Trying to get inspired to cook from pantry over going shopping. Find one random thing in the back of fridge/freezer/pantry and make something with me

[momee]

I chose frozen artichoke hearts and I'm making this

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/artichoke-gratinata-recipe.html

[Truscifi]

That's a great idea. I'm going to go find a thing right now.

 

[SamanthaCarter]

The last of the purple potatoes.

[Ali in OR]

Tonight's dinner is largely from freezer stock:

 

Chinese chicken salad--the chicken is half of the seasoned batch I made for this salad in September, from the freezer.

Trader Joe's Cha Siu Bao (pork buns) from the freezer

Trader Joe's potstickers from the freezer

Costco's mini Naan, from the freezer (I've been pairing Indian Naan with any Asian meal because my dd's will eat it and it will fill them up)

 

[Garga]

That sounds like a fun idea, but I've never quite understood it. I shop for exactly what I need each week. The only extra things I have are flour, rice, brown and white sugar and that's about it. I have a tub of shortening that takes a long time to be used up. Maybe I have some extra butter if there was a sale.

 

Other than that, I don't have any extras in my pantry. I have just what we need for that week. Once that week is up, the food is all gone and I shop again for the next week.

 

I've never understood the advice to "save money by eating what you already have." Ok. That works for a week or two, and then you're down to nothing and need to shop again.

 

But to play along, I'll make some thumbprint cookies with my sugar, flour, butter, and shortening. :)

[momee]

"That sounds like a fun idea, but I've never quite understood it. I shop for exactly what I need each week. The only extra things I have are flour, rice, brown and white sugar and that's about it. "

 

Not being snarky but you're just smarter than I am, Garga.  I have a ton of stuff I don't use that is just taking up important space.  Should I be more specific?  Lemongrass paste, dried coconut, dal masala spice packs, TJs curry sauce, coconut WATER (wha???? who bought thaT?)

 

I think your way is very smart shopping.  I just don't have the energy to make the list in the first place.  I go shopping, buy what looks good and hope dinner happens magically.  (goes away shaking head in shame, lol)

 

I'm trying though, so that is worth something~ :) 

[momee]

I should add that I just thought this morning if I kept the fridge/pantry down to 3/4 days worth food I'd probably shop seasonally, have fresh food and save money.  That takes alot of shopping trips though and that means time, planning and not flying by the seat of my pants which with 7 in this house to schedule/drive/and care for I'm not sure I could keep up.

I'm thinking about it though...

[lewber]

"That sounds like a fun idea, but I've never quite understood it. I shop for exactly what I need each week. The only extra things I have are flour, rice, brown and white sugar and that's about it. "

 

Not being snarky but you're just smarter than I am, Garga.  I have a ton of stuff I don't use that is just taking up important space.  Should I be more specific?  Lemongrass paste, dried coconut, dal masala spice packs, TJs curry sauce, coconut WATER (wha???? who bought thaT?)

 

I think your way is very smart shopping.  I just don't have the energy to make the list in the first place.  I go shopping, buy what looks good and hope dinner happens magically.  (goes away shaking head in shame, lol)

 

I'm trying though, so that is worth something~ :) 

 

This is so me! I desperately need to cook from my pantry and freezer. I was just thinking when I was at the grocery yesterday that I seem to shop more than we eat! yesterday I went to get dinner items and fresh fruit and veggies, and then stocked up on canned tomatoes and beans because that is the only grocery that carries the brand I like, I could cook from my pantry and freezer for weeks I think. And besides the good stock up items I have things like you mentioned here. This is a great goal for me - but not tonight, we're going to my parents for dinner!  :hurray:

[Deb in NZ]

I'm trying to shop the pantry/freezer/fridge/garden first as we are getting ready to replace our kitchen.  Today I made a bean soup in the slow cooker, using up the last of my navy beans.  Tomorrow Tuna Mac is on the menu using tuna, mayo, peas, & pasta from the pantry.  

 

I'm getting through what's in the pantry & fridge, slowly emptying the shelves, but the deep freezer is a HUGE challenge for me for a number of reasons.  #1---our chest freezer is in the back corner of the garage & I need help to lift the garage door, so can't access what's in there with ease.  #2---DH keeps adding things to the chest freezer & this keeps many things I really should use up buried.  #3---most of what I remember is in the chest freezer is bits & bobs, nothing that adds up to much more than soups & dh isn't a soup fan.  When we get to the next stage of our renovations the chest freezer will be located in the laundry room, not the garage.  I plan to empty the freezer when we move it & give it a good clean.  I feel bad that I most likely will need to throw out a bunch of food, but that can't really be helped at this stage.  My goal is to start over & be a much better steward of our resources from then on.

[Rosie_0801]

I have a jar of heart of palm in my pantry waiting for me to search my recipe books. I have a horrible feeling the recipe I bought it for was in the Latin American cookbook I lost years ago. How do you lose a recipe book?

[Lady Florida.]

That sounds like a fun idea, but I've never quite understood it. I shop for exactly what I need each week. 

 

Other than that, I don't have any extras in my pantry. I have just what we need for that week. Once that week is up, the food is all gone and I shop again for the next week.

 

I've never understood the advice to "save money by eating what you already have." Ok. That works for a week or two, and then you're down to nothing and need to shop again.

 

 

 

If something is on sale, a really good sale rather than a few cents savings, I'll stock up on it. I especially do this with meat. Since we have a chest freezer, I can stock up on meat when the price is right. I then "cook from the pantry and freezer" while I wait for the next sale. 

 

Also, I don't like going grocery shopping weekly. I'd rather go to the dentist (which I have to do today to get a permanent crown) than do a weekly trip to the grocery store.

 

For those of us who do the above, it's important then to cook from the stuff you stocked up on rather than to go and buy more.

[SamanthaCarter]

My chest freezer is FULL and I am so pleased. Dh just commented the other day at how the grocery expense for this month is really down - that's because the freezer is full. :) I feel like a squirrel ready for winter. 

[cjzimmer1]

That sounds like a fun idea, but I've never quite understood it. I shop for exactly what I need each week. The only extra things I have are flour, rice, brown and white sugar and that's about it. I have a tub of shortening that takes a long time to be used up. Maybe I have some extra butter if there was a sale.

 

Other than that, I don't have any extras in my pantry. I have just what we need for that week. Once that week is up, the food is all gone and I shop again for the next week.

 

I've never understood the advice to "save money by eating what you already have." Ok. That works for a week or two, and then you're down to nothing and need to shop again.

 

But to play along, I'll make some thumbprint cookies with my sugar, flour, butter, and shortening. :)

 

Clearly you are more organized than I am because if I tried that we would starve.  I often don't know what we are eating till for supper until sometime after lunch.  SO much depends on what I'm in the mood for and how much time and energy I have to put into it.  There's no way I can predict a week in advance what I'll be able to turn out for dinner on a specific day.  I always have lots of food around because then I have a backup in case things don't go the way I planned.  Also like a PP I buy when I can get it dirt cheap and then stock up.  But I love getting up in the morning and say I fell like having "X" today and knowing I have all the ingredients for that in the house but if my day falls apart at 4:00 i can say I don't have the energy to make "X", we are having "Y" instead and I also will have all the ingredients for that on hand as well.

[prairiewindmomma]

I just emptied my pantry...to paint it. We are eating out of the pantry for the next week because the only things I want to put back are my baking supplies and small appliances....and the nutella. :)

[Garga]

Clearly you are more organized than I am because if I tried that we would starve.  I often don't know what we are eating till for supper until sometime after lunch.  SO much depends on what I'm in the mood for and how much time and energy I have to put into it.  There's no way I can predict a week in advance what I'll be able to turn out for dinner on a specific day.  I always have lots of food around because then I have a backup in case things don't go the way I planned.  Also like a PP I buy when I can get it dirt cheap and then stock up.  But I love getting up in the morning and say I fell like having "X" today and knowing I have all the ingredients for that in the house but if my day falls apart at 4:00 i can say I don't have the energy to make "X", we are having "Y" instead and I also will have all the ingredients for that on hand as well.

 

 

If something is on sale, a really good sale rather than a few cents savings, I'll stock up on it. I especially do this with meat. Since we have a chest freezer, I can stock up on meat when the price is right. I then "cook from the pantry and freezer" while I wait for the next sale. 

 

Also, I don't like going grocery shopping weekly. I'd rather go to the dentist (which I have to do today to get a permanent crown) than do a weekly trip to the grocery store.

 

For those of us who do the above, it's important then to cook from the stuff you stocked up on rather than to go and buy more.

 

Got it!

 

If I don't write down dinner ideas, I won't make dinner at all.  Food seems to be my DH's love language and the only (ONLY) reason I cook dinner is because he has a crappy job and food makes him happy.  If dh was happier at his job or if food wasn't important to him (like it's not to me), then I wouldn't do this whole dinner thing at all.  The only way to tackle a job that I detest is to break it down into bite sized pieces (great pun), and get it done on a schedule.  

 

If I liked food more, or he liked it less, I'd probably do it more your guys' way now that I think about it.  To me, dinner is just another chore that I am required to get done.  I would probably live off of tuna helper if I lived alone.  Easy, cheesy, done.

[Lady Florida.]

 

If I liked food more, ... To me, dinner is just another chore that I am required to get done.  I would probably live off of tuna helper if I lived alone.  Easy, cheesy, done.

 

 

Ooh, Garga! You need Soylent. Don't worry. It's not people.  :lol:

[Garga]

Ooh, Garga! You need Soylent. Don't worry. It's not people.  :lol:

 

 

I totally need this!  If only I could trust that it's healthy, I think I'd just pinch my nose and down it every meal and be DONE with the whole cooking/eating routine.

 

I think i'll ask for a bag of Soylent for Christmas this year.