With my aim in March to use as many foods from my storage as possible, I plan on spending the bare minimum at the store, replenishing only things that run out and I use regularly but can't find a substitute for. Understand in advance that I do still have a rogue element living with me. TheHub is threat to do recreational shopping on his way home from work. I will try to keep this in check, but it will be an uphill battle.
I have decided to keep close tabs on everything I use, where it was stored or if it was purchased during the week. I am breaking it down into days just for my personal usage inventory list. It works better for me to have it listed than to rely on my mental prowess. ('Cause yeah, that really works well for me!)
So, the list follows with the designation of where it was stored or if it was bought for the week. When the week is over, anything bought the previous week will be considered food storage as a carry over item. Everything labeled (fridge) has been hanging around at least 1 week (or in the case of carrots and cabbage a bit longer) The same applies to the pantry and freezer storage.
For the record I am not posting TheHub's breakfast and lunch daily. He is a creature of habit and every morning (with the exception of weekends) he eats 1/2 cup cereal and a glass of chocolate milk. He saves all his coffee drinking for the office, since he is there most morning before 6:45. He likes the solitude of early mornings to organize before the day's chaos begins. He eats lunch out everyday and most days it is a working lunch which the company pays for, so I do not count his lunches.
March 1
purchased
$7.76 total (1 gal. milk 2.99, 1/2 gal. chocolate milk 1.59, cukes .99, tomatoes 1.49 + tax, cause Alabama thinks it is fine to tax food.
used
1 can cheese dip (pantry)
leftover soggy tortilla chips (re-crisped in the oven) (pantry)
4 chicken breasts (freezer)
1 cup yogurt (fridge)
green beans (fridge)
spices (pantry)
lemon (fridge)
garlic (pantry)
ginger (fridge)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (pantry)
coffee X 4 cups (refillable K-cups) (pantry)
tea (fridge)
lemonade (pantry)
cucumbers (bought)
1 cup milk for making kefir (bought)
1- 3 piece pack naan (freezer)
hazelnut sf creamer (fridge)
eaten
Breakfast: 4 cups coffee
Lunch: tortilla chips with cheese sauce
Dinner : Indianish chicken, green beans, sliced cucumbers, tea
Late night:coffee with sugar free creamer
March 2
purchased
nothing
used
mandarin (fridge)
coffee (pantry)
coleslaw ( leftover in fridge)
crackers (pantry)
rice (pantry)
1 lb ground sirloin (freezer)
rice (pantry)
ketchup (fridge)
herbs (pantry)
bell peppers halves (freezer)
brussels sprouts (fridge)
instant mashed potatoes (pantry)
self rising flour(pantry)
lard ( I bought it to make tortillas a while ago and I am using as much inventory as possible, fridge)
kefir (I make it daily)
milk to make kefir (bought)
1 stick butter (fridge)
flour (pantry)
cocoa (pantry)
sugar (pantry)
2 eggs (fridge)
vanilla (pantry)
eaten
Breakfast: coffee
Lunch: leftover Indianish chicken. mandarin
Snack: crackers
Dinner: stuffed bell peppers, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, biscuits
Snack (TheHub) crustless fudge pie (me) coffee w/ splenda
March 3
purchased
3.98 (TheHub, better known as the plan saboteur decided he needed 2 bags of chips so he made his recreational Publix stop)
used
cornmeal (pantry)
2 eggs (fridge)
kefir (fridge)
1 cup milk for kefir (fridge)
ham (freezer)
squash (freezer)
3 ounces cheese (fridge)
mayonnaise (fridge)
leftover Chinese (fridge)
leftover biscuits
4 tablespoons butter (fridge)
1/4 cup oil (pantry)
coffee, pantry
tea, fridge
milk to make kefir (bought)
eaten
breakfast: biscuit, coffee
lunch: leftover Chinese, water
snack: mandarin
dinner: baked ham, squash casserole, cornbread
March 4
purchased
$2 for 2 bottles of water at the Great Chili Cook Off (The water was technically free but they asked for a 1 dollar donation to go back to The Exceptional Foundation)
used
leftover ham (fridge)
3 eggs (fridge)
1 partial bag hash brown potatoes (freezer)
1 porterhouse steak (freezer)
spring greens (fridge)
pickled radishes (fridge)
mini cukes (bought)
tomatoes (bought)
coffee (pantry)
lemonade mix (pantry)
popcorn (pantry)
1 of the bags of chips TheHub bought yesterday (unnecessary purchase, not food storage)
olive oil (pantry)
wine vinegar (pantry)
herbs, salt and pepper (pantry)
consumed
breakfast: ham slices and eggs, coffee (lots, we both drank it this morning)
lunch: chili at the Great Chili Cook Off, water
dinner: porterhouse steak, (we split one) hash browns, garden salad
snack: sf lemonade and air popped popcorn (me) chocolate fudge pie (TheHub)
March 5
purchased
nothing
used
1 bag frozen pork and veggie dumplings(freezer)
ponzu sauce (fridge)
mandarin (fridge)
6 family size tea bags for tea to drink and also for kombucha (pantry)
sugar for kombucha (pantry)
milk for kefir making
pancake mix (pantry)
blueberries (freezer)
maple syrup (fridge)
blueberry syrup (fridge)
ham slices (leftovers)
coffee
tortilla chips (same stale re-crisped ones)
cheese sauce (leftover)
eaten
breakfast; coffee only (we were in a hurry to get to church
lunch: steamed dumplings, water, mandarin
dinner: blueberry pancakes. ham slices, coffee
March 6
purchased
dinner rolls $2.59
used
ham (leftover)
coffee (pantry)
1 tea bag (pantry)
lemonade mix (pantry)
Stouffer's lasagne (Bought for a family gathering over Christmas that didn't happen) (freezer)
mixed greens (fridge)
tomatoes (new)
cukes (new)
butter (freezer)
olive oil (pantry)
wine vinegar (pantry)
herbs, salt and pepper (pantry)
kefir (fridge)
oyster crackers (pantry)
milk for making kefir
eaten
Breakfast: ham slices, coffee
Lunch: picked up a chicken sandwich (volunteered today, was far from home and hungry)
Dinner: lasagne, tossed salad, dinner rolls
snacks: oyster crackers and kefir (not great but served its purpose)
March 7
purchased
zero
used
1 serving meatloaf (freezer)
1 serving mashed potatoes (freezer)
mandarin (fridge)
coffee (pantry)
lady peas(freezer)
corn on the cob(freezer)
green tomato slices (freezer)
cornmeal (pantry)
kefir (fridge)
cornbread mix (freezer) (Son1 was doing a gluten free diet, bought this and it was never used)
cabbage (fridge)
mayo (fridge)
onions (pantry)
carrots (fridge)
wine vinegar (pantry)
milk to make kefir (bought)
crackers (pantry)
peanut butter (pantry)
tea (pantry)
butter (fridge)
eaten
breakfast: coffee (lots and lots of coffee, pantry)
brunch: 1 serving meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mandarin, coffee
snack: peanut butter and crackers
dinner: lady peas, corn on the cob, oven "fried" green tomatoes, coleslaw, cornbread, tea
I spent 16.33 (Which should have been 12.35 except TheHub bought those stupid chips that no one here needed!) This week I know I am going to need milk,
lettuce, tomatoes, bread, cucumbers and asparagus plus whatever TheHub buys when he goes rogue!
I have decided to keep close tabs on everything I use, where it was stored or if it was purchased during the week. I am breaking it down into days just for my personal usage inventory list. It works better for me to have it listed than to rely on my mental prowess. ('Cause yeah, that really works well for me!)
So, the list follows with the designation of where it was stored or if it was bought for the week. When the week is over, anything bought the previous week will be considered food storage as a carry over item. Everything labeled (fridge) has been hanging around at least 1 week (or in the case of carrots and cabbage a bit longer) The same applies to the pantry and freezer storage.
March 1
purchased
$7.76 total (1 gal. milk 2.99, 1/2 gal. chocolate milk 1.59, cukes .99, tomatoes 1.49 + tax, cause Alabama thinks it is fine to tax food.
used
1 can cheese dip (pantry)
leftover soggy tortilla chips (re-crisped in the oven) (pantry)
4 chicken breasts (freezer)
1 cup yogurt (fridge)
green beans (fridge)
spices (pantry)
lemon (fridge)
garlic (pantry)
ginger (fridge)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (pantry)
coffee X 4 cups (refillable K-cups) (pantry)
tea (fridge)
lemonade (pantry)
cucumbers (bought)
1 cup milk for making kefir (bought)
1- 3 piece pack naan (freezer)
hazelnut sf creamer (fridge)
eaten
Breakfast: 4 cups coffee
Lunch: tortilla chips with cheese sauce
Dinner : Indianish chicken, green beans, sliced cucumbers, tea
Late night:coffee with sugar free creamer
March 2
purchased
nothing
used
mandarin (fridge)
coffee (pantry)
coleslaw ( leftover in fridge)
crackers (pantry)
rice (pantry)
1 lb ground sirloin (freezer)
rice (pantry)
ketchup (fridge)
herbs (pantry)
bell peppers halves (freezer)
brussels sprouts (fridge)
instant mashed potatoes (pantry)
self rising flour(pantry)
lard ( I bought it to make tortillas a while ago and I am using as much inventory as possible, fridge)
kefir (I make it daily)
milk to make kefir (bought)
1 stick butter (fridge)
flour (pantry)
cocoa (pantry)
sugar (pantry)
2 eggs (fridge)
vanilla (pantry)
eaten
Breakfast: coffee
Lunch: leftover Indianish chicken. mandarin
Snack: crackers
Dinner: stuffed bell peppers, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, biscuits
Snack (TheHub) crustless fudge pie (me) coffee w/ splenda
March 3
purchased
3.98 (TheHub, better known as the plan saboteur decided he needed 2 bags of chips so he made his recreational Publix stop)
used
cornmeal (pantry)
2 eggs (fridge)
kefir (fridge)
1 cup milk for kefir (fridge)
ham (freezer)
squash (freezer)
3 ounces cheese (fridge)
mayonnaise (fridge)
leftover Chinese (fridge)
leftover biscuits
4 tablespoons butter (fridge)
1/4 cup oil (pantry)
coffee, pantry
tea, fridge
milk to make kefir (bought)
eaten
breakfast: biscuit, coffee
lunch: leftover Chinese, water
snack: mandarin
dinner: baked ham, squash casserole, cornbread
March 4
purchased
$2 for 2 bottles of water at the Great Chili Cook Off (The water was technically free but they asked for a 1 dollar donation to go back to The Exceptional Foundation)
used
leftover ham (fridge)
3 eggs (fridge)
1 partial bag hash brown potatoes (freezer)
1 porterhouse steak (freezer)
spring greens (fridge)
pickled radishes (fridge)
mini cukes (bought)
tomatoes (bought)
coffee (pantry)
lemonade mix (pantry)
popcorn (pantry)
1 of the bags of chips TheHub bought yesterday (unnecessary purchase, not food storage)
olive oil (pantry)
wine vinegar (pantry)
herbs, salt and pepper (pantry)
consumed
breakfast: ham slices and eggs, coffee (lots, we both drank it this morning)
lunch: chili at the Great Chili Cook Off, water
dinner: porterhouse steak, (we split one) hash browns, garden salad
snack: sf lemonade and air popped popcorn (me) chocolate fudge pie (TheHub)
March 5
purchased
nothing
used
1 bag frozen pork and veggie dumplings(freezer)
ponzu sauce (fridge)
mandarin (fridge)
6 family size tea bags for tea to drink and also for kombucha (pantry)
sugar for kombucha (pantry)
milk for kefir making
pancake mix (pantry)
blueberries (freezer)
maple syrup (fridge)
blueberry syrup (fridge)
ham slices (leftovers)
coffee
tortilla chips (same stale re-crisped ones)
cheese sauce (leftover)
eaten
breakfast; coffee only (we were in a hurry to get to church
lunch: steamed dumplings, water, mandarin
dinner: blueberry pancakes. ham slices, coffee
March 6
purchased
dinner rolls $2.59
used
ham (leftover)
coffee (pantry)
1 tea bag (pantry)
lemonade mix (pantry)
Stouffer's lasagne (Bought for a family gathering over Christmas that didn't happen) (freezer)
mixed greens (fridge)
tomatoes (new)
cukes (new)
butter (freezer)
olive oil (pantry)
wine vinegar (pantry)
herbs, salt and pepper (pantry)
kefir (fridge)
oyster crackers (pantry)
milk for making kefir
eaten
Breakfast: ham slices, coffee
Lunch: picked up a chicken sandwich (volunteered today, was far from home and hungry)
Dinner: lasagne, tossed salad, dinner rolls
snacks: oyster crackers and kefir (not great but served its purpose)
March 7
purchased
zero
used
1 serving meatloaf (freezer)
1 serving mashed potatoes (freezer)
mandarin (fridge)
coffee (pantry)
lady peas(freezer)
corn on the cob(freezer)
green tomato slices (freezer)
cornmeal (pantry)
kefir (fridge)
cornbread mix (freezer) (Son1 was doing a gluten free diet, bought this and it was never used)
cabbage (fridge)
mayo (fridge)
onions (pantry)
carrots (fridge)
wine vinegar (pantry)
milk to make kefir (bought)
crackers (pantry)
peanut butter (pantry)
tea (pantry)
butter (fridge)
eaten
breakfast: coffee (lots and lots of coffee, pantry)
brunch: 1 serving meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mandarin, coffee
snack: peanut butter and crackers
dinner: lady peas, corn on the cob, oven "fried" green tomatoes, coleslaw, cornbread, tea
I spent 16.33 (Which should have been 12.35 except TheHub bought those stupid chips that no one here needed!) This week I know I am going to need milk,
lettuce, tomatoes, bread, cucumbers and asparagus plus whatever TheHub buys when he goes rogue!
Good job, I am trying to do the same. Just need to control myself. I like chips.
ReplyDeleteI keep telling TheHub the only way we can make this work is for him to stay out of the store
ReplyDeleteYou are doing great so far! =)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I might have to do it well into April to use up a lot more freezer inventory though!
DeleteWow! Awesome...by the way the great state of North Carolina taxes food, too. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThe food tax taxes the poorest at a disproportional rate compared to their base income. It is very sad to me because there are a lot of "things" people can do without, but food isn't one of them. I understand tax, but not on food. Of course, they never call me to find out what I think when they are busy legislating.
DeleteWow! You are on TOP of things! I'd probably get all organized and then go shopping and say, "OOh! I need those bags of chips!"
ReplyDeleteWhich is exactly why I need to keep TheHub out of the store!
DeleteI think it's so funny your husband does recreational shopping at grocery stores 😂
ReplyDeleteHe knows all the evening workers by name!
DeleteGoing well. And your husband is considerably more restrained than my partner. Just this week he has bought chips, dip, savoury biscuits, sweet biscuits, dried mango, and hot cross buns. And that is what I can remember off the top of my head.
ReplyDeleteThat is funny, though I think if I had not been carping on how we need to use all the food we have here he would have bought ice cream and cookies and cakes. I am wondering how he is going to be this weekend. We are headed to the lake and even though I will have everything we need, he will still want to go into town and go to The Pig to get more crap we don't need. Maybe this is a good time for me to make him a peanut butter pie (have everything here that is needed) or some cookies to sate his sweet tooth and keep my plan mostly intact.
DeleteYour organisation astounds me!
ReplyDeleteI recently found an old flavour sachet in the cupboard and decided to leave it on the bench to remind me to use it. It took three weeks and a move from bench back to pantry before i remembered to buy the one can of apricots i needed for the dish.
Repeat this story about 50 times for all the other unused bits and pieces
I am not at all organized, which is why I have this insane food stash. I am trying to be a little organized as we use it, but it is so against my nature.
ReplyDeleteToo bad he doesn't buy things like carrots or celery hee hee. I sort of have a similar situation because I won't buy "treats" like cookies or chips so my daughter picks those up, which is fine for me as then it's not coming out of my budget. Of course I have to have her hide them so I can't get into them!
ReplyDeleteIt is more that he likes to stop by the store on the way home. It doesn't matter if I have just left there. I actually think he goes to grab a candy bar to eat on the way home!
DeleteWhenever my ex went grocery shopping (like that week I was abducted by an alien spaceship) he filled 2 carts and made both my boys go with him. He would typically spend 500 euros (for a week's shopping for 4!!!!) and I would spend about 250 (and should have gotten it lower than that). Then he would whinge that he had nowhere to put everything. Thankfully his food shopping didn't happen very often. BTW, I am in awe of your list-making prowess. Anna
ReplyDeleteI think TheHub just stops there for kicks and giggles and of course some chocolate!
DeleteLove how you are listing where all the ingredients are coming from (pantry, fridge, freezer, etc.) You are doing well! Have to laugh about your husband's recreational shopping, but I guess 2 bags of chips aren't too bad.
ReplyDeleteNo but I know he secretly is buying some "goodies" and not bringing them in the kitchen!
Delete