Well, the Pantry Challenge has come to an end. I'm so glad I did it. My pantry looks so much better! It also encouraged me to reevaluate our eating habits. I need to do some tweaking to step things up nutritionally for us.
Here's how I did:
1. Get the grocery budget back on track.
I squeaked in just under budget spending $294.35 of our $300 budget. We ate out more this week than usual though so we overspent in that area. I need to work on being more disciplined overall with grocery/eating out spending. I had let that slide some at the end of last year.
2. Use it up.
I did use up a lot of what we had in our pantry and freezer which made organizing it all go much easier.
3. Get organized.
Mission accomplished. My pantry looks so much better.
I added baskets for storage, grouping similar items together. For example, baking supplies are in one basket, party plates & napkins are in another, etc. I incorporated an idea I found on Pinterest, and organized my wraps & storage bags with magazine holders. And, I bought more glass jars to store my variety of flours and sugars.
I'm so happy to have my pantry organized. It's so much easier to see what I have on hand now.
Now, here's what's on our menu this week:
Breakfast: Breakfast Cookies, cereal, fruit, yogurt, toast
Dinner:
Soup & Sandwiches
Homemade Pizza
Shrimp(steamed & fried), salad, corn on the cob (and hopefully we'll have enough leftovers so I can make this Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad for lunch this week.)
Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole (never made it last week), salad
Breakfast for dinner or leftovers
This post linked to:
Pantry Challenge at Good Cheap Eats
Menu Plan Monday at Orgjunkie.comPin It
Your pantry looks great! We went over out budget this month - at first is was only by $12 but then one of the grocery stores in town was closing down so everything was 50% off and you could use coupons. I stocked up on a bunch of items - flour, beans, dog food and more. So then we went over by a little over $50.
ReplyDeleteThere is always Feb! lol Love your meal plan too. I am going to have to try the Chicken and Rice Casserole.
Well done you! The pantry looks great. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for ways to add variety to breakfast so I'll be trying your breakfast cookie recipe.
Carlye-I think it was worth going over budget it that case. I would have done the same. We love that casserole!
ReplyDeleteAunt B- Thanks! Those cookies are a favorite around here.