RAIN IN THE SPENDING

There have been times when Old Mother Frugal had food in the cupboards but little money in the wallet for groceries. During these periods of reigning in the spending, one succumbs to the “pantry challenge”.

A “pantry challenge” is using whatever is in your cupboards and pantries to cleverly create and serve a meal to your family.

What better time than a rainy day to “reign” in the spending and take inventory of what is on hand in the pantry. Actually, it is during the rainy times that make for an opportune time to reorganize the pantry too.

This particular pantry challenge came about because the month had almost five full weeks and that particular fact went unnoticed until the last two weeks of the month. Spending as if there were only four weeks between grocery deposits of money into the bank account, quickly came the realization that there was going to have to be some concessions.

It may be time to use those 14.5 ounce cans of tomatoes in the cupboard instead of the more desired 28 ounce cans of tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce. Canned corn may have to substitute for ears of fresh corn on the cob; canned peaches and canned sliced apples in place of fresh. After all, one purpose of the stockpile is to use it during periods of the figuratively spoken of “rainy day”.

During a recent period of rainy days, two main objectives were accomplished.

First, menu planning from the cupboards and pantry; then reorganize the hall pantry.

The hall pantry was intended by the builder to be a coat closet. Old Mother Frugal had other plans for it. College dorm wire-rack cubes came home with one of the Little Mother’s Helpers and well, let’s just say they never returned to a college dorm room.

By the time the rainy days were over, there were cooked meals in the refrigerator and freezer where once there were only ingredients. And the coat closet? It looked every bit of an organized pantry that it was intended to be.

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: Find an ingredient and make it a theme. During this pantry challenge, ground beef was the ingredient and the theme was Italian and Mexican dinner meals. In about an hour, using many of the same ingredients and tweaking an occasional spice, a 6-serving tray of lasagna, stuffed shells for two adults and cheesy enchiladas were the main menu items for the week.

                                    STUFFED SHELLS AND LASAGNA

 

 

FILLING FOR CHEESY MEAT ENCHILADAS

 

 

                                                 THE HALL PANTRY