Prep Genrl No Spend November

[moldy]

I am trying to organize my pantry, and due to the fact of when I can, it's usually 'shove it where ever you can find a spot' - I have done a horrible job of rotating my preps. I started looking at tomato products, and I have ones from 2012 forward. The lids are starting to rust, and they just look (and taste) awful. So I am pitching a lot of them to the chickens.

This month, I have decided I am not even going to look at the sale flyers. I am going to cook from my preps only and try to get a PAR level for what I truly need to store. I would appreciate any input that you actually use (I've seen the lists, which are great in general, but not always how we eat). So starting tomorrow, I will try to post what I am fixing for my main meals. I eat about the same amount as a 7-10 year old child due to medical issues, and my diet is terrible. I know this, but if I dont' eat the way I do, I'd weigh about 80 pounds. Anyone care to join me? For whatever reason - just the main focus being to use up what you have that may be starting to get a little long in the tooth and to avoid shopping until December 1.

Plans for tomorrow:
Breakfast: smoothie with yogurt, canned peaches, a frozen banana and chia seeds. 'Coffee' with protein powder, chocolate syrup (homemade), and half and half.

Lunch: fried bologna with pimento cheese, raisin bread toast

Supper: chicken tortilla soup (made with salsa that's looking sad, leftover chicken, corn and beans from the pantry) with cheese and sour cream, apple crisp (made with apple pie filling from....shhhh....2010).

 

[aviax2]

@moldy I hear ya, loud and clear! I did an overhaul on the everyday pantry I think about this time last year (could have been earlier LOL). It took awhile and some things had to go and I felt horrible about the waste but I told myself that it’s similar to paying insurance premiums, great to have if you need it but they sure don’t give it back to you if you don’t need/use it. If I can feed it to the chickens and they’ll eat it, it’s not a complete waste. The past month I’ve been working on the basement pantry and I’ve had some home canned items that needed to go too. I finished going through all my home canned foods today and the oldest items are some pints of tomato juice that I canned in 2019 and I’m okay with that. I’ve also been working on the freezers this past year too. And like you I’ve been trying to rotate better, organize better to see what we actually have and need. I’m using what we already have to make meals and save the money to only buy what we know we actually need and buy at the best prices we can find.

I‘m not much for eating breakfast so usually just coffee with cream. On rare occasions I might have peanut butter on toast or a slice of banana or pumpkin bread if we have it on hand.

Lunch, is either leftovers from supper the night before or sandwiches either from store bought meats and cheese or I’ll make things like egg salad, chicken salad (especially if I have grapes that need using up) tuna or ham salad which I’ll be making this week as I have some ham that needs using.Today, lunch for me was casserole leftover from Sun.,DH had leftover pizza takeout from Mon. night.

I haven’t given any thought about tomorrows supper yet but tonight was cheeseburgers from our beef.

I’d love to join you!

 

[Wildwood]

I did what you are doing a few years ago. It's been a game changer and I've really stuck with it...for once.

My buying habits are a little different now too and that helps me keep it up. I buy much more by the case and/or flat when possible so I'm not dealing with so many exp. dates. It helps that I rarely, if ever, get to shop sales or loss leaders. I'm strict about the new flats always being on the bottom of the stack also. Pretty much, if it's a small amount of something new to try, it never goes in my pantry.

I'm the same with my home canned stuff and go through once every year or so and reorganize everything by date. My pantry isn't big enough for store bought and home canned all in one spot so I dedicated a whole set of cabinets in the wash room to home canned goods. I took the doors off a large and very deep set of old, ugly cabinets and all my home canned stuff goes there. They hold seven quart jars deep on each shelf. Splitting the home canned and store bought up helped a lot. Before that, I was putting home canned stuff in every little nook and cranny. I ended up misplacing a few cases of canned meat for about ten years. I didn't toss them but will use it for a dog food base if TSHTF. That hurt bad but with today's prices, it would hurt much worse.

My freezers are a whole other matter but I'm trying to do better there too. Thankfully, I freeze very little garden stuff. I do much better canning it.

Admittedly, I am not the most organized person in the world but I detest waste and so far, so good. It doesn't hurt that we are creatures of habit and eat the same stuff over and over.

 

[Deena in GA]

We try to be very strict about rotating items, but sometimes find that we just don’t use certain things very often.

Sunday I made a big batch of sloppy joe for lunch. What was left over became the base of a pot of chili yesterday. In making the chili, I went to add a can of diced tomatoes and discovered that they expired in 2021. However, the can wasn’t dented or rusted and when I opened it the tomatoes looked and smelled fine, so they got thrown in the pot of chili.

 

[Babs]

I watch a lot of homestead and homemaking channels on youtube. Many of them join something they've coined a "Pantry Challenge". They basically vow to not buy groceries for a month, usually in February, and use up things they have put away, for an entire month. I've been thinking about taking that challenge this year. I think I'd rather do it in maybe March or April though...just in time to get the garden going again.

 

[packyderms_wife]

November is our quarterly shopping month ahead of winter, so we will be spending some coin. See me again in March for a no spend month.

 

[Wildwood]

We try to be very strict about rotating items, but sometimes find that we just don’t use certain things very often.

Sunday I made a big batch of sloppy joe for lunch. What was left over became the base of a pot of chili yesterday. In making the chili, I went to add a can of diced tomatoes and discovered that they expired in 2021. However, the can wasn’t dented or rusted and when I opened it the tomatoes looked and smelled fine, so they got thrown in the pot of chili.

Tomatoes are my biggest challenge. They expire a little quicker than my other things in cans and yet, to truly prep enough, I have some expire and I do the same as you...give them the old sniff and taste test.

I've started buying crushed instead of diced. They seem to taste a little better/fresher and are a little more flexible since they can take the place of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. I buy the Hunt's brand and I could literally eat them by the spoonful right from the can lol. I buy the bigger, 29 oz. or so cans. I have absolutely no desire to do this with any other brand or type of canned tomatoes, including the ones I can myself.

 

[Illini Warrior]

there's definitely food sales for Thanksgiving & Christmas - and then the sell off after the holidays >>> important element of prepping is spreading that buck $$$ for the best benefit - already seeing slight sales on items since they have store arrived ....

 

[Marseydoats]

November is our quarterly shopping month ahead of winter, so we will be spending some coin. See me again in March for a no spend month.

This.
It's the last month I have before bad weather gets here and I need to have as much heavy stuff as possible already stored. I'm still working on getting 400 pounds of cat litter (I use it for ice melt on the stairs as well) Between WM constantly being out of stuff and refusing to ship things, I'm behind.
With me being retired, it's much easier for me to keep things rotated. If I could just keep husband from re-arranging the pantry and putting empty boxes back on the shelf, I'd be fine. His ears are still ringing from the last time he put 3 empty boxes of Ritz back on the shelf and the power was out for days...
Got another mega shop planned for tomorrow.

 

[nomifyle]

DH and I cleaned out and reorganized the pantry room last winter. I don't can but I do dehydrate and he moved most of my dehydrated jars out to the she shed and the cabin. Of course now I don't know where much of that is. To me something the expired in 2021 was just yesterday, so I have things that are far past that date. The food is fine and even if there is a little rust around the rim the food is still fine.

What really needs to be done are the seven freezers, they are exploding and need to be cleaned out. Freezer burn doesn't bother me either, I just add extra seasoning or gravy. Although some things do go to the dog or even the wild pigs DH has pinned up and is fattening up.

But a no spend month sounds like a good idea, but what with all that is going on out there I'm not sure I can do that entirely. I'm in good shape with things but that is because I resupply on things that may go in short or no supply. One example is paper products. I haven't used a regular plate in I don't know how long and now I'm using disposable bowls. too.

 

[Babs]

If I could just keep husband from re-arranging the pantry and putting empty boxes back on the shelf, I'd be fine.

I can relate!!! LOL

 

[moldy]

A few things went off kilter today...couldn't find the baloney but there was some deli style turkey that was a good substitute. The raisin toast didn't happen because i don't want to chew! And DH asked when I'm in town tomorrow to pick up dog food, as he wants to have enough to get thru the winter.

So....this may be a LOW spend November instead of a no spend November!!

 

[packyderms_wife]

A few things went off kilter today...couldn't find the baloney but there was some deli style turkey that was a good substitute. The raisin toast didn't happen because i don't want to chew! And DH asked when I'm in town tomorrow to pick up dog food, as he wants to have enough to get thru the winter.

So....this may be a LOW spend November instead of a no spend November!!

Given what's going on in the world I've been advising people to get what they need in house soon, if not today! The plandemic was a trial run for a global shut down.

 

[paxsim2]

I do my no spend in January. Helps with the account balances. Right now I'm trying organize the pantries and fill holes.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

A no spend month sounds like a good idea. I've never done that, though. We have a large pantry, and we eat only out of the pantry. If I went a whole month without restocking, I would have a huge hole left to refill. I don't like my pantry to get those large holes in it, especially in the times we're living. How do I know ahead of time if supplies would be available, once I needed to restock? I do limit my spending to only once a month and mid-month for fresh produce and dairy products. I won't be skipping a month anytime soon. If we were living in good times that would be different.

 

[nomifyle]

There are a few things that I don't want to run out of earlier than I have to, like it they are not available.

Avacados, cottage cheese, the cheese sticks that I really like and a few other things. I guess I could freeze the cheese sticks but not avacados and cottage cheese.

So no spend won't work for me, but less spend will.

 

[moldy]

Plan for tomorrow. It's a somewhat normal work day, but I have a couple appointments in a town about an hour away in the late afternoon.

Breakfast: 2 slices cinnamon-raisin toast, 'coffee' as above

Lunch: chicken tortilla soup, apple crisp if there's any left. If not cookies.

Supper: sliced turkey and cheese, peaches. Will probably have a shake when I get home to add calories. The turkey, cheese, and peaches I can eat in the car while driving. DH usually doesn't eat supper, but I try to have things in the fridge if he's hungry. There is .... chicken tortilla soup and some leftover beef stroganoff.

Honestly, my biggest issue is trying to get organized.

 

[aviax2]

Well I wasn’t planning on the the “no spend’ part and it’s a good thing since I would have failed miserably today since DH and I decided at the last minute to make an Aldi and Sam’s run.

I’m totally on board about using up older stock and making the most of everything already on hand, only buying what I need to stock up on and fresh items as needed. And absolutely on board with getting and keeping organized, that’s my biggest issue too @moldy.

 

[Babs]

There are a few things that I don't want to run out of earlier than I have to, like it they are not available.

Avacados, cottage cheese, the cheese sticks that I really like and a few other things. I guess I could freeze the cheese sticks but not avacados and cottage cheese.

So no spend won't work for me, but less spend will.

You can freeze Avocados! Wrap them whole in plastic wrap then freeze.

 

[connie]

I can't imagine trying to keep up with 7 freezers. The 2 of us do fine with a freezer and two refrigerators.
Could do with less. I bought more variety of meats today. The case was out of the roasts on sale. And I totally forgot to get block cheese. They were also out of the cottage cheese I like and pita crackers/ chips were nowhere to be found. I am hoping to get to Costco soon especially for holiday treats.

 

[nomifyle]

I can't imagine trying to keep up with 7 freezers. The 2 of us do fine with a freezer and two refrigerators.
Could do with less. I bought more variety of meats today. The case was out of the roasts on sale. And I totally forgot to get block cheese. They were also out of the cottage cheese I like and pita crackers/ chips were nowhere to be found. I am hoping to get to Costco soon especially for holiday treats.

In the past we have gotten a lot of meat in commodities, which much of is still lingering in the bottoms of some of them.

 

[moldy]

Did spend some today, but not on food. Bought dog food as DH requested and some printer ink and class supplies. We had a chili cookoff at work, so that was lunch.

Tomorrow will be a more normal day, although I need to get up extra early to empty the freeze dryer before I head to work

Breakfast: instant oatmeal and 'coffee'
Lunch: chicken tortilla soup and apple crisp
Snack: Boba tea (from packet from home)
Supper: turkey slices or pimento cheese. I have got to find that baloney this weekend!

 

[seraphima]

Yes, I've been going through dates and checking things like tomato products and pineapple for leakage. Using up stuff in the freezer and replacing some with frozen water in quart bags for cold ballast and water storage both. These get frozen a few at a time in the kitchen freezer and then taken down and just dumped on top in the big freezer. As i dig around for stuff to bring up to eat, the blocks of ice just sort of migrate down to the bottom of the freezer. A lot less work than moving everything each tiime ice is added.

 

[moldy]

Supper tonight is instead pretzel sticks and peanut butter with tea. I'll save the turkey for DH.

A co-worker (that is more flush than I am) showed me a peanut butter she buys. I am all about calories, so I checked it out. It's called Nerdy Nuts and they do peanut or almond or cashew butter with all sorts of mix-ins. And it's IIRC about $30 for a 12 ounce jar with shipping!! Well, I can do that myself. So this time, I mixed in some coconut-pecan frosting and mini chocolate chips. Next time, it might be some marshmallow creme and freeze dried bananas and strawberries. I look at their emails to get ideas - but certainly not to order!!

Rough menu for tomorrow:
Eggs, bacon, and French toast sandwiches (I'll eat mine deconstructed), "coffee" for breakfast.
Lunch: freeze dried meatballs (need to try them out to see if it is worth making more) with spaghetti and sauce (expired last year). Garlic cresent rolls that have been languishing in the fridge. Home canned 3 bean salad.
Supper: probably soup from a can and a shake for me.

I am hoping to can up some tomato soup this weekend. I noticed in the pantry that we are a little low, so I need to take care of that.

 

[Wildwood]

Supper tonight is instead pretzel sticks and peanut butter with tea. I'll save the turkey for DH.

A co-worker (that is more flush than I am) showed me a peanut butter she buys. I am all about calories, so I checked it out. It's called Nerdy Nuts and they do peanut or almond or cashew butter with all sorts of mix-ins. And it's IIRC about $30 for a 12 ounce jar with shipping!! Well, I can do that myself. So this time, I mixed in some coconut-pecan frosting and mini chocolate chips. Next time, it might be some marshmallow creme and freeze dried bananas and strawberries. I look at their emails to get ideas - but certainly not to order!!

Rough menu for tomorrow:
Eggs, bacon, and French toast sandwiches (I'll eat mine deconstructed), "coffee" for breakfast.
Lunch: freeze dried meatballs (need to try them out to see if it is worth making more) with spaghetti and sauce (expired last year). Garlic cresent rolls that have been languishing in the fridge. Home canned 3 bean salad.
Supper: probably soup from a can and a shake for me.

I am hoping to can up some tomato soup this weekend. I noticed in the pantry that we are a little low, so I need to take care of that.

That's some pricey peanut butter. And to think I get remarks fom people about springing for Jif...it's DH's favorite and since peanut butter makes up his breakfast and lunch, that's what he gets! He looks darn good for 67 so I reckon it agrees with him. He's been eating it like that since he was about 2.

I'm enjoying your meal lists. I used to be so much more creative. We are in a a rut, eating the same four or five things over and over.

 

[moldy]

We eat the same things over and over. I guess I haven't gotten used to cooking for just 2, then with my eating issues from the cancer (I can't open my mouth more than about one finger width), and DH doesn't eat dinner anymore (that has helped with weight loss and his bad reflux at bedtime) - well, we eat a lot of leftovers! I do freeze quite a few, so we can eat them on days I don't want to cook - or if DH can heat up his lunch that day.

 

[moldy]

SMH! After a discussion with DH (which I should have had before announcing my plans on here!!), we decided I will still do some stocking this month, but only items on sale that are non-perishable. I have GOT to get the extra freezer cleaned out, and I still need to organize. After reading several threads (DH reads on here also), I don't think this is the right time.

Sorry guys. I try not to make a habit of engaging my mouth (or fingers) before warming up my brain, but it happens. Seems like more and more frequently! Anyhow, I may still continue to post my meals if you are interested. I still plan on trying to use up what i have in storage that is getting older. I just will continue to add stuff as it is available/economical.

 

[Wildwood]

We eat the same things over and over. I guess I haven't gotten used to cooking for just 2, then with my eating issues from the cancer (I can't open my mouth more than about one finger width), and DH doesn't eat dinner anymore (that has helped with weight loss and his bad reflux at bedtime) - well, we eat a lot of leftovers! I do freeze quite a few, so we can eat them on days I don't want to cook - or if DH can heat up his lunch that day.

Cooking for two has been really hard for me too but I've been canning some of our favorite garden things in pints like purple hull peas, dried pinto beans, green beans and for frying, squash, green tomatoes and okra. I pick a bean/pea and a veggie for frying, make a small pan of corn bread and a small amount of meat, also, usually canned. I can have DH his kind of meal in about thirty minutes or less and it tastes so good. I call those a cheat meal lol.

Another good one is a quart jar of canned meat but only filled 2/3 of the way with meat and the rest water. Then I pressure can for the required time for the jar size. When you open it, boil it for the required ten minutes to make sure it's safe and add a slurry of corn starch and water to thicken the broth, make a package of instant mashed potatoes to pour the meat and gravy over with a canned veggie on the side. With the meat and gravy on the potatoes, you cannot tell they are instant. I never fed my kids instant potatoes but you do what you have to do.

I try not to fix the above meals too often and rotate between the first and second version because they make up a big part of our preps and I don't want to burn us out on them. They could both be cooked with minimal fuel if necessary.

We eat a lof of left overs too when I cook a regular meal. I need to do more things we can freeze.

 

[moldy]

I canned quart jars this summer with kielbasa, potatoes, green beans, and seasonings. One quart will be enough for the 2 of us plus a little leftover.

 

[Wildwood]

SMH! After a discussion with DH (which I should have had before announcing my plans on here!!), we decided I will still do some stocking this month, but only items on sale that are non-perishable. I have GOT to get the extra freezer cleaned out, and I still need to organize. After reading several threads (DH reads on here also), I don't think this is the right time.

Sorry guys. I try not to make a habit of engaging my mouth (or fingers) before warming up my brain, but it happens. Seems like more and more frequently! Anyhow, I may still continue to post my meals if you are interested. I still plan on trying to use up what i have in storage that is getting older. I just will continue to add stuff as it is available/economical.

Please continue to post your meals.

I agree with you and DH, it may be the time to add a little more if the price is right.

I mentioned it before, I hope to start my winter canning next week. I had to restock my big antique booth today and will do the other tomorrow or Tuesday. I let them get way too low during my five months of stress so I'm doubling up right now so I can get on with topping off the best I can with the groceries and really concentrate on that and cleaning this house!

 

[Wildwood]

I canned quart jars this summer with kielbasa, potatoes, green beans, and seasonings. One quart will be enough for the 2 of us plus a little leftover.

That sounds good. I do something kind of like that in a skillet but there is a fair amount of prep time. A jar would be so much better.

 

[anna43]

I often go a month without shopping. I don't find it difficult. I do run to the local store a couple times for bananas and milk, but I could easily skip that. I budget $130 per month for groceries and in February I spent $57.24, April $83.88 and September $50.84. At today's prices that's practically a no-spend month!!

November is usually the month of sales on turkey, baking supplies, celery and butter. I try to buy a year's supply of these items. I still have a few bags of celery in the freezer from last November. Cranberries may or may not be on sale but at least are available, so I also try to buy a year's supply of those.

 

[ginnie6]

There are a few things that I don't want to run out of earlier than I have to, like it they are not available.

Avacados, cottage cheese, the cheese sticks that I really like and a few other things. I guess I could freeze the cheese sticks but not avacados and cottage cheese.

So no spend won't work for me, but less spend will.

Actually you can freeze avocados! When I could eat them though I bought the little cups at Sam’s club. Just enough for one serving and no waste.

 

[moldy]

Yesterday was BUSY! One of our friends came over and we made chicken feed for the next 6 months to a year. the reason for the difference in time frame is due to if we get more chicks in the spring. Not sure what the issue was, but now my chickens are laying about a dozen a day (up from 1 or 2). Maybe a difference in feed, but I don't know. I don't know that I want to get more meat birds in the spring, but we might need new layers. I think I may try to get some of our broody hens to give me some first, though.

So, yesterday...
Breakfast: potatoes with eggs and bacon (made by DH)'
later meal (we just kept working till we were done, so it was late - like 4:30 pm when we ate): fettucini with freeze dried meatballs and sauce (I wanted to test out the meatballs to see if I should do more), cresent rolls
Snack: shake for me, cookies for DH

Today:
Breakfast: pancakes, eggs, bacon
Lunch: baked beans with ham, date nut bread
Supper: leftovers or leftover soup. If we have leftovers by about Wednesday, I package them up and put in the freezer for lunches at work, or light suppers.

I am going to hit the local independent grocer for soup (tomato and cream of mushroom( that is on sale for 50c/can and the specials at Safeway. I also need some isopropyl alcohol to make a liniment.

 

[moldy]

Menu for today:
Breakfast: oatmeal with canned pears, 'coffee'
Lunch: chicken and dumplings
Supper/Snack: date nut bread with cream cheese, milk

 

[moldy]

Same song, second verse:
Breakfast: oatmeal with canned pears, 'coffee'
Lunch: chicken and rice
Supper/Snack: date nut bread with cream cheese, milk

Co-worker brought chicken and rice today, so I saved my soup for later. I have worked my way thru the outdated tomatoes and tomato products, so tomorrow I will start on the pineapple. After that, I have no idea.

 

[aviax2]

I’m behind on this thread, I haven’t been feeling up to snuff.

I’ve done no spending except for some Christmas gifts for the grands and last night I finally broke down and order a new case for my older iPad. My case is worn out and the screen protector has lots of cracks (pretty sure granddaughter used my iPad in a game of hot lava).

A local store was running a special on whole pork loin and sweet potatoes and since DH has to go pick up a part for the shower, he’s going to check if they still have any so spending may happen.

We’ve been using up the last of the garden veggies in meals this week, cucumbers and red bell pepper in salad, the last of the zucchini stewed with canned tomatoes. I found a few small cans of salmon that had gotten overlooked in the pantry (use by was in 2020) and it tasted just fine.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Tomatoes are my biggest challenge. They expire a little quicker than my other things in cans and yet, to truly prep enough, I have some expire and I do the same as you...give them the old sniff and taste test.

I've started buying crushed instead of diced. They seem to taste a little better/fresher and are a little more flexible since they can take the place of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. I buy the Hunt's brand and I could literally eat them by the spoonful right from the can lol. I buy the bigger, 29 oz. or so cans. I have absolutely no desire to do this with any other brand or type of canned tomatoes, including the ones I can myself.

I am dehydrating and freeze drying my tomato products that are nearly gone over. It lets me get a little more time out of them and it also makes space.

If the tomato item is just too much of a problem, I am drying/freeze drying and then turning it into tomato powder. I use that tomato powder fairly regularly for things like soups, hot drinks, to add to sauces, marinades, etc.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Last year when we got some really deep discount turkeys and hams we saved one of each for this year. I’ll let everyone know how they turn out for Thanksgiving dinner. The others we cooked and then freeze dried during the year. I gotta tell you freeze dried ham and turkey is just the weirdest. LOL. They look like what they are but when you pick them up they are so light and/or make this sandpaper noise when they rub against themselves that my brain just doesn’t want to compute it.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Last comment then it is back to work. LOL

Over the years my buying habits have changed. One, I don’t have as much time as I had when the kids were all still living at home because as they each finished school, went to college, moved out/married, etc. I did more work with our business. Then there are the changes in my health … and of those kids that remained home they made the choice to eat differently and bought their own groceries.

It meant going through and using/donating what I couldn’t have or use before it went over. I’m finally at the tail end of getting that all completed and I haven’t replaced near as much as I might have otherwise. I’m using up quite a bit in the cabinets now to flush out even more stuff that might not otherwise get used now that I am cooking for two (or one at times). Time is also a constraint as well.

Breakfast has been a Premier Protein shake (30g of protein, no added sugar) for about four months now. If my brother has brought us some eggs I might scrambled some.

Lunch: whatever is a leftover in the frig or like a bean soup … I make an easy black bean soup with canned black beans that I enjoy.

Supper: whatever needs to get used in the freezer. Sometimes it is a meat and sometimes it is a convenience meal. A lot depends on how I feel and/or how much time I have.