No Grocery Shopping Challenge

[boefixepa]

Alright folks, I'm starting on Aug 14, and going to hopefully Nov. 14....

I spent only about $100 "getting ready" and honestly, most of it was just nerves...I'm pretty sure I will not use another 50 lbs of wheat between now and then, but I 'had' to buy it while I still could.

Something new I did that I've never done before was freeze eggs. I blended up two dozen eggs and then froze them in ice cub trays. So now I have them too...

As far as my 'rules' here they are, they are basic.

1. I can not but anything to cook with....for three months.
2. I must prepare all my food except for that I will still have my budget for going out to eat as I know that I work will not allow me to eat in the office all the time, but I will keep it to the minimum and let you know when I do it.

In my nervousness I cooked and froze three batches of breadsticks, a Cheesburger pie, and mini meatloves this weekend.... I have enough food for the week...no problem!! I also made a giant CC cookie with a cream cheese whipped toping and stawberries and madrian orages on top for the guys at work! The kitchen is a disaster!!

And so the challenge starts!
Do you guys really want me to list what I cook?

[Kris10Leigh]

I'll be watching! Personally, I'd like to see what fruits and veggies you eat, because that is where I think I couldn't do it. Meats, starches and some dairy I could see doing. I tried freezing milk before and it was awful! But I could see using dry milk.

I'm pulling for you! I want to see if it can be done!

[DayByDay]

Wow. Good luck to you. I was just wondering if I could handle a one week challenge! I'm interested in following your progress.

[Dido]

Good luck! My comments echo Kristen's--I rely so much on fresh fruits & veggies (and dairy) that I'll be interested to see how you handle getting the Fs & Vs in.

[amberfocus]

I, too, would be interested in what you cook. Especially since we seem to have such polar opposite habits.

Do be careful nutrition-wise! That would be my #1 concern. Do you take a multi-vitamin? Maybe you can sign up for fitday.com or a similar site to track your intake. I personally would never sacrifice health for frugalness, but if you can do it, all the more power to ya!

best,
~mimi

[boefixepa]

Okay,

Last night I picked the ready produce in my garden, pell peppers and tomatoes, my grandma and grandpa came buy and gave me tomatoes and these tiny cucumbers that are surplus from their garden. They also asked me if I would like some corn, so I am sure I will be getting that when its ready. I cut chopped and froze the pepper I could not use to save them.

Breakfast was a strawberry smoothie (falt of strawberries cut and frozen when they were on sell,) with soy milk

Lunch was a mini meat loaf and bread sticks -- All home made..

I had a fried rice, veggies with beans concoction for dinner last night...

and yes I do take a multi-vitamin and I would not do this if it would risk my health...being healthy is part of the challenge too.

[vsjhoc]

Totally impressive! Keep us posted!

[Kris10Leigh]

Oh, how I wish I could garden! LOL! It's on my list of things to figure out every spring. Guess what's on my list for this spring! Goodness. Do you start from seed or from seedlings?

What are you going to do about veggies once October hits? Do you have Fall veggies planted as well?

[boefixepa]

I have a smallish container garden (15-20 2 gallon containers) I will milk for as long as possible. Herbs get brought in for winter. Once it's gone is frozen and canned fruit/veggies. Honestly, I probably don't eat as many as I should, but it really hard for me to keep them from going bad. I even freeze bananas because they go bad too quick. So if it isn't canned or doesn't freeze it's generally speratic in my diet anyway. I have dreams of a much larger garden, but with the dogs I'd have to dig up my front yard to do more than I have.....not willing to do that...yet..

[amberfocus]

Ah, gardening. So *that's* your secret. Well done, well done. It all makes a lot more sense now.

~mimi

[boefixepa]

Aug. 15th food

Breakfast - Stawberry Shake
Lunch - Soup and salad (salsa as dressing) @ Chili's for work
Dinner - Spoiled it by eating some breadsticks when I got home...so I made a Cocoa Ripple ring bunt cake and had a slice before I went to bed....I know not nutrious at all.

[boefixepa]

One week, so far so good...the only thing I cooked this weekend was brownies...I was lazy and ate from the freezer...Mini meat loafs, hambruger pie thingy, bread sticks. A work friend gave me some huge cucumbers from his garden. I chopped those, managed to cut my finger in the process...grrr...so I had cucumbers this weekend too...

[boefixepa]

Okay, Still forging ahead...

Problem # 1 - I FINALLY pulled that 4 lb tub of shortening from the far reaches of my pantry only to discover it's...more clear than white!!! Oh no!! Is it still good? It smells normal. I ask around at church and find someone who's had this problem before...pphheewww.. Yes it's still good, just not has 'hydrogenized' as it use to be. But if there's any left when the challenge is done (and please tell me I don't use that much shortening!) it's getting chucked and I am getting some more!

This weekend was cooking weekend and I cook up and froze the following..

A cornbread/taco meat bunt cake thingy - new recipie - good results
Another patch of bread sticks - cookie sheet size
Blueberry pancakes & waffles
Asiago (Parmessan) chess bread with rosemary - new recipie very yummy!
Golden Corral Rolls - Still have not perfect this recipie grrr - I always add too much flour and the rolls are never light enough!!
Spegetti meat sauce full of veggies - yummy
Red sauce (kinda of a enchildad sauce thing passed down in my family..great for any mexican concotion! or just dipping torillas in!)
Whole weat tortillas
Fruit jello cool whip that worked really well - Lots of frozen berries and such- great low cal fruit side.

So I have enough food for at least a week if not two...I'm good!

[Kris10Leigh]

You're doing great! I'm becoming more and more interested in this whole gardening thing. I'm starting research and am planning to start preparing a patch this fall for planting in the Spring. Last night I read that Fall is actually a good time to plan garlic and spinach.

My goal is that at this time next year I can have a stockpile from coupon shopping and a few veggies and fruits in the garden so that I can take on a challenge like this.

[flash]

Congrats! I'll be curious to see how you feel at the end of two months...I was surprised with my challenge, at the end I wasn't rushing out to the store, and I really didn't want to shop. Have you had withdrawal pains, or feel freedom from the grind?

[boefixepa]

Still going great.

I haven't had withdrawl pains, at least not bad ones. Those I felt and got through during the two week no spend challenge we did a while back. Now it's kinda fun knowing I cacn avoid the store. It's just not a part of my life like it was before, so it's more like acquiring a new habit.

There was this one time I was looking through a cook book and it had some great recipies, but it was such a fancu cookbook that almost all the recipies would require a trip to the store for something....aka Leeks! or Carrot greens? so I'll skip that cookbook for ideas.

I've made sure to tell the people at work, church and neighbors, so that I can be held accountable and I get some odd questions. I get lots of people saying I should try that...we'll see.

I hope I'm not rushing to the store when it's over, though I am sure I will have a few things to pick up. As a finishing note...I threw out the last of my fresh produce in my fridge...it was moldly and gross...just some lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. So it comes from the garden or the freezer now. Unless more garden surplus gets donated to me from others.

[LuxLiving]

Boefixepa - Can you post some of your meals? related costs? recipes?

Glad you are going great guns!

[boefixepa]

Okay, back from the weekend and all is good.

I'll try Lux, but I can't tell you how much it costs me to make something as I use the pantry method. I just keep a well stocked pantry and only buy (well not right now) when something from the pantry is getting low or a great value comes along.

As far as what I've had of late...um still eating from the last cooking weekend mentioned above, but I also tried a new recipie

Taco Style Lentils and Rice http://hillbillyhousewife.com/tacolentilsrice.htm

I had it with home made flour torillas
4 cups flour
1 to 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening

Mix dry ingredients and then cut in shortening

Hot water from tap

Add hot water until a soft dough forms and it's almost sticky - about 1 1/2 cups I think...

Pull off balls and roll out on floured surface and cook on hot griddle.

So far so good as far as not buying anything...is there any recipie you would like?

[kashi]

Just want you to know I am watching this thread and find it fascinating! You are a rockstar!

[Thrifty Ray]

Wow- I just stumbled onto this thread and am amazed...I am eagerly watching your progress!! You're doing great!