We are continuing to race forward in the Spring season.  I was able to do a major restock of our staple pantry items this weekend. I am now confident that we have enough to last without a major grocery trip for at least 5 weeks.  I am going to continue make a list of items we are out of and also purchase fresh fruit and veggies as I go.  I have gotten back to making bread and am trying to make all the bread products we are using but we will definitely see how that goes.  I am also very hopeful that I can reduce the overall spending we are doing on groceries this month.

Breakfast- Saturday- bacon and eggs Sunday-muffins Monday- treat of overnight oats that were purchased.    Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday– find it (breakfast burritos, bagel thins (previously purchased on sale) oatmeal, omelets, cereal and milk, , sausage, pop-tarts, and eggs.

Lunch- Saturday- Left-overs Sunday-Time Square Pizza Monday- eat out as this is a workday.  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday- left-overs.  Friday- eat out.

Dinner- Saturday- Lily cooked! Animal Kingdom inspired pulled pork, cole slaw and mac and cheese with Tres leche cake. I added homemade biscuits.   Sunday- Rotisserie Chicken from Costco with stuffing and cranberry sauce.  Monday- Hamburger and French fries, this will be my first attempt at making homemade buns. Tuesday- Game food or left-overs, Wednesday-Grilled chicken and green beans.  Thursday- Chicken – Attempt number 3 at chicken pot pie from freezer (we have ended up eating left-overs on the previous two attempts).

Pantry Challenge

1. Use at least one “meal/meat portion of the meal” from the stand-up freezer each week. (This is where most of the meals are)  Both the hamburger patties and grilled chicken.
2. Use at least 3 jars a week from the canning pantry. I used 1 jar of broth from the fridge for stuffing and we opened a jar of cranberry sauce.  First week in a long time that we have not met this one.
3. Use one item a week from the connivence freezer in my room.  Frozen chicken pot pie is hopefully coming from the freezer as well as chicken tacos
4. Each Monday after menu planning provide a list of how I followed the guidelines for the week.  Done!

This week we have officially begun our Spring Schedule. I am also going to continue to try and reduce our grocery budget and continue/modify the pantry challenge. The hard part is that we have to eat at home for most ballgames to make this work.

Breakfast- Saturday- Pancakes, and sausage (left-overs will be used all week) . Sunday-Homemade biscuits and gravy. Monday-   Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday– find it (breakfast burritos, oatmeal, omelets cereal and milk, , sausage, pop-tarts, and eggs. I also made some English muffins to use this week.

Lunch- Saturday- Left-overs Sunday-Mcalister’s deli in Charlotte.   Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday- left-overs.  Friday- eat out.

Dinner- Saturday- hot dogs, smores and biscuits, Sunday-Ham and potato soup (new recipe) Monday- Steak and 7-layer salad (using up veggies in the refrigerator) Tuesday- Taco Pasta, Wednesday- Chicken Lasagna Thursday- Chicken pie from Freezer, Friday- Depending on what the refrigerator looks like we may do left-overs or insta pot hamburger helper.

Pantry Challenge

1. Use at least one “meal/meat portion of the meal” from the stand-up freezer each week. (This is where most of the meals are) Both the Taco pasta and Chicken Lasagna are from this freezer.
2. Use at least 3 jars a week from the canning pantry. I used 2 jars of chicken broth from the fridge instead this week. We also opened a jar of strawberry syrup from the cabinet. If we make the hamburger helper, it will be using a jar of canned hamburger.
3. Use one item a week from the connivence freezer in my room.  Frozen chicken pot pie and hot dogs were from this freezer.
4. Each Monday after menu planning provide a list of how I followed the guidelines for the week.  Done!

I am ready for this week!   On Saturday, Matt and I were able to get ahead on the week by preparing three different dinners that are heat and eat!  I also was able to can 10 quarts and 10 pints of chicken broth! Now bring on the snow and a couple of stay-at-home days and I will declare this is a awesome week!

Breakfast- Saturday- bacon and eggs. Sunday- French Toast Casserole Monday-   Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday– find it (breakfast burritos, oatmeal, omelets cereal and milk, French toast sticks, sausage, pop-tarts, and eggs.  We also have muffins from Costco.

Lunch- Saturday- Matt and I used a gift card for Bad Daddy Sunday- Tin Tin sushi buffet.  Monday,- eat out as this was a work day.  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday- left-overs.  Friday- eat out.

Dinner- Saturday-Chicken and rice Sunday- Left-overs Monday-Copycat 4 Ziti and homemade bread sticks Tuesday- Eat out for Baseball fundraiser Wednesday- Pick your soup* Thursday-Chicken enchiladas Friday- Honey Hamburger casserole.

* We have a couple of different ones in the freezer and at least one left-over. This is really no cooking .

Pantry Challenge
1.Purchasing items that we are completely out of that are staples such as diary as well as buns or other items that will help use items we already have. Total $543 for February. We went to Costco on Saturday as I had 15 items on my list and were low on water. I was pleasantly surprised with the $292 total.
2. Use at least one “meal/meat portion of the meal” from the stand-up freezer each week. (This is where most of the meals are) This was a failure as I added one container of Chicken Enchilada to the stand-up freezer.
3. Use at least 3 jars a week from the canning pantry. Not sure how to rank this one as we used 6 jars to make dinner but ended up adding 20 jars of chicken broth.
4. Use one item a week from the connivence freezer in my room. Failure on this one as well.
5. Each Monday after menu planning provide a list of how I followed the guidelines for the week.  Done!

This should be as close to normal as possible, at least that is what I am hoping!  The kids started a second semester at school. I actually have to work 5 days with Tuesday a a workday.   I am planning to have dinner every night this week and hopefully this is a good and lasting change.

Breakfast- Saturday-I had French toast from the freezer. Sunday- I had grits Monday- Zucchini bread Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday– find it (breakfast burritos, muffins, oatmeal, cereal and milk, sausage, pop-tarts, and eggs. We are really low on eggs, so I have purchased some instant oatmeal and grits to add to breakfast. My goal is to make one breakfast a week. This week was easy.

Lunch- Saturday-Brunch out.   Sunday-Dinner out with Friends (Olive Garden ) Monday- leftovers Tuesday, – eating out   Wednesday- leftovers Thursday- soup. Friday- eat out.

Dinner- Saturday-Ritz Cracker Chicken   Sunday- Left-overs    Monday- Steak and potato soup (new recipe) Tuesday- Mini Tacos   Wednesday-KFC bowls   Thursday- Kielbasa and Rice Friday- Corn Dogs and French Fries

Pantry Challenge
1.Purchasing items that we are completely out of that are staples such as diary as well as buns or other items that will help use items we already have. Total spending for the three months of the 2025 will be less than $900   Current total $746.15. We ended up at Costco because we were out of several things. I also purchased a couple of items for Junk Food Sunday.  I know that I will not stay at 900 for 3 months but I am going to say $1200 for three months
2. Use at least one “meal/meat portion of the meal” from the stand-up freezer each week. (This is where most of the meals are) I pulled out a pack of beef tips to use in the soup on Monday.
3. Use at least 3 jars a week from the canning pantry.  This is actually a challenge this week. I have 1 jar of broth for the soup, and at least one jar of spaghetti sauce for Kielbasa.  I may make another desert and use a can of fruit?
4. Use one item a week from the connivence freezer in my room. Both the corn dogs and French fries are coming out of this freezer.
5. Each Monday after menu planning provide a list of how I followed the guidelines for the week.  Done!