Up for a challenge?

Last week, I went to the grocery store and spent almost $200.

I wanted to pass out. I felt sick to my stomach. So much money sucked out of our bank account. Even with my menus carefully planned out, list in-hand, I still spent way more than I anticipated. And it's like that almost every week.

I know groceries are a necessity. It's not like I'm getting my hair highlighted and my nails done. We must have groceries. But still. It is so much money. And despite some great tips, I'm still spending too much.

Driving home from an errand today, I began to think how nice it would be if I could just take one week off from grocery shopping. Right now, I plan my menus on Monday morning and the girls and I head to the groceryafter breakfast and shop for the week. I get just what I need for the week, save for a few staples or pantry re-stocking, and the occasional impulse buy.

But back to my idea about taking a week off....

You know it's not like my cupboards are bare except for the things I'm putting in each week. They are still stocked with rice and beans and cans of soup and pastas and..... There are the odd cuts of meat and frozen breads in my freezer. I have flour. And sugar. And yeast. And butter.

It's just that I often ignore those things in my pantry for what I feel like making that week.

I'm not using what I have.

So here's my challenge for this week. My own mini no-spend challenge. I'm not going to the grocery store next week. (And I'm not going to stock up this weekend either--no cheating.) I'm going to make do with what I have in my cupboards and freezer. I'm going to get creative. I'm going to do my best to put together some meals with what I have on hand. I'm going to save a little money this week.

Sometimes my best meals are the ones created when I think "I have nothing to make for dinner".

So as I head in to next week, here are a few things I'm allowing:

1. I'm allowing myself to buy milk for the week (a necessity for my children), a bag of coffee beans (c'mon, I'm not crazy), and I'm going to refill the propane tank on my grill.
2. If someone invites me to dinner. I'm going to say yes. :)
3. I'm going to buy two quarts of strawberries at the farmers' market tomorrow.

Here's what I'm slightly concerned about:

1. I have no fresh greens in my fridge. But I do have frozen varieties.
2. I still think I'd rather go with a meal of rice and beans than break into the deer sausage my grandmother kept passing on to us. Which has been sitting in my freezer since, well....deer season. Yuck.
3. I hope I can make enough to eat for meals, plus leftovers for Dan's lunches.

All next week, I'll let you know what I make each night for dinner. In the midst of my normal posts, I'll keep you updated on how it's going and whether or not I'm making it. Ugh. I'm nervous. But I know it will be fine. I like a little mini-challenge.

Anyone brave enough to join me? And by the way. We have lots of granola.

Comments

[Ashley]

We just did this last week! Egg salad sandwiches and tuna sandwiches were the highlights. Glad we had a lot of mayo...

[katiek]

this is a great challenge. I'll keep checking back to see how it's going!

[Sandy]

We did this about a week and a half ago, so I'm not sure if I'm ready for another week of it. ;)
I found I had too much accumulating in my deep freeze, and I want to de-frost it.
I ended up allowing myself a little bit more to spend to get through the week...milk, cream, eggs, yogurt, lettuce, tomatoes and 2 or 3 fruits. That alone cost close to $40, which is much better than my 'wish I could spend $130 for 4 people, but usually spend near $200' every week grocery shopping.

i was laid off from my job this week also. And although I am thrilled to have more time with my boys, and for myself frankly, i am looking for more economical visits to the grocery store.

[Erin]

oh, i know. baby steps is the way to go.
(and me, i am wishing for a whole new kitchen. and i KNOW it is wrong!)

[Sandy]

Also, I've never made rice and beans. How do you cook the beans (or what do you season them with)?

[mary]

Good luck. I'm not sure I could make it a week, at least not with food my hubby would want. I know it's hard to switch up your routine but it really is cheaper to shop on Thursday when they have all the sales. I also try to buy lots of chicken when it's on sale and just cook 2 meals from it, either the same meal with one frozen or a different meal later in the week. I also seem to save money shopping for 2 weeks instead of one. I'm off to see what's in the pantry.

[Laura]

Good Luck!!! I am trying to shop less & less. I was sick with a virus a couple weeks ago & just didn't have the energy after my afternoons at work to grocery shop so we made lots of meals out of what was "lying around." We ended up with breakfast for dinner a few nights which the kids loved, I seem to always have eggs & bread for french toast or omelets. Can't wait to see how creative you get!!

[Sara]

I used to shop weekly, but I was spending way too much money. So I started planning 2 week menus instead, and I reduced my shopping to one trip a month to the bulk warehouse store and one trip to the grocery. Now, I kind of know how much I need for that long and I can shop without the plan, and always have enough food on hand. It's reduced our grocery bill by $400 a month to just not go as often.

[Lynn Harris]

I have been trying to do better with our groceries too. We like to have fresh eggs and home made bread for dinner sometimes. It is a good quick dinner. We recently made pesto from garlic mustard pulled from our field. I even froze five jars. We are looking forward to some garden bounty soon.

I usually have to go to the store for milk. We go through a gallon a day!

I have started making yogurt. It is much easier than I thought it would be and saves a good bit of money. It also cuts down on our trash!

[mommycoddle]

oooh! Laura, if I make some bread early this week--maybe I'll do some french toast with it later in the week. thanks for the ideas!!

[Molly Irwin]

Good idea. I'm very much a wing-it style cook ordinarily, but do use a few recipes here and there.

Happy weekend!

- Molly

[Sarah in Indiana]

I like to do this every now and then, too. I think it's a good way to make sure that the stockpile gets rotated. It helps prevent food waste. You should definitely figure out at least one good way to use the venison sausage this week! I like to try to challenge myself to find creative ways to use up foods that don't sound very appetizing during weeks like this.

Our CSA is about to start, which is a great time for me to do this since I'll get fresh veggies to round out the pantry staples with no shopping.

[Sara R.]

We do this at least once a month. I find it actually cuts down on stress! We plan more than a week's worth of meals (and allow for a variety of meals made from leftovers- grilled chicken one night and chicken salad the next). I LOVE shopping once a week...but spend too much. If we shop 3 times a month (aside from a milk run), we spend less, use what we've got, and have fun creating new meals. Then again, we only have one child (2 1/2 years old). Not sure how well it will work with more!

[Jeannine]

I could not do it, because I live off of fresh veggies and fruit. That is what always costs me so much. I could go without meat for a week, but not the produce. Good Luck. I cannot wait to see what you make. It can be done, because I do it often throughout the week. I too plan my meals, but I don't go shopping on the same day every week. I try to go as long as I can on what I have, and then when I need to shop I do. The other thing that has saved me money is to buy on a daily basis, as I did in when living in Germany. Instead of hitting the big grocery stores, where you buy canned or boxed goods, go to the farmers market and butcher. That usually saves a pretty penny. I wish they would have coupons for tomatoes and zuccini instead of all the junk that we don't need.

[KATEinNJ]

We shop every other week, and unless we run out of milk
and my dd really wants it, we don't stop off for a few things, we make do. If I get any complaints, I simply remind my family how lucky we are to have pasta "again" or whatever...I'd try those sausages with eggs, cheese and salsa in a tortilla (McD's makes a similar sandwich)yum!

[Mama G]

We have had to become much more aware of our food budget since I'm staying home and no longer earning an income (which means less money in and the money that is in goes farther, a component most of us don't think about when someone decides to stay home).
We get a fruit/veg CSA weekly and a meat CSA monthly so we've been supplementing those with random trips to the market. I went yesterday and it was odd, odd, odd to primarily pick up staples (pasta, rice, cans of tomatoes, yogurt) and not stuff the basket with vegetables. We recommitted to both CSAs and have wasted very little. It helps that our chickens get veg scraps and we get their eggs. But, I turn every carcass into stock if I can and we're getting better about leftovers.
The no-spend goals are great. There is good community support for no-spenders at my husband's site: wesabe.com.
Small tricks, by the way, spinach frozen is usually more economical than fresh per pound and for most recipes just as good. Same with peas. I love me some fresh peas, but frozen veggies shouldn't be wholly written off.

[Ann]

Hi, Molly - great idea! I'm actually doing the same thing for a different reason. We're packing to move in 2 weeks, and I am hoping buy no more food except some fruit and vegs for that time. I plan on making a LOT of bread, bean tacos, and granola.

Here's one recipe you might try if you have the ingredients. My kids love this! It's a pumpkin polenta. Heat 1 small can of pumpkin plus 2 can-fulls of milk; mix in 1 1/2 t ground ginger and 1 t salt. Mix 1 c cornmeal with 1/2 c water in a bowl. When the milk/pumpkin mixture is hot but not boiling, whisk in the moist cornmeal. Stir constantly until it thickens, just a few minutes. You can add some raisins, brown sugar, or maple syrup, or just eat it plain.

It's a bit more of a fall dish, but then, that's why I still have that stuff hanging around in my pantry! I hope you enjoy it. Good luck with your experiment!

[sarah]

it's popping in to the store every few days for fresh veggies and fruit that drives me nuts. then i see a sale item or two, and all too soon i've "re-stocked" my cupboards. but i have noticed since gas prices went crazy last year, i am not running out nearly as much. i guess i got creative with what i had!

maybe you can barder the sausage for apples when in season or something like that.
good luck.

[Molli]

I do this occasionally, too! But then, ultimately spend more the following week to try to restock! :) Oh well - a family must eat! We often times do breakfast for dinner (or lunch) and the kids love it! Sometimes eggs and sausage/bacon or even choc chip banana pancakes for fun. It's easy, inexpensive, and a easy crowd pleaser. Good luck on your challenge. I look forward to seeing what you can do and being inspired! :)

[melody]

I'm so with you... even being frugal, I definitely notice a large increase in grocery prices... I can no longer stop at the store for a few things(milk, yogurt and some staples) and only spend $40... now I'm spending between $70-$80.

We do love venison sausage though, in fact, it's one of my last minute go to meals. The kids especially love it when I pair it with pancakes and fruit for dinner...

At least twice in the last 2 months, we have had "use what we have" weeks... and it should start to be easier now because we are starting to get greens and things out of the garden and easier still when the summer fruits start to come in...

[Karen]

Try putting the deer sausage in a lasagna instead of ground beef. I promise, it will be delicious.

[Tonya Richard]

LOL Well, I would be happy to only pay $200 a week for groceries, but I have a family of 9 (soon to be 10)so that is not a possibility. I have big eaters too. Dh does most of the grocery shopping, so I am not really sure exactly how much is spent, but I do know it is well over $1000 a month. I do try to do meatless meals a couple of times a week, and usually make enough of one meal to have left overs the next day. This always seems to stretch everything, and I have a day off from cooking a big meal. A couple of our favorite cheap easy meals are bean burritos and tuna sandwiches. I just cut up some cucumbers and bell peppers to go with them. Today dh is pot roasting two huge rump roasts, I will make 10 pounds of *smashed* pototoes (as my 5 year old likes to call them lol), green bean casserole and homemade sweet rolls. We try to have a really good meal like this every week. Also, there will be enough food for tomorrow as well.

[kat \ Taylor Made designs]

I've been doing this for @ 4 months now :)
You can do it!

I shop every other week.
I buy the basics + try to stay away from processed food. You'll be amazed at how much that saves!

We have milk delivered every Monday morning, and I do pop into the store to pick up broccoli or salad, but other than that, I have been pretty successful in my shopping every other week.

It took me awhile, but I have become much more creative in my cooking. I've been tracking my spending and we have significantly cut out about $150 a month. Plus, I have finally discovered which stores have the best prices for certain things and so I divvy up my shopping that way.

I finally feel like a smart shopper :)

[heather smith jones]

I read this post a couple days ago and didn't comment be/c I was thinking about it. And I was thinking of ways I could cut back and be more thoughtful in what we cook and also use more of our dry beans etc. And I think I'm up for the challenge with you this week. What days are you doing this exactly? So the last time you went to the store was last Monday? So you're doing two weeks on one store trip?

[Robin Taylor Swatt]

Such a great idea Molly! I too feel that there has to be a better way of maximizing my food budget. Between our CSA box, the farmer's market, Costco, and the regular grocery store, we spend too much. I know we spend our money on quality products but it still makes my stomach turn over when we spend more than $100 a week.

[Joyce Hesselberth]

I know what you mean. My weekly grocery bill is usually around $200 for our family of 5. I'm paying a lot more attention to it lately and finding a few good ways to cut back. Pork shoulder in the slow-cooker makes great BBQ sandwiches. And another recent hit was a chick-pea salad with oil and vinegar dressing, olives, and fresh herbs.

Fortunately, our garden is starting to have a few things now. Collards, onions, and lettuce so far.

[Deanna]

Ooh, that reminds me, a man at our church brought a deer sausage quiche once. It was *good*.

[mrhc]

I did this last summer and we had a better variety and more well-balanced meals than we had the winter before. Granted, I was not working for the summer and our uncle kept us supplied with fresh vegies from his garden, so I had time to look, plan and execute delicious meals with enough leftover for hubbie's lunch the next day.

[Sarah]

This will be a piece of cake. You'll be surprised what you can do with odds and ends. Just take a tally of what you have and put it into one of the recipe places online.

[adrienne]

I kind of love it when we move or go on vacation or something where we're forced to clean out the fridge and use what's in the freezer. It's tough but it's nice to start fresh. We eat a lot of brinner those weeks (breakfast for dinner) because it seems like I always have lots of eggs and ingredients for making waffles with frozen fruit on top and such. Plus we all like brinner around here. Good luck to you! Deer sausage. Hm. Does it tasted like normal sausage? Can it go on a pizza? In a frittata or strata? (See how I have a one-track mind? "Hey, eggs and breakfast foods, you should give that a try!")

[Maribeth]

I think I could get some dinner on the table from what I have in the house, but it is the school lunches that would be hard. I am in such a rut with lunch box food anyway at this point. But - on the other hand I bet if I had to meet this challenge I might come up with a whole other menu of foods for the lunchbox. I think I would do more baking, and more cooking from scratch (even though I do a fair amount already).

[Stacey B]

I've never intentionally done this challenge but there have always been weeks with no money for groceries, we are usually surprised to find that those are the weeks with some of the best meals. Coconut milk curried shrimp with green beans (all from the freezer and a can). This leads us to always adding one bulk item to our cart when shopping. I saw a few people mention how pasta would drive them crazy after a few meals. We try to mix it up with various grains. If A doesn't want the main dish he'll eat the grain like a pasta with some sauce (we always have a pot going).

Yogurt and milk would definitely be the stumbling blocks around here

[Pravina Studio]

I like the sounds of this! I feel the same way pretty often. Just last week I was saying I need to start buying less groceries...

[mandy]

I can't believe you are doing this, this is my personal challenge this week too. We are having a party in a few weeks and I just don't know how we will fund it. So, I decided to go on strike from grocery's this week. Tonight is chicken and beans. The beans are dry of course, that's why they were sitting in the pantry. So, I need to go soak them right now. Tomorrow I'm thinking tuna sandwiches or pasta. Wow, that's two more. This may be easier than I thought.
BTW, what is your granola recipe?

[Irishmama7]

Great idea! I normally try to only go to the store once a week and that really helps.I went last Sunday and have went since, but we went to my FIL's for the weekend so that is kind of cheating. I am pretty good at whipping up casseroles using frozen veggies, a can of soup, some cheese and rice or noodles. I think I am going to try to only go to the store 3 times a month and see if that works(I know it will help my budget). By the way what is your granola reciepe?? If you don't mind sharing, I would love it.

[kristi]

i have thought about doing this so often, but i'm a cook-by-the-book/recipe type person, not really a creative make-it-up-as-i-go type chef. so i worry about what the heck i will do in the kitchen without a (gulp!) plan...and i am always so desperately jealous of people who are so successful at this.

so i would be willing to take the challenge. we DO have plenty of cereal... :)

[Kel]

that homemade muesli looks awesome!

interesting idea you have here, and one that I find inspirational for other areas of my life

a trick we use to keep the grocery budget down is to extend-a-day [people usually do their grocery shop on a certain day, simply extend that out one day each week, and after a few weeks, you've saved a whole week of grocery bills]

[Kristin]

I do this often, but that's because I typically stock up. So I could say I'll join you, but I just bought a couple bags of chicken breasts and I just went to Costco. So it wouldn't be much of a challege for me!

[Habit Blog]

yes, great idea.
the hard part will be vegetables and fruit. I don't eat meat and so veggies are often the base of every meal. I tend to buy fresh veggies every few days.

[martha]

um, that was me up there. I guess I never signed out of habit from may -and since you are on typepad, it came up as habit blog:)

[mommycoddle]

hehe! I do that ALL the time!! :)

[mommycoddle]

Emily thinks I should give myself a small fresh produce allowance for the week, so we'll see how it goes. I don't want the kids to get scurvy. :)

[Linnea]

I am up for the challenge but must confess that I have an ulterior motive: we are moving so it's the most perfect time to eat out of cupboards.

[Fancy Elastic]

Oh, good luck... we have to do this sometimes at the end of the month... we call it eating from the larder, we generally allow bread and milk purchases too. It is the fresh veg that you miss though... we tend to eat lots of veg chilli and daals.

I look forward to seeing how you get on.

x

[Kerry]

This is a good idea and something that I need to do too. We just got back from vacation and are low on everything. I might give this a try in a week or two. I think it might just be the way to convince my husband that we can eat more than one vegetarian meal a week!

[Jill]

Love this challenge. I hate going to the grocery store. It's usually a milk or produce run that gets me out of the pantry and then things spiral from there. Too late for me this week, but I'm on next week.

[Cia Dreves]

A woman after my own heart.

[Kelly K]

yes we cut back on our bill too! It takes a little bit of planning but we manage. We do rice and beans one night, I really try to make use of my left overs!

[Jennifer]

I know the feeling at the grocery store. It's hard for me to imagine how the simple things I buy for the week can add up to so much. On the one hand it is comforting for me to hear how much someone else spends on groceries. But I have that pit in my stomach a lot, No matter how disciplined I am at the store.

Good for you for trying this challenge. We have this kind of "challenge" forced on us more often than I would like, and we always come out fine. We might have to do without some of our normal food, and have more sandwiches for dinner, but we have never gone hungry. The kids might grumble about having leftover bean soup, but honestly they don't realize how lucky they are.

[knittymama]

Excellent! Count me in.