Pantry Challenge Dinner

Pantry Challenge. I've been doing them for YEARS...

Actually, I used to subscribe to a Yahoo Group by that name, where people supported each other through their pantry challenge weeks - the support was great, even if the suggestions didn't always work for a kosher home! I loved the creativity and the resourcefulness of that group!

What's a pantry challenge all about anyway? It's about not shopping. Instead, you focus on using up whatever is already in your house - the purpose being to reduce spending and use up food that typically sits in the pantry or freezer and doesn't get used, becoming a waste of money AND space.

I do them at different times for different reasons.

Most of my pantry challenges have been inspired by the need to clear out the pantry. Whether pre-move or pre-Pesach, or pre-big event - there are times when you just must use up what you already have!

Then there are the times when I've had to do a pantry challenge due to lack of funds to buy more food, and those tend to be rather... interesting, as those are really designed just to "get by" until there's more cash available, and they don't always coincide with times when the fridge or freezer is full! That's when you figure out how to make the most creative meals, in my experience - when you somehow have to make a meal out of whatever odds and ends you have!

Here's the anatomy of a typical pantry challenge meal in my house - at least at the beginning, when we're still relatively well stocked.

Grains ~ Frozen Veggies ~ Beans or Lentils ~ Cheap fresh veggies ~ 

So this time here's what it looks like:

Homemade bread (this time it came out of the freezer, but it was made of whole spelt and rye flour (the whole rye flour was really cheap at Rami Levy one day, I think it was under 5 shekels/kg - so I stocked up)



Rice - this was long brown rice, bought in bulk from a dry goods store - I think it was 7 shekels/kg, and this was about 1/2 a kilo of rice...

 

Veggies - I picked up red peppers at the makolet from the sug bet rack today, so they cost 2 shekels/kilo - I used about half a kilo for this dinner. I simply cut them, tossed with olive oil, and roasted them!

Green beans - these were picked up on sale for 5 shekels a bag (a deal I couldn't pass up - even though we don't eat tons of frozen green beans!), tossed with garlic, black pepper, smoked paprika, and a smidge of olive oil.




Chick-pea Fritters - these were made of chick pea flour, ground flaxseed, and a whole bunch of spices, like salt, pepper, parsley flakes, granulated garlic, and cumin. Pan-fried and a big hit.

I had some spicy sauces around, and some of us mixed up bowls of rice with veggies and spicy sauce. Others prefer to eat everything separately.

I've spent the last decade trying to figure out ways to make meals acceptable to all of my family members - even though there are hardly even 2 things they will all agree to eat at the same time! That's why the majority of our meals are made of of individually cooked foods that can be combined in different ways, including this one. No one has to feel that they weren't thought of, and I don't have to spend all day catering individual meals! It's a recipe for success - even when we're doing a pantry challenge!

Anyone else out there doing a pantry challenge this week? Let me know what you're serving!

Alternatives to Take Out/Prepared foods

So many of us are living the crazy life. We run from one thing to the next - the list of things to do, between work and family obligations is ever so long - it feels like it's never ending!

And that leads all of us to the well known and dreaded "supper problem".

It happens daily - we need to eat and our kids need to eat, and supper is usually crunch time. It makes sense that we don't always have our act together and we end up scrambling for food - and that's when we buy take-out.

I get it. It makes sense. But I'm going to help you find your way out of this, because if you're reading this blog, chances are, you would like to find a way to spend less money (especially on food).

(You can still do take-out if your budget allows - just plan for it to be X # of times per month - I suggest 1-2 at most so that it feels like what it is - a luxurious splurge, and you'll appreciate it!)

Here are some of our very quick ways of dealing with supper when we're in over our heads.

My number one choice would be to take a few minutes to throw a one pot meal into the slow cooker in the morning. This can be all anything at all - black bean and tomato soup, mushroom barley soup, vegetable and chick pea stew... if you prefer meat, make that - almost anything at all made in the crock pot will be less expensive than a takeout meal.

My second option is sandwiches (you can use a sandwich maker to make hot, crispy, melty sandwiches!) and fresh or steamed veggies for supper. These don't take long to prepare. It may not feel like supper to you - sandwiches are often lunch food - but really, the point is to fill hungry tummies, not to be a gourmand.

Other quick meals that will save you from getting take out could include scrambled eggs - eggs are relatively inexpensive and cook up fast. Get the whole family involved making salads and you're good to go.

I like to keep some ready ingredients on hand, because it's easy to throw together food when I have chick peas or beans, rice, baked potatoes, and more already cooked and in the fridge waiting! Having bread and rolls in the freezer helps a LOT too. A bit of prep on Sunday can take us through till Wednesday so we don't have a crisis.

What tricks do you have that help you stay out of the take-out trap? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Today's Menu

Today seems to be a "Pantry Challenge" Day. If you're not familiar with the idea of a pantry challenge, I'll give you a quick explanation:
A pantry challenge is when you challenge yourself to cook meals only using the food you already have in your house - pantry, fridge, freezer - without running out to the store. (There's a Yahoo group I've been a member of for several years devoted to this practice. People get really creative!) Some people do a Pantry Challenge when their budget is too tight, and they really cannot afford to shop anymore till the next paycheck, some do it because they simply aren't able to get to the store (that's me!), and still others do it as a "test" - to see if they are stocking up on the right things when they shop. This has lots to do with emergency preparedness, and also everything to do with bargain hunting.
I haven't been to the supermarket since 9 days ago (no good reason, really), so the food situation in my house right now is interesting, to say the least.

For now, my menus are going to focus on Supper (or Dinner).
I found a bunch of wilting broccoli at the back of the fridge that must get used - or thrown out, and that would be a shame - so I'm building my supper around that:

Minestrone Soup
Crustless Broccoli Quiche
Baked Potatoes
Cut veggies with dressing (all that's left are tomatoes and orange peppers, so that's what it is!)