugs or animals, too. Just make sure you wrap it up to make sure no moisture can get in - I use plastic wrap. Specialty flours can go bad more quickly, though, so I'd suggest searching for any of those.

Brown sugar is easy to soften! The way we always did it when I was growing up was to toss a piece of bread in the bag. It should be soft again in a day or two. A damp paper towel will work, too. If it's really hard and you need it right away, put it in a microwave next to a bowl of water and microwave for 25 seconds at a time. Just be careful, because you can melt the sugar.

**pbobber** · 08-08-2010, 03:15 AM

Mini rice cakes: like eating styrofoam. Cookie mix. Why did I buy this??? I always make homemade cookies. Sent all of both to the local food pantry

**Nana2two** · 08-09-2010, 09:07 PM

I'm going through the pantry today. I was just telling myself oh gosh we have way to much of this or that. I have 10 of those containers of the powder lemonade. I must have gotten them when they were near free. They exp in a few months. So guess we will be drinking lots of lemonade.

**NikoSan999** · 08-09-2010, 09:19 PM

Way to much hamburger helper...least I could have done was to get the couple flavors we actually DO like. now we have to much we don't care for.

**buffy871** · 06-03-2011, 06:23 AM

Really cheap rice from the dollar store. I got weevils in everything that wasn't in cans and had to throw out tons of good food.

**NikoSan999** · 06-03-2011, 07:22 AM

I can add to my previous of hamburger helper...the flavored miracle whip....I got it BOGO and coupons on top of it to make it free. It's not very popular here.

**mamamia** · 06-03-2011, 10:35 AM

Well my stockpile mistake wasn't food, but Electrasol. Does anyone remember the deal about 5 years back, when it went on sale for $2, and the $2 blinkies were right in front of it, plus the Sunday paper also put out $2 coupons? I stockpiled about 30 bottles, gave plenty away to family and friends, but it seemed like that stupid stockpile kept multiplying no matter how many I gave away. UGH!

Well after a couple of years, I probably still had about 8-10 left, because I still do alot of handwashing, but what I discovered was that each of those bottles of Electrasol had broken down, and turned into water that no longer cleaned.

So I'm now pretty careful about liquid soaps and detergents. It's just not worth chancing, and besides that, I've learned now that sales and coupons repeat themselves regularly.

Very informative topic! Enjoying it lots.

Theresa

**wanderlusting** · 06-03-2011, 11:06 AM

Hamburger Helper! I got a lot of boxes cheap when they were on sale. But DH has to eat super healthy to keep his waist size down for the Air Force. I'll probably end up giving them away

**RaineyDaye** · 06-03-2011, 02:33 PM

Cap'n Crunch cereal. I got a few boxes on sale when my grandkids liked it. Now it turns out, they don't like it anymore. I gave away the unopened boxes, and the opened box is now being eaten by squirrels and chipmunks.

**walker24** · 06-03-2011, 04:13 PM

The flavored microwave precooked rice that you just reheat. It was so greasy no one would eat it. We ended up throwing it away when we moved. It was almost free, but still not worth it.

**brennasmom** · 06-03-2011, 05:24 PM

I stockpiled a ton of seventh generation dishwasher tablets when I got them on a smokin' deal. They were awful. I had white residue all over my dishes. That was a bad frugal purchase.

**frugalwarrior2** · 06-03-2011, 10:09 PM

I got LLoyds pulled pork and pulled chicken on clearance. I swear I bought 10 so why do i still have at least 10. We gave that stuff away and ate some. It is spicy and greasy. Yuck.