Pantry Challenge Update

Hi, I’m Lisa and I think I’m addicted to grocery shopping.

A month ago I devised the Pantry Challenge in order to save time and money and eat through our out of control pantry. The last month was a success! The biggest difference can be seen in the freezer. We actually have room in there now!

We’ve also successfully eaten down much of the pantry in terms of boxed food and excessive cans of beans, olives and soups. The only thing I haven’t been successful at is using up the cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup and the like. I use it mostly in casseroles and I haven’t done that yet.

I have been really good about not going grocery shopping to stock up on stuff I don’t need yet. I’ve mainly bought items for specific recipes, fruits, veggies and dairy products.

Well over the weekend I went shopping and bought some stuff. Probably things I really didn’t need. As you can see, I went to Trader Joe’s:

I also needed some breakfast stuff so I bought things at Fred Meyer too. Waffles!

So the dent that we’d made in the pantry is no longer visible. It’s not the end of the world, of course, but I probably should have restrained myself when I went to the store (because the truth is, I went for 5 items and came home with 15).

I’ve always loved grocery shopping. Most people loathe it. But I find it fun. I love exploring the store, seeing new products, trying new things. I especially love getting good deals!

Sticking to a budget when it comes to grocery shopping is hard for me. I’m totally an impulse shopper. I have a list but I will get distracted and think “I don’t NEED sweet potatoes but they kind of sound good right now…”

The other reason this happens is because I don’t Meal Plan. After reading Mary’s post on how she plans her weekly meals, I’m pretty impressed.

Tips for Staying on a Budget

1. Meal Plan for the week.

2. Use cash at the grocery store. This is such a good idea and I am so much tighter with my money if I have a set amount of cash I can spend.

3. Buy sale items. I *always* buy stuff when it’s on sale. I almost never pay full price for an item. If it’s not on sale, I don’t need it.

4. Definitely don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry (or craving something specific). Did I need a box of waffle mix? Nope. Was I craving waffles? Yep. So I bought the box.

5. Shop for basics at Costco. There’s really only 5 things we need at Costco. Eggs, Cat food, Kitty Litter, Frozen Salmon, and canned goods like olives or beans. Everything else is an impulse buy.

6. Shop at Farmer’s Markets when possible. The produce is usually cheaper.

7. Make a double batch of something and freeze it for another time.

8. Buy store brands. Most are just as good as the name brand (and way cheaper).

9. Don’t buy bottle water. It’s expensive, wasteful and bad for the environment.

10. Go to a Cash n’ Carry. There’s one here in Portland and it’s basically a cheaper version of Costco. You don’t need a membership and I think it’s geared towards restaurant supplies. But the food and condiments come in huge portions and are really cheap.

QUESTION: Do you meal plan? Are you addicted to grocery shopping like me?