My own pantry freezer journey

**qsaver704** · 05-22-2010, 01:18 PM

I have been acting like I have been eating out of my pantry and freezer for months now. You would think eventually I would make some progress. Well, no because I am addicted to shopping-just grocery store shopping. We have a freezer so full I can barely close it. We had to buy a new shelf for outside storage because I had so many pantry items. There are only three people in my family, me, DH and DS who is 3 years old.

I have freezer burned items, expired items, etc. I HAVE A PROBLEM!I will NOT buy any groceries in June if possible. We have 3 gallons of frozen milk, 3 loaves of frozen bread, and tons of frozen and canned fruits and veggies. We may buy more soda for DH, but that is all I should need.

I vow to come here and document my journey each day of June, if possible so I can try to conqure my problem. We would not need for much if I didn't have thousands of dollars worth of stockpile items.

Here goes. I am going to take pictures today.
Thanks for your help and support.

**Domestic Gal** · 05-24-2010, 10:02 AM

Good luck!!

**craftypam** · 05-24-2010, 10:15 AM

I was doing that too. When I'm needing other things I do let the grocery shopping go. The last few months I decided to stop grocery shopping and use what I have. The freezer actually has room in it now. It is so nice to have room in the freezer; and the best part is saving the money and using what is in the freezer. Good luck with this. Maybe you could focus on something else in your life that you need to work on; that is something that helps me.

**Jamielane** · 05-24-2010, 12:07 PM

I totally get it. I feel the same way about groceries . For a long time it was a struggle to buy groceries, now things are different and I can buy what we need on a very careful budget but I keep thinking what if I cant buy what I need in a month or two months etc. and I buy and stockpile if I can squeeze any extra money out of the budget. I just said to myself this morning that I am going to try and skip groceries this week except fresh lunch meat for the kids and dh's lunches , bread and milk. I will send dh to get them though since I have no willpower in a grocery store if I see a good deal. I have a pantry full, plenty of meat in the freezer for several weeks and more then enough canned and frozen veggies for several weeks. I am going to take that money I would have put into groceries in the emergency fund and try to break this cycle. I saw my Grandma and her sisters do this to. They lived through the great depression and they were fanatical about having extra food in the house. My Grandma has been gone 4 years and we are just finishing up the stuff she had canned . I want and like a stockpile but I could go to the grocery store every day and spend money. I love the grocery store. Couldnt really care less about other kinds of shopping though. I will be watching your journey with great interest! Good luck!

**Darlene** · 05-24-2010, 01:30 PM

This is very do-able. Ready to cheer you on!

**qsaver704** · 05-25-2010, 02:05 PM

OK, not June yet, but I have already started to prepare. For the past few days I have been eating mostly leftovers. I also had lunch with a friend twice (they provided and I fixed dessert).

Last night I finished a bag of craisins for nighttime snack. Today I finished off some grape juice and fish sticks. I also made two boxes of brownies. Now for the bad news, I had to throw out a cucumber today. It was WAY past usable.

Thanks for the encouragement.

**qsaver704** · 05-25-2010, 06:33 PM

this afternoon I used 2 packs of frozen pumpkin and two frozen pie shells to make 2 pumpkin pies. The problem with this is I will be putting one pie back in the freezer for later.

I also made spaghetti for supper. I used up one package of frozen hamburger meat and one baggie of frozen spaghetti sauce. I finished off one pack of frozen toast and used some loaf bread to make the rest.

**chevy_chick95** · 05-25-2010, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Jamielane

I totally get it. I feel the same way about groceries . For a long time it was a struggle to buy groceries, now things are different and I can buy what we need on a very careful budget but I keep thinking what if I cant buy what I need in a month or two months etc. and I buy and stockpile if I can squeeze any extra money out of the budget.

I do this as well.. I'm always afraid we won't have the money next month for groceries.. I cleaned out the freezer yesterday and was terrified to throw anything out... I knew that it was freezer burnt.. but it was still hard!

**jas** · 05-25-2010, 07:34 PM

Can't wait to see your progress!

**baxjul** · 05-25-2010, 08:02 PM

I can't wait to follow your progress through this!!! Very inspiring!

**Palooka** · 05-26-2010, 12:20 AM

Sounds like you are off to a great start!

**3tomboys** · 05-26-2010, 12:26 AM

Good Luck! By your posts it sounds like you are off to a good start. I look forward to following your progress.

**stormie11166** · 05-26-2010, 08:57 AM

I'm the same way my freezer and stockpile closet they're filled to the brim with food which I guess is a good thing. However, I too need to focus on getting the food inventory down. I will read your posts to get myself motaviated. Good Luck!!

**qsaver704** · 05-26-2010, 11:16 AM

This mornings breakfast was waffles. They are going to expire in June and are really close to freezer burned (burnt?). I topped them with peach jam I canned last summer instead of syrup. We are almost out of syrup(figured I would leave that for DH and DS). We have lots of peach jam left as well as lots of new peaches coming in.

Lunch should be leftover spaghetti. I plan on having a salad because all that is getting close too. Tonight I plan on doing smoked sausage (freezer), fried cabbage(fridge) and onions(freezer) and mac n cheese (pantry).

I finished off one jar of the jam and put a new one in the fridge.