Pantry/Stocked Items Challenge

[RiverRock]

For more than a month I have been trying to use what's in my pantry and only buy non-perishables that I need. I'm now down to a variety of random items and things that I bought with good intentions.

I won't list all the randomness at once, but this coming week I will try to use canned Fava beans and seasonings that I bought to make falafel.

Something else I need to use is a small jar of Cranberry Cherry Citrus sauce. I am open to suggestions for what I do with that. Would it work for making a glaze for a ham?

You are welcome to join me or simply follow along as I reach the odd and forgotten cans and jars at the back of my shelves. If I'm feeling adventurous I might even start digging to the bottom of my chest freezer.

[charla]

Oh goodness, I need to do this. Not ready yet. But I'll cheer you along.

[RiverRock]

Originally Posted by charla

Oh goodness, I need to do this. Not ready yet. But I'll cheer you along.

It could be a humorous ride! I have no idea of what I had in mind when I bought palm hearts, but they will probably end up on a salad.

[mummy2boys]

I'm in. I started doing this last week after realising how much was actually in the pantry and we are having a lean few weeks with work. So far I've only needed to buy things like milk, bread and some fruit. It's amazing what you can do when you need to!

[Quiteria]

Funny, I was just lamenting this before I came here. It's kind of an annual January tradition for me, and I put it off this year...but we decided it really needs to be done.

This week is just the beginning, so the ingredients are still pretty normal. Today was pulled pork sandwiches, salad, and baked potatoes with cheddar and rosemary. Yesterday was the same pork on potatoes.

Tomorrow, I think my goal is to make pasta to use an open jar of pasta sauce, and try to use a can of beans.

[RiverRock]

Originally Posted by mummy2boys

I'm in...It's amazing what you can do when you need to!

Originally Posted by Quiteria

It's kind of an annual January tradition for me, and I put it off this year...but we decided it really needs to be done.

Hooray for company!

I have some potatoes (not a family favourite so a bag of potatoes lasts a long time around here) and a can of baked beans. I just looked up a recipe for Jacket Potatoes and will make them some time soon, too.

[twoplustwo]

Since my meal plan kick, Ive been doing this too! One time from the pantry and one from the freezer.

My pantry is actually pretty good.

I have half a thing PF frozen shrimp leftover so plan to serve that with stir fry this week.

My pantry item was parm crusted fish to use up some of the bin of bread crumbs (bonus used up some leftover parm cheese too tho I can always find places to stick that!)

[RiverRock]

So how safe is it to use tofu that is two weeks past its due date? I just found a packet at the back of a fridge drawer. It looks fine, and is still factory sealed. It's a "best before" and not an "expiration" date.

[Quiteria]

Hmm, I know there are food safety lists somewhere with that info about how long things tend to last opened/not opened compared to best by dates. I've googled them before. Big long lists of a variety of food. Sometimes they're produced by food banks, or cooperative extensions.

Having experienced food poisoning, though, I tend to err on the side of caution more than necessary. I know that things are okay for a while, but I usually just stare at it in reluctance until it's late enough to justify tossing.

[2sunshines]

I SO need to do this. My pantry is full! Maybe posting here will motivate me.

[charla]

I’m doing a version of this this week but it’s more freezer clean out/rotation.

[bananacake]

I need to do this with the freezer and the pantry.

[twoplustwo]

I used some Vegan sausage patties in my egg bites for the week. So thats another package down!

[milkmommy]

Originally Posted by RiverRock

It could be a humorous ride! I have no idea of what I had in mind when I bought palm hearts, but they will probably end up on a salad.

HA during covid I stocked up on so many weird things. It was a combo of dumb panic buying and the reality of well this shelf is only selling cans of barbecue flavored refried beans better buy five cans its protein....
After a while though I can to the conclusion that I wasn't go to use all the random stuff and its was way better to stock up on things I'd actually use.. I ended up donating a bunch of stuff. All perfectly good things but stuff that just sit in our house for years. We also have pretty limit place to store so I only want what I'll actually use.
I tend to plan one meal a week as my "pantry" staple meal. They often double as my dump and go meals as its often just opening a few cans and pressing a few buttons.

Last weeks pantry staple was a "mexican cassarole"
1 can pinto pean
1 can black bean
1 can corn
1 can enchalada sauce
1 pack taco seasoning
corn tortillas

basically mix the drained rinsed cans with the taco seasoning layer a dish with the tortillias 1/2 the mix more tortillas , mixture etc... I'll add cheese if we have some but its good with out. Bake 350 20-30 minutes... We topped with shredded lettuce black olives and sliced avacado.

This week we are doing corn chowder Canned cream of corn canned regular corn can new potatoes water or broth and onion (salt pepper and paprika) Doing a peach crumble for dessert (canned peached and basic pantry staples)

[Quiteria]

This week is mostly spaghetti and meatballs, though we had another potato night with different meat from the freezer.

I still haven't used the beans. I think I might allow myself to buy some tortillas as a completer ingredient and make a Mexican dish out of it while I still have a dollop of sour cream left from the baked potatoes.

It's that or combine them with some frozen veggies and some broth to make a soup. Maybe a minestrone, because I think I've got some small pasta, too. Some tiny odd shape that was on clearance once in packages that are too small for my family, but the per ounce cost was awesome. So yeah, this would be a way to stretch them.

I might have enough beans to do both.