I still have plenty of canned and boxed goods on hand (mostly pasta, some sugar-free Jello, instant brown rice, and organic chicken and beef bone broth), but was down to pretty much nothing in the freezer, except grains and nuts. I did still have the two packages of chicken breasts that I purchased on mark-down a couple of weeks ago, but I vowed that I would not to get into them until everything else was cleaned up and I didn't...until last night!!! 😊
It may have taken most of the winter to do it, but I have finally used up all the little bits and pieces of meat that were left in the house...two or three small packages of ham, several bags of oven-roasted turkey (sliced and cubed), chicken (whole), bison steak, salmon fillets, deli meats (turkey and ham), cod fillets, and more. I was down to the last few slices of cooked turkey bacon and a pound of ground turkey, when I went to the store over the weekend to restock. It feels great having plenty of meat in the deep-freeze again!
There are a still a few weeks left until the official arrival of spring, so I will continue to focus on cleaning up canned goods, boxed items, and grains on-hand, but, in future, will only purchase select items, mainly canned beans (black, chili, and green), green chilies, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and albacore tuna, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. My goal is to choose from as many whole foods as possible and make right (or at least better) food choices at every opportunity.
I plan to make most of my own sweets and treats from scratch using high quality and healthful ingredients. Things that immediately come to mind are protein snack balls and my mother's oatmeal drop cookies (right now I've got a batch of oat bran muffins in the oven), and I plan to substitute stevia for sugar as much as possible
Anyway, the challenge is coming along quite nicely and I have saved a bundle by cleaning up the food on-hand and not buying meat all winter. Plus, I actually have room in my freezer now for other things that I enjoy...like frozen berries, frozen grapes, and frozen yogurt! Yum! 😋
Well, that's a look at where I'm at with the winter food challenge and, in all probability, this will be last update that I give concerning it, as there's really not too much left to say about it. If anything interesting arises I will just include it in my regular posts.
How about you? How have those of you who have been following along fared with your own clean-up-the-food challenges?
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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You did amazing with your food challenge! I probably should have done one as well. I know our freezer and pantry are in need of a good clear out again.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean! I've really had to focus on it, but it's been worth it. Am going to keep plugging along at using up what's still left (canned goods, dry goods, and grains), but, over all, I'm pretty pleased with the progress I've made.
DeleteI love that you saved a bundle using up the stuff that needed to get used. I love that. I recently went back to a weekly food budget and I love it. I love having that target to stay under. Also love using up stuff that needs to go. All the seeds, beans and pasta stuff is in a spot now that it's just so easy for me to see when the jars are low. Helps me save that way too. Hit the Co-Op last weekend and because I know what mason jars are still full or half-full, no money wasted on buying extras. Winner, winner budget dinner.
ReplyDeleteI love your enthusiasm!!! A weekly food budget. I hadn't really thought of that lately. Things are so different now since it's just me. I need to think on that. Sounds like you've got a good system going on your end though! Good job!!! Winner, winner, budget dinner! I love it!!! Have great rest of the week!
DeleteWhen it was just me, I did $100 per month and ate EVERYTHING until it was time to get more. That was long ago. Now, even at just me, I don't think I'd do $100/month. Still be more because of all the baking and cooking I love to do. Fun though to be back on a budget. I also have carry-over. If I don't use that full budget amount, it goes for the whole month and ideally, not going over $500/per month. Gives me a hundred dollar extra to play with for sales and such.
DeleteThanks for sharing your experience, wisdom, and insight, H.W.! I'm going to check into some budgeting ideas and think on this. I think this might be something that could help me out in multiple ways. Thank you!!!
DeleteQuestion H.W. - When you talk about a weekly food budget, does that include household goods or just food?
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