Buy, Use and Make Do Some More

For the month of March I am systematically trying to use my over abundant pantry and freezer inventory for our meals. I have a budget of 100 dollars for the month, which may or may not work since all of a sudden TheHub wants items that are not part of our standard meals, consequently I do not have them in the pantry. So this begins week 2 of the use it up challenge, where I list what was bought, used and eaten, with the exception of TheHub's breakfasts during the week which are the same daily. (1/2 cup cereal, milk for the cereal and 1 cup of chocolate milk, saving his coffee drinking for the office) He also eats out at lunch every day, mostly having lunch meetings which are picked up by the company.

March 8

purchased
crackers 1.49, bread 1.57, buns .85, lettuce .99, 2 english cucumbers 1.38, milk 2.99, green onions .99, cereal 1.85, chocolate milk 1.59

used
stuffed bell pepper (leftover)
brussels sprouts (leftover)
mandarin (fridge)
1 pack oven roasted turkey (freezer)
1 steamer bag mixed vegetables (freezer)
cornbread (left over)
2 slices bread (bought)
2 eggs (fridge)
1 bag turkey broth (freezer)
crackers (bought)
sf hot chocolate (pantry)

eaten
breakfast: coffee (had a class early so no time to eat)
lunch : 1/2 leftover stuffed bell pepper, brussels sprouts, mandarin
dinner: turkey slices, cornbread dressing, mixed vegetables, water
snack: sf hot chocolate and crackers

March 9
bought
zero

used
bread (bought)
ham (leftover)
crackers (pantry)
mayo (fridge)
mandarin
spatzle (pantry)
porterhouse steak (leftover)
dried mushrooms (pantry)
onion (pantry)
1/2 bag  broccoli (freezer)
herbs, salt and pepper (pantry)
sour cream (fridge)
lettuce (fridge)
1/2 red pepper (fridge)
cukes (fridge)
ginger miso dressing (fridge)
peanut butter (pantry)
fruit spread (pantry)
popcorn (pantry)

eaten
breakfast: coffee pb and fruit spread on toast
lunch: ham sandwich, mandarin
dinner: one pan meal noodles, veggies and steak, and tossed salad
snack: popcorn


March 10
bought
zero

used
bread (bought)
butter (fridge)
coffee (pantry)
fruit spread (pantry)
vegetable soup mix (pantry)
container of odd leftover frozen vegetables (freezer)
1/2 bag pirogis (freezer)
tea (pantry)
sf cocoa (pantry)
popcorn (pantry)

eaten
breakfast: buttered toast with fruit spread, coffee
lunch: none, had to go take care of Mom
dinner: vegetable soup and pirogis, tea
snack: sf cocoa, popcorn

March 11
bought
zero

used
coffee (pantry)
ham (leftover)
bread (bought)
mustard (fridge)
cheese (fridge)
pickles (fridge)
pulled pork (freezer)
partial bag tater tots (freezer)
partial bag sweet potato fries (freezer)
lettuce (bought)
cukes (fridge)
1/2 red pepper (fridge)
salad dressings (fridge)
pickles (fridge)
pickled okra (fridge)
chow chow (fridge)
buns (pantry)
sf lemonade mix (pantry)
bbq sauce (fridge)
flour (pantry)
sugar (pantry)
eggs(fridge)
kefir (fridge)
milk for making kefir (fridge)
2 meyer lemons (fridge)
bp, salt, vanilla, oil (pantry)

eaten
breakfast: coffee
lunch: ham sandwich, mandarin, water, coffee
dinner: bbq sandwiches, tossed salad, pickles, pickled okra, chow chow, sweet potato fries or tater tots, lemonade, lemon cake (TheHub)

March 12

bought
Pringles (gave Mom 2 and kept 1) 1.25
Ok technically I bought a birthday cake, Pringles and Turtles for Mom but that is in a totally different budget so I am not counting it.

used
ham (fridge)
grits (pantry)
bacon (freezer)
2/3 box elbow macaroni (pantry)
butter (fridge)
milk (fridge)
cheese (fridge)
leftover ham (fridge)
broccoli (freezer)
coffee (pantry)
sf coffee creamer(fridge)
sf lemonade mix (pantry)
chocolate bar (pantry)

eaten
breakfast: bacon and grits (TheHub) ham, mandarin (me), coffee
lunch: Birthday meal with Mom (take out and from a totally different budget)
dinner: Mac and cheese with ham, broccoli, tea
snacks: Pringles, dark chocolate bar (Yes, I invoked special Mom's birthday and Sunday lenten fast breaking rules and  had both birthday cake and a chocolate bar)


March 13
bought
zero

used
coffee
lettuce (bought)
red bell pepper (fridge)
cuke (fridge)
leftover ham (fridge)
olive oil (pantry)
vinegar ( pantry)
mayo (fridge)
mandarin (fridge)
spaghetti noodles (pantry)
mini peppers (fridge)
onion (pantry)
garlic (pantry)
carrots (fridge)
dehydrated mushrooms (pantry)
1 pack ground chuck (freezer)
jar marinara sauce (pantry)
1 small pack spaghetti squash (freezer)
parmesan cheese (fridge)
salt, pepper, herbs and spices (pantry)
marzipan cake mix (pantry)
eggs (fridge)
butter (freezer, now moved to fridge)
milk (fridge)
cocoa (pantry)
sugar (pantry)
mandarin


eaten
breakfast: coffee, mandarin
lunch: salad of lettuce, cukes, red pepper and ham. Oil and vinegar dressing
dinner: veggie dense meat sauce with spaghetti, tea, chocolate marzipan cake (TheHub) dookie cookies (TheHub and Son 2) mandarin 


March 14
bought 
almond milk coffee creamer 4.99, spring greens 3.99, chocolate milk 2.99, (Grrrr, if he could have stretched it one more day it would have only cost 1.59) tomatoes 2.00, oatmeal packets (special request not in my wheel house, but I am nice) 3.50, wine vinegar 1.85

used
coffee (pantry)
tea (leftover)
stevia (pantry)
lemonade (leftover)
ham (leftover and finally gone except the bag I froze right as it was sliced after baking)
mandarin (fridge)
pork tenderloin (freezer)
green beans (Mom's house.  She decided she didn't want them)
sweet potatoes (pantry)
mandarins
grapefruit (about to die, so juiced)
milk to make kefir (fridge)

eaten
breakfast: coffee, ham slice, mandarin
lunch: busy and forgot to eat (Daylight Savings Time screws everything up)
dinner:  roasted pork tenderloin, baked sweet potato, green beans, marzipan cake (TheHub) dookie cookies (TheHub)
snack: mandarin, pecan halves

I spent a lot more money this week than I intended to.  The special requests are killing the budget, so who knows where this will wind up. This week I spent 37.70 plus 16.33 from last week for a total of 54.03 leaving me 45.97 to spend for the remainder of the month. May or may not happen.  I guess time will tell.