Money Matters 11: Spring Clean Your Pantry

[lo95]

Money Matters 11: Spring Clean Your Pantry

We were set to grocery shop this morning when we got a screw in our tire thanks to the new grocery store parking lot and we have now begun the saga that is trying to find someone to patch your tire on a Sunday. So that inspired this week's money matters topic- eating from the pantry. It's a great way to spring clean and save money, right? (grumble grumble)

1. What is the best "budget meal" you can think of in terms of taste?

2. If you had to shop your pantry right now, what would your meal plan for the next few days look like?

3. What is one "must have" staple you use in your cooking throughout the week? What do you make with it?

4. Do you have any "staple" type recipe you make ahead of time and eat throughout the week?

[lo95]

1. What is the best "budget meal" you can think of in terms of taste?

I love macaroni. I'll do the one dollar box any day. Otherwise, eggs (until the recent price hike, I suppose) are a very frugal source of protein and pancakes are good and filling.

2. If you had to shop your pantry right now, what would your meal plan for the next few days look like?

Well, here's where we stand if I don't go to the grocery:
Eggs and pancakes
Macaroni
Crock pot chicken from frozen chicken breasts
Cereal and toast
Rice and veggies

Not bad, but I'd like red meat, cheese and milk this week.


3. What is one "must have" staple you use in your cooking throughout the week? What do you make with it?

Peanut butter- I just make sandwiches and put it on crackers, but man I love peanut butter. And we are out. Of course.

4. Do you have any "staple" type recipe you make ahead of time and eat throughout the week?

Other than when I make cookies occasionally, not really.

[cam]

1. What is the best "budget meal" you can think of in terms of taste?
Eggs. I have been on a big omelet kick lately. ...and now I am probably going to go make an omelet for lunch.

2. If you had to shop your pantry right now, what would your meal plan for the next few days look like?
I can usually make almost any of my standard meals. I keep the house stocked with all the standard ingredients. Right now, I am out of lettuce and fairly low on milk, though I could make something with milk, just not both lunch and supper today if both needed a lot of milk. Only reason is because no one had milk on sale this past week, and I knew I could hold off until this week.

3. What is one "must have" staple you use in your cooking throughout the week? What do you make with it?
Hmm. That's tough to say.

4. Do you have any "staple" type recipe you make ahead of time and eat throughout the week?
For breakfast on the weekend, I sometimes make a big batch of waffles or Irish pancakes to have leftovers. Muffins, which we typically eat more like a snack. Lots of supper meals are intended to have leftovers for a lunch or two. Chex mix to snack on. Energy bites to snack on. Desserts. No particular item is on a regular basis though.

[Deleted]

Budget meal- Mac n cheese or spaghetti

Shop your pantry- right now we have tomato soup, spaghetti and sauce, cereal, rice, flour (for pancakes etc)

Must have staple- Rice and pasta. Throw the rice in the rice cooker and voila side for everything.

Staple meal- we tend to do the same meals over and over not on purpose just the kids are a bit picky and we get in a rut. I try a new recipe once a week if I can. Chicken and rice in peanut sauce is an easy staple meal.

[younglove316]

@clarypax how do you make your peanut sauce?

[Deleted]

younglove316, I buy it pre-made.

[cam]

Mar 14, 2016 14:41:17 GMT -5 forevermorgan said:

1. My "budget meal" is spaghetti "AO" as my grandpa used to call it. It's spaghetti with oil & garlic. If I have cherry tomatoes, I add those. We finish with a salad.

I make something similar, especially for a light lunch in the summer - so quick and easy. I use penne or rotini (just my preferred pasta types), oil, garlic, cherry or diced tomatoes, like you, but I also add a bit of Italian seasoning and shredded mozzarella.

We are major garlic lovers too. Minced garlic goes in a lot. I would bet well over half of my suppers include at least garlic powder if not minced garlic also. I use tons of spices, herbs, etc in general - so much so that I take the part of the shakers with the holes off of several so I can just pour them in faster and not shake 758472 times per meal.

[mishy2010]

1. What is the best "budget meal" you can think of in terms of taste?
Pasta. With couponing I have lots of free pasta so we use it for at least two meals a week.

2. If you had to shop your pantry right now, what would your meal plan for the next few days look like?
Lots of grains/noodles so casseroles and soups.

3. What is one "must have" staple you use in your cooking throughout the week? What do you make with it?
I like having garlic on hand for a lot of my cooking.

4. Do you have any "staple" type recipe you make ahead of time and eat throughout the week?
When I'm productive I will make a big batch of quinoa and rice to use throughout the week. Haven't had time to do that in a while.

[icequeen]

1. What is the best "budget meal" you can think of in terms of taste? I like rice and beans.

2. If you had to shop your pantry right now, what would your meal plan for the next few days look like? Baked chicken, spaghetti, tacos, frozen veggies, salad.

3. What is one "must have" staple you use in your cooking throughout the week? What do you make with it? I mainly use salt, pepper and garlic. I use it to season all my meats, from chicken and pork to steak and roasts.

4. Do you have any "staple" type recipe you make ahead of time and eat throughout the week? Not really. I cook day by day, although if I'm making chicken I will make extra so I can have some to put in my salad the next day.