Dinner April 30th

 Dinner was in the crock pot, beef stew meat, three potatoes, two sweet potatoes, green beans, three carrots, one onion, and two cloves of garlic, with some beef stock, thyme and sage....

Grocery Updates May 2012

So, I went to this new store called food maxx, and found some incredible produce prices, if you can get over the smell of seafood that overwhelms the store.

I went today to CVS, bought two bottles of dawn dish soap (0.99 each), one jug laundry detergent (CVS brand 1.99), three gum packs (0.99 each), one package of jelly beans(0.12), and a bottle of water. Total spent a little over 3.73... (I had a two dollar CVS coupon, a 1.50 coupon for the gum, and a 1.00 coupon for the dish soap).

Martin's spent a total of 6.18, one two bags of tostidos chips and a free salsa...(BOGO for the chips, with free salsa, and a dollar off two bags of chips).
Food Lion spent 13.08 in two pieces of marked down beef (3.50 each), bottle of aleve (4.99), marked down sugar (1.97).
Walmart spent 12.55 for dry cat food, one four pack of yogurt (1.00 coupon), a bottle of coke zero (free coupon), 8 batteries (4.00), and a bird's eye dinner (had a 2.00 off coupon).

Total for May so far 35.38....total goal will be 300.00 dollars.

Produce for May 2012

Four potatoes
four onions
3 lb carrots
two bunches of garlic
three tomatoes
one lettuce plant
 4 lb oranges
one container of strawberries
four kiwi
two lbs sweet potatoes

Fridge Offerings for May 2012

18 count eggs
1 5 lb margarine
1 left over birthday cake
various open condiments

7 cheese slices
bottled water
chicken stock
pickles
grape jam
parmesean cheese
mayo
strawberry jam

Freezer offerings for May 2012

various bread ends
6 bags of steamed veggies
three bags of frozen peaches
1 5 lb margarine
two containers of beef stock
two hoagie rolls
5 lb hot dogs
two pork roasts
1 whole chicken
one beef piece (very thin, maybe for soup)

ground turkey 1 lb
1 lb italian turkey sausage
ice cream

two loaves of arnold bread
one package of beef stew
one package free viola chicken meal

Pantry offerings for MAY 2012

Since April is almost over, inventory is as listed:

4 boxes of cereal
1 32 oz old fashioned oats
2 18 pk of instant oatmeal
olive oi
veggie oil
box of pancake mix (half full)
two 18 oz pancake syrup
half bag of popcorn kernels
5 lb sugar
one box rice roni
one box pasta roni
one box of potatoes
one container 32 oz bread crumbs
one box of panko crumbs
2 packages of onion soup mix
one package of taco seasoning
1/2 pound of egg noodles
3 boxes of tea bags
one box of green tea
granola
cous cous
brown rice
one blackberry jam
powdered and brown sugar
10 packages of koolaide
two boxes of hot chocolate
one container of ketchup
32 oz can of green beans
two marinades
1 BBQ sauce 18 oz
one box raisins
i 18 oz peanut butter
1 container of baking powder
5 lb flour
1 can of cherry pie filling
one can fruit cocktail
one cream corn
one sloppy joe mix
one tomato soup
one can kidney beans
one can of tomatoes diced

Dinner April 28th, April 29th

April 28th consisted of frozen pizza bought at the store.
April 29th, consisted of pasta and sauce, with home grown lettuce and store bought tomatoes.

Grocery Challenge for April

So, using 250 a month is not enough to keep everything we eat in a normal month stocked. I've upped the amount to 300 to see for Mary how we do. I'm hoping for some improvement, my pantry is pretty bare bones, and I'm not feeling inspired to cook.

Freezer offerings

various bread ends
7 bags of steamed veggies
three bags of frozen peaches
1 5 lb margarine
two containers of beef stock
two hoagie rolls
5 lb hot dogs
two pork roasts
1 whole chicken
one beef piece (very thin, maybe for soup)
half container of meat sauce
ground turkey 1 lb
1 lb italian turkey sausage
ice cream
box of fish sticks
two loaves of arnold bread

Fridge Offerings

two packages 18 count eggs
1 5 lb margarine
1 left over birthday cake
various open condiments
3 lb onions
3 lb red onions
two garlic
four potatoes
7 cheese slices
bottled water
chicken stock
pickles
grape jam
parmesean cheese
mayo
strawberry jam

Pantry offerings

Since April is almost over, inventory is as listed:

4 boxes of cereal
1 32 oz old fashioned oats
2 18 pk of instant oatmeal
olive oi
veggie oil
box of pancake mix (half full)
two 18 oz pancake syrup
half bag of popcorn kernels
5 lb sugar
one box rice roni
one box pasta roni
one box of potatoes
one container 32 oz bread crumbs
one box of panko crumbs
 packages of onion soup mix
one package of taco seasoning
1/2 pound of egg noodles
3 boxes of tea bags
one box of green tea
two dole peach crisps
granola
cous cous
brown rice
one blackberry jam
powdered and brown sugar
10 packages of koolaide
three boxes of hot chocolate
one container of ketchup
32 oz can of green beans
two marinades
1 BBQ sauce 18 oz
one box raisins
i 18 oz peanut butter
1 container of baking powder
5 lb flour
1 can of cherry pie filling
one can fruit cocktail
one cream corn
one sloppy joe mix
one tomato soup
one can kidney beans
one can french onion soup
two cans of tomatoes diced

Dinner April 27th

Tonight will be omelets with cheese, canned pears, and "healthy nut" toast (Arnold's bread). The bread has been in the freezer for two months, and we have a few slices of American cheese that need to be used. The butter and cinnamon for the toast is very little in cost, and the pears are from the pantry.

April 26th dinner

Boneless pork chops (bought as a lion, but we cut them into chops), BBQ sauce (0.50 at Sharp Shopper), left over cous cous and brown rice, and a package of steamed veggies (0.99 at Sharp Shopper).

Wednesday April 25th

Birthday celebration at Olive Garden....not frugal in the least, but fun.

4 lb chicken

This small four pound chicken fed five of us, with little meat left over, but enough left on the frame to make chicken stock for the freezer!!!

Pantry and Recycling challenge update 4/24

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...
4/14 Five eggs, Five english muffins, and a pound of bacon...
4/16 Five small steaks, a empty package of cheddar rice, package of steamed veggies
4/17 frozen pizzas
4/18 three boneless chicken breast, two carrots (HUGE ONES), a small amount of steamed rice, one tea bag, two slices of oatmeal bread....
4/19 One roast, one bottle of marinade (finally done with this), bag of carrots, onion....
4/20 chicken bratworst, tater tots
4/21 left over roast, mixed veggies, and 6 potatoes (using recycled veggie oil for fries)...one loaf of oatmeal bread, minimal cinnamon sugar, butter...
4/22 lb bag of pasta was used up....one box of blueberry almond crisp was used, half a package of garden crackers (Aldi's find, 99 cents).
4/23 two eggs, 3 cups of old fashioned oats, one cup of brown sugar, some vanilla, flour, small amount of cinnamon
4/24 one four lb chicken, 1 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of cous cous, 1.5 lb bag of steamed mixed veggies, 1 can of cream corn

Dinner 4/24

4 lb whole chicken in the oven, cous cous or brown rice for the kids, steamed veggies...

Pantry and Recycling challenge update 4/23

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...
4/14 Five eggs, Five english muffins, and a pound of bacon...
4/16 Five small steaks, a empty package of cheddar rice, package of steamed veggies
4/17 frozen pizzas
4/18 three boneless chicken breast, two carrots (HUGE ONES), a small amount of steamed rice, one tea bag, two slices of oatmeal bread....
4/19 One roast, one bottle of marinade (finally done with this), bag of carrots, onion....
4/20 chicken bratworst, tater tots
4/21 left over roast, mixed veggies, and 6 potatoes (using recycled veggie oil for fries)...one loaf of oatmeal bread, minimal cinnamon sugar, butter...
4/22 lb bag of pasta was used up....one box of blueberry almond crisp was used, half a package of garden crackers (Aldi's find, 99 cents).
4/23 two eggs, 3 cups of old fashioned oats, one cup of brown sugar, some vanilla, flour, small amount of cinnamon

Snacks for the kids

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/soft-oatmeal-cookies/

Overall, very simple and easy to prepare.

Dinner 4/23

Dinner tonight will be omelets with (Sharp Shopper find, 3.49) the last of the deli ham ends that I bought a while back, with sliced cheese (will need to be used), and some toasted grain type of bread. Cheap, easy and satisfying, and does not require me to go to the store!!

Dinner 4/22

The children had homemade bean burritos, Gary and I had ham and cheese wraps with sweet pickles...there was left over cheese cake (Sharp Shopper find) for those who wanted it.

Pantry and Recycling challenge update 4/22

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...
4/14 Five eggs, Five english muffins, and a pound of bacon...
4/16 Five small steaks, a empty package of cheddar rice, package of steamed veggies
4/17 frozen pizzas
4/18 three boneless chicken breast, two carrots (HUGE ONES), a small amount of steamed rice, one tea bag, two slices of oatmeal bread....
4/19 One roast, one bottle of marinade (finally done with this), bag of carrots, onion....
4/20 chicken bratworst, tater tots
4/21 left over roast, mixed veggies, and 6 potatoes (using recycled veggie oil for fries)...one loaf of oatmeal bread, minimal cinnamon sugar, butter...
4/22 lb bag of pasta was used up....one box of blueberry almond crisp was used, half a package of garden crackers (Aldi's find, 99 cents).

April 22 lunch

Since I worked last night, Sarah made dinner (pasta clearance 49 cents a lb), pasta, parmigiana cheese and garlic bread sticks....the cheese was not a clearance item, and the garlic bread sticks were about 50 cents at Sharp Shopper.

4/21 lunch

The last of the cheddar ends, sliced and served with crackers, raisins, dried kiwi, the last banana sliced, and the last of the munster cheese sliced....went over well with the kids.

Indoor plants

Our indoor plants are doing well, in order to keep our plants and expand on what we have, (with financial considerations), we do snip and keep the plants at an acceptable growth rate. While snipping, we do keep our snipped pieces in water until the plants re root themselves, and then we use recycled pots and odds and ends to  start new indoor plants. To date, we begun with one cactus, and two vine (don't know names), and now we have three cactus plants, and three vines, and one bamboo plant. It's adds to the serenity and peaceful feeling at home.

Pet Supplies

Since we have two cats, and one dog, we need to keep up on the pet supplies and vet appointments.
our animals go to the vet twice a year, and receive all their well check ups, and vaccinations. For food and nutrition for the month of April, we have 1/4 bag (20lb bag) of dry dog food (kibbles and bits), along with a small bag (1 lb) of chicken and veggie weight maintenance food that we are trying. She gets fed twice a day, 3/4 cup each time...no snacks or treats in between.

The cats have (20 lb bag) of dry food (meow mix), and then we are supplementing with nine lives wet food (1/3 can each, twice a day). The oldest is starting to lose weight and has been to the vet twice since January for weight check ups. He is due back in June for a weight check up.

One younger cat is healthy, and no medical needs at the moment, except for ongoing love and demanding affection.

Pantry and Recycling challenge Updated 4/21

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...
4/14 Five eggs, Five english muffins, and a pound of bacon...
4/16 Five small steaks, a empty package of cheddar rice, package of steamed veggies
4/17 frozen pizzas
4/18 three boneless chicken breast, two carrots (HUGE ONES), a small amount of steamed rice, one tea bag, two slices of oatmeal bread....
4/19 One roast, one bottle of marinade (finally done with this), bag of carrots, onion....
4/20 chicken bratworst, tater tots
4/21 left over roast, mixed veggies, and 6 potatoes (using recycled veggie oil for fries)...one loaf of oatmeal bread, minimal cinnamon sugar, butter...

Dinner 4/21

Left over roast, carrots, and mixed veggies from Wednesday (made in the crock pot), took some potatoes and veggie oil that is used for this purpose (6) out that are going bad, will make homemade french fries to go with the left overs...easy and crowd pleasing!

Breakfast 4/21

Finished off another loaf of oatmeal bread, toasted with cinnamon sugar for the kids, and a few eggs...

Dinner 4/20

Chicken brat-worse, tater tots, and steamed veggies...

Budgeting

Working on our budget for May, it seems that we have been able to consistently put 200 dollars a month on the mortgage principle, in addition to out regular payment. I'm hoping to continue this practice, as it will eventually lower our interest that has to paid over the years, and take a few years off our loan.

I have nine months left on my vehicle payments, I'm hoping to put that money in my savings account as of February 2013...what a nice feeling!

Dinner 4/19

Chuck roast bought marked down at $6.06 for 3.5 lbs of meat, bag of baby carrots (0.49 at Aldi), one onion, two cloves of garlic, half a container of marinade (0.99 Aldi, this will finish the bottle), and egg noodles (made separately) for dinner tonight!

Pantry and Recycling Challenge Updated 4/19

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...
4/14 Five eggs, Five english muffins, and a pound of bacon...
4/16 Five small steaks, a empty package of cheddar rice, package of steamed veggies
4/17 frozen pizzas
4/18 three boneless chicken breast, two carrots (HUGE ONES), a small amount of steamed rice, one tea bag, two slices of oatmeal bread....
4/19 One roast, one bottle of marinade (finally done with this), bag of carrots, onion....

Dinner 4/18

I have three chicken breast in the crock pot, along with two carrots (diced small), some garlic and herb marinade, and will make steamed rice and mixed veggies for dinner tonight.

Updates on Grocery and Pantry challenge

Since I worked 7 out of 8 nights, 12 hour shifts, I did not do much cooking. I got home yesterday morning, and had to go to the store, there was no milk, eggs, bread, tea, or much of our daily items. So, I went to Sharp Shopper and spent 98 dollars on grocery items.  Over my budget of 250 dollars, and spent a total for the month of 300 dollars....oh well.

April 16th

Gary is making steak (sliced thin bought marked down to 2 dollars for three small pieces), cheddar rice (from Aldi), and steamed veggies...overall, much better than yesterday's take out and better for my wallet.

April 15th

I was too tired from working all weekend, and off the frugal train...we ordered two pizza's for dinner.

Recycling and Challenge Daily for the month April Updated 4/14

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...
4/14 Five eggs, Five english muffins, and a pound of bacon...

April 14th

Dinner tonight will be scrambled eggs, strips of bacon, and english muffins...

Dinner 4/13

My daughter's birthday (17), we went out to San Sui for Japanese food....not frugal but very very fun.

Laundry

Since I'm currently working on our budget, I proceed to use our washing machine almost daily. Since we are a family of five, laundry tends to build up. I have a drying rack in my hall next to the facilities, and also hang laundry outside when the weather cooperates. This tends to help with my electric bill and helps our clothing last longer!

Recycling and Challenge Daily April 12th

Recycling and Challenge Daily for the month April


Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:


Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.


4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...
4/11 We had left over bean soup...there was a small amount left, frozen for next month.
4/12 five pork chops, end of a bag of long grain rice (a cup's worth), english muffin, hard boiled egg, one bag of frozen veggies, a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup of marinade...

Dinner 4/12

Pork loin cut into chops (provided two meals for us, and a small roast), with marinate (from Aldi's 0.99) and a cream of mushroom soup base (0.99 at Sharp Shopper) in the crock pot. We will be finishing some lingering long grain rice that was in the pantry (less than a cup's worth), and filling in with various frozen veggies.

Breakfast 4/12

The kids get their breakfast and lunch at school, it's not frugal and cost prohibited, but they enjoy having this provided for them. From past experiences, I've found that they were throwing their home lunch in the trash or trading...so school breakfast and lunch it is.

Breakfast consisted of an hard boiled egg from Easter, and an english muffin...and a cup of tea with skim milk.

Dinner 4/11

We had left over bean soup that was made on Monday...Kevin also had two bowls of oatmeal and a sandwich...

Recycling and Challenge

Recycling and Challenge Daily for the month April

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...
4/10 The rest of the Easter Ham, three tea bags, one slice banana bread, 3 lbs of chicken nuggets, one box rice roni...

We continue to use our pantry, freezer and fridge to optimize our grocery budget, hoping to have to discard little, and I don't make menu plans. I tend to break those repeatedly. I base our meals on what needs to be used, and plan accordingly.

Dinner 4/10

The husband finished up the sliced ham for breakfast, so did the kids before they went to school. Tonight we will be having breaded chicken nuggets (Sharp Shopper 5.99 for three pounds), and Rice Roni (0.50 at Sharp Shopper. We cleaned out most of the veggies in the freezer from two months ago, tonight we are not having any veggies. I am also going to work in a few hours.

April 9th

Bean soup is awesome on a chilly evening....Will have some for tomorrow, and then will have the rest for a "frozen asset" night.

Recycling and Challenge April 9th

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)
4/9 left over spag sauce (about 1 cup worth), sliced peppers (rest are froze for future use), small amount of deli cheese, one 8 oz package of pepperoni, five english muffins...

We continue to use our pantry, freezer and fridge to optimize our grocery budget, hoping to have to discard little, and I don't make menu plans. I tend to break those repeatedly. I base our meals on what needs to be used, and plan accordingly.

Lunch April 9th

English muffin pizza's with shredded cheddar, mozzarella and parmigiana cheese, sliced red and yellow peppers, onion, pepperoni, and left over spag sauce!! We used five muffins, made ten pizzas!

Recycling and Challenge as of April 9th

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)

We continue to use our pantry, freezer and fridge to optimize our grocery budget, hoping to have to discard little, and I don't make menu plans. I tend to break those repeatedly. I base our meals on what needs to be used, and plan accordingly.

April 9th dinner

Navy and pinto bean soup with ham (bones from Easter), with two large diced carrots in the crock pot....

Recycling and Challenge

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:


Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

4/8 one pineapple, five bananas, limited flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg.
4/9 four 18 oz cans of pinto beans, two 32 oz cans of navy beans, two large carrots, one ham bone (from Easter)

April 9th Breakfast

Using the last of our five bananas that were going very ripe..

.http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/banana_bread

Banana Bread
simplyrecipes.com
Moist and delicious classic banana bread recipe. Easy to make, no need for a mixer. Ripe bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and flour.

Recycling and Challenges

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:
Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)..three bags of frozen veggies (bags get recycled), six potatoes, half a loaf of oatmeal bread.

Easter...

So, we used three bags of frozen veggies (corn, snow peas, zuchinni and squash), six potatoes, a little garlic and parmigiana cheese for the potatoes, and Gary is now slicing what is left of the ham....

Easter Dinner

The 8 lb ham (0.99 lb Martins) is in the oven with sliced pineapple (bought whole from Aldi 1.49), some brown sugar, honey and a little butter for glaze...(pennies there for the butter, brown sugar, and honey).

Easter Breakfast

Like I posted yesterday, we had french toast made with Arnold's oatmeal bread, three eggs and 1/2 cup of milk....a little pancake syrup rounded it out. 10 slices total, two for each of us. The rest of the bread is in the freezer for another time.

Easter April 8th

We are planning on making french toast in the morning, with this oatmeal bread I have found hanging around in the freezer. Early dinner will be baked ham, boiled potatoes, steamed and buttered corn, buttered snow peas, and Easter baskets for dessert!

We colored eggs, and will plan on decorating cookies in the morning, after our egg hunt.

Today April 7th

Had a good time with breakfast, we finished the breakfast bread toasted with peanut butter...lunch was gifted to us, Easter money in the mail, we celebrated by going out for dinner...Saw a movie this evening at the two dollar movie, and shared dinner at this nice Italian place, 28 dollars for the three of us.

Update on April Challenge:

Update on April Challenge:
spent 6.64 on a marked down beef chuck roast at Food Lion this week.
Aldi 80.03
Sharp Shopper 86.00
Martin's 43.00

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:
Finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...one bag of frozen spinach and corn (bags in recycling)... one can of delmonte spag sauce, one lb bag of tri colored pasta (bag to be recycled)...These things have been hanging around, and needed to go.

I will continue to update as we go through this weekend and hope to continue.

Errands

Errands today consisted of buying a new pair of sneakers for Kevin, taking Mary and Kevin to get their glasses adjusted (free at pearl vision), Staples to get my paper bound for the university, and sent to the post office. Paid 18.95 for piece of mind for overnight express shipping, and then to Walmart. I found this cute little egg cookie decorating kit for the kids....

Today's plan

Breakfast: Thomas Breakfast Bread with margarine (toasted), was a hit, kids loved it.

Lunch: going to be a diverse plan of odds and ends...I know it will consist of last night's potato salad...will post more later.

Dinner: tri colored pasta (0.79 last month at Sharp Shopper), spag sauce (0.99 last month at Sharp Shopper), and a package of five turkey "Italian sausage" ( 1.15 bought marked down last night at Aldi). We will finish some lettuce and tomato salad from last night too.

April Adventures

We went yesterday to do our grocery shopping, as I get paid every two weeks. We have a limit of 250 dollars, and spent a total of 200 yesterday, leaving us with 44.00  for the month for milk, bread, eggs...We have a family of five, (hubby, myself, and three teens).

We bought a marked down roast the other night for 6 dollars and change.


We went to the bread store: bought an 24 pack of English muffins 2.50, and some Thomas english breakfast bread 0.50  for a total of 3.08. (the bread is out for those who wish to have toast, the muffins are put in the freezer for another time.

Aldi: two dozen eggs, one 32 oz grape jelly, two can's of pinto beans, one 18 ox strawberry preserves, one creamy peanut butter, box of tea bags, one cream of chicken soup, a box of raisins, lb of green grapes, two multi colored peppers, a pineapple, two packages of marked down Italian sausage, a small bag of pads, lb of baby carrots, lb of wide egg noodles, 3 lb bananas, liquid laundry soap, 3 lb granny smith apples, lemon straws (treat for me!!), pancake syrup, premium salsa one container, one thousand island salad dressing, one 32 oz dish soap, one bag of chips, one box of pita chips, two gallons of skim milk, one 80 count trash bags, container of peanuts, 45 oz veggie oil, margarine container 3 lb, cracker assortment, one bottle dandruff shampoo, 5 lb granulated sugar, 1 container of sweet pickles, scoop cat litter....total 80.03.

Sharp Shopper: We bought two packages of bottled water, four bags of healthy colors frozen veggies,
8 lb of chicken nuggets, 3 packages of gummies, ten rolls of scott toilet paper, dried strawberries, long grain brown rice, Laundry soap,  6 individual yogurts, one package of fiber one yogurt, deli cheese ends, 24 pk of 100 calorie cookies, two packages of bread sticks, one container of shampoo, two boxes of mark down cereal, purple onions, two boxes of hot chocolate, individual Kraft cheese slices, popcorn, blueberry almond cereal, two packages of pepperoni, cinnamon swirl bread....spent a total of 86.88

Martins: Intended to get just a ham for Easter...but to find out you had to buy 25 dollars worth to get the sale price... Red rose tea, 4 12 packs of soda(waste of money), egg dye kit, the 8 lb ham, reduced whole chicken, two reduced small pieces of beef, and 3 lb of hot dogs....total 42.54.

Overall, we should not need anything else for the month...just milk and eggs....maybe bread.

April grocery challenge

Spent 200 dollars on groceries, have 50 left for the month for eggs, milk and produce...we did an awesome job today!


I will post everything we eat for the month....daily I hope...

Dinner 4/5

Dinner: chicken (left over) and gravy, corn, spinach, potato salad (made at home), and lettuce with tomato and a bit of cheese (various dressings)....taste awesome!

Dinner 4/5

Making potato salad, with a little mayo, some eggs, spices, mustard....having left over chicken from Monday mixed with cream of something soup....maybe a lettuce and tomato salad....

Paid the bills, sent out the mortgage with a 200 dollars principle payment! So far, April is looking awesome!

Dinner 4/4

Since the past few weeks have been busy and chaotic, tonight, we had pork chops, BBQ sauce, frozen corn, canned asparagus, and apple cobbler (using two cans of apple pie filling, and covering it with granola).

Update on April Challenge:
spent 6.64 on a marked down beef chuck roast at Food Lion this week.

Clearing out the pantry, fridge, and freezer:
Tonight, finished a container of BBQ sauce, a can of asparagus, and two cans of apple pie filling, and a small plastic bag of granola...
My recycling is happy!!

April Challenge

Is anyone up for the April challenge to live off of your stockpile OR at least spend as little out of pocket as you can?