Pantry Challenge Day 31

It is the last day of the Eat From Your Pantry Challenge and I am quite happy with my performance.  Once I got over the fact that I do have a shopping habit I can now officially stand up and say,"Hello, my name is The Frugal Fraulein and I am a compulsive grocery shopper".  I am quite serious.  I have recognized that sometimes I buy things just because they are there and I really don't need them at all.  I am curbing my ways by shopping with a list, making menus, not shopping hungry, and stopping and thinking before I buy.

I did buy some items this month.  I bought two containers of half and half, 1 dozen eggs, dried garbanzo beans, tamari, tortilla chips, oranges, a lemon and a package of cinnamon rolls (see previous post) for under $25.  Those were the items that I purchased and consumed.  I did buy some other items that were on sale and did not use them purposely.  I put them away in the rear of the pantry.

I put away $127.87 towards my Save 2010 in 2010 plan.  I used the rest of my budgeted money to buy some staples and some items for a new craft hobby of mine (announcement coming soon!).  I am going to try to put the money I "save" on groceries into this jar instead of just writing it off and using it for something else.  I have learned that instead of really saving I used to reabsorb the "saved" money by spending it on something else.  I feel ok if I use the "saved" money to take care of another need that I had not budgeted from or to put it towards items that are on a limited time only reduced price.

I tried a hummus recipe and loved it.  My next venture it to find a cracker recipe that I like or make my own tortillas for tortilla chips.  Hummus is a great lunch with crackers and raw veggies or spread on a sandwich.  I looked at a small container in Trader Joe's and it was $3.89.  I can make it for much much less at home and season it to taste to boot (extra garlic, hot pepper flakes and some chopped cilantro or parsley doctors it up really well).  I am sure it adds extra fiber as evidenced by some trips to the loo!  Oprah and Dr Oz would be proud.

I can see a difference in my refrigerator and don't have any leftovers growing mold.  I have cleaned out my refrigerator freezer and found two bags of pea pods from last summer's garden that I stir fried with a small steak one night and made friend rice the next.  The pods were sweet and very tasty.

I am going to continue on this month eating from the pantry as much as possible and working on cleaning out the chest freezer.  I know there are some dead bodies in there that need to be taken care of.  So don't accept an invitation to a BBQ from me this week!