Food Over flowing cupboard / freezer, using up the 'stock pile'

twinkle.tink

twinkle.tink

Choose to be happy
O.G.
Sep 19, 2006
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#1
A couple of weeks ago after shopping and trying to put away the food...I became ashamed of the overflow.

It's one thing to be 'prepared and another to be wasteful, kwim?

When did this happen to me?? Realizing we had become wasteful and spending way too much on groceries, I am deterined to use up alot of the 'overages' and get my pantry and freezer in better shape.

I think we generally spend about 800 -1000 a month on groceries :shame: I know absolutley crazy! My goal this month is to cut it half.

Anyone else there do this? Anyone have tips for reducing the overflow?
 
#2
^
Prepare to shop for certain meals instead of buying a little of "this and that" just in case. =) Make a menu of the week and do ALL the shopping on one day for the entire week. Don't uy more of one thing untill it's gone from the fridge.

I don't think you spend a lot on gorceries for a family of your size (or maybe the prices are lower over there), as I know how much we spend on groceries a month for a smaller family here. lol No matter what it's a shame to be wasteful!
 
#3
For me, keeping my fridge, freezer and pantry organized helps me avoid overload or possible accidental duplicate purchases. I have certain places for each type of food item in the fridge and have those elevated flexible shelves to keep items from being invisible in the back of pantry shelves. I also alphabetize my spices, hehehe.

Also, having a meal plan for the week as liberte posted can keep things more focused.
 
#4
Well, I went through the bank statements and I realized we were spending more like 1200 - 1400, a month on food. The money isn't really the issue, it is more a feeling of gluttony, like so much in our lives, we as a family are too wasteful...and that is not something I want to teach my children.

So, after one week we are doing better.

One thing I did while I was working was only cook 3 days a week. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday...the other days were left-over days...when I stopped working that felt lazy, but I realize that really helped us use up food and made me plan more, so I have started that again.

Last week I only made 2 grocery store trips for $102 and $17. Instead of 3 or 4 trips. I went today and only spent $75 and should only need milk later in the week. I am not patting myself too hard on the back here, because of the stock pile in the pantry and freezer, I didn't have to buy anything but dairy products, bread, meat, veggies, tp and stuff like that....no side dishes, soups, etc.

My goal is to use up quite a bit overflow this month, and keep the 'food bill' to under $500...then level out about $800.

Sorry for the ramble.
 
#7
Twink,

Don't feel bad, I think that we all do it. I am in the middle of using everything in the pantry before fall/winter comes, so I have actually been spending much less at the grocery store lately. On a funny note, I found a can of pineapple that expired in 2003 at the very back of my pantry last week:wtf:
 
#8
I am so bad for this!!
I told dh last week that I wasn't going shopping again till the cuboards were bare. I don't care if you have to eat weird combo's of food like fish sticks and egg rolls till everything is empty!
 
#9
We've gotten our grocery habits to two or less little trips each week. This is to have fresh fruits and veggies, and dairy.

We bought a share of beef which will last us into 2008. We also have a bakery share; fresh baked goods each week, and a seafood "hook-up" and stocked up on crab and canned tuna. Hubbie is currently making wine, and we can (preserve) in small batches this time of year.

I'm going to make soup at least once a week now that it is getting chilly and we make more than we can eat at one meal for leftovers for 2-3 days.

Even though it sounds like we've got it under control, I suck at meal planning, and most nights go "What do we eat?" HA 'cause I want to go out for sushi! :rolleyes:
 
#10
ragamuffin said:
I am so bad for this!!
I told dh last week that I wasn't going shopping again till the cuboards were bare. I don't care if you have to eat weird combo's of food like fish sticks and egg rolls till everything is empty!
Click to expand...

Yeah! A pantry clean out buddy!

I am still buying meat and veggies to mix in, but I am doing well.

I cleaned out the pantry....kinda...on Sept. 1, but there was still so much in there hard to completly organize....but today I finished!

I am so proud, now I have enough room for everything, plus the bread maker came off the counter and into the pantry. Some fun tv tray dishes I had bought and were still in bag have a home now in the pantry and the cat food that was in the corner is now in the pantry too! Wahoo! How silly, I know but I am excited!
 
#11
glittRgirl said:
We've gotten our grocery habits to two or less little trips each week. This is to have fresh fruits and veggies, and dairy.

We bought a share of beef which will last us into 2008. We also have a bakery share; fresh baked goods each week, and a seafood "hook-up" and stocked up on crab and canned tuna. Hubbie is currently making wine, and we can (preserve) in small batches this time of year.

I'm going to make soup at least once a week now that it is getting chilly and we make more than we can eat at one meal for leftovers for 2-3 days.

Even though it sounds like we've got it under control, I suck at meal planning, and most nights go "What do we eat?" HA 'cause I want to go out for sushi! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

The meal planning is what I wasn't doing either, that's why the overflow...but now I am planning meals and sticking to the cooking only on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday and left overs and the other days...that really is helping alot!!
 
#13
every sarurday night or so we get out all of the almost empty packets from the freezer and have a mini buffet with a bottle of wine and a dvd.
my mother is recycle crazy so nothing gets wasted in our house.
if we have a roast chicken one night the next day will be something with the leftover (salad or curry) and then we make a stock and put it in the freezer for soup or a stew the next week.
as for planning, we plan a week ahead but we either grow our own veg or get deliveries from a local organic farmer, we get a huge box of seasonal fruit and veg for £15. so its just meat and basics we get from the supermarket.

kind of sad i know but i love the satisfation of eating jam or pickle i have made myself.
 
#14
glittRgirl said:
Do you meal plan a week or two ahead? Tell me more...
Click to expand...

What I have been doing is Sat or Sunday going to the supermarket and I start in the meat section and see what's on sale....and decide from there what I will cook for that week. Since my pantry is still so full, I don't need to buy any staples right now.

So far for the month of September so I far I have spent just over $200 at the grocery store, and that includes TP, paper towels, shampoo, dish and laundry soap, even a couple of 6 packs of beer for DH and a bottle of vodka (for birthday lemon drops ;) ). I don't know how that is for the rest of the country, but for here in CA that is really cheap.

My Goal for this month was $500, that is not going to be a problem at all, it will probably be actually under $400. Since I cleaned out the pantry, I know I can do at least one more month around $400....after some of the stock is depleted, I know it will go back up, but if I can keep it between $600 - $700 a month I will be really happy, that be about half of what we were spending.
 
#15
I haven't cracked yet. As much as I hate going food shopping I think it has become a habit! Every payday off to the store.Now I have only bought milk and fruit/veggies. I don't need meat as we butcher our own and I have two deep frezzers full still-better start using it up kill time is in November. Still can't see to the back of the pantry yet, and everytime I pull a drawer out something tumbles down. It's embarassing :shame::shame:
 
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