This is a gentle reminder to use what you already have in your pantry and freezer to cook your meals!
It’s great to stock up on canned goods and legumes when they’re on sale but use what you have first!!
I ended up making a delicious yellow coconut dal thanks to my pantry and freezer—some split peas, coconut milk, and frozen veggies. All came together at barely $1.20 per serving.
Reminder to use your pantry and freezer!
byu/Cautious-Ostrich7510 inFrugal
Posted by Cautious-Ostrich7510
10 Comments
I’m eating General Tso’s chicken tonight. It was in my freezer (I have enough for 2 more meals).
I just did a pantry clean and inventory. Planning to hit it hard! Lots of split Peas and a freezer full of pork. I see some split pea and hambone soup in my future!
If you don’t have a pantry or freezer you can learn to can your meat using a pressure canner. Then you have shelf stable protein for quick meals.
Bacon cheeseburger skillet meal happening here. Random frozen hamburger, random chopped bacon, cauliflower rice, cheese. With frozen mixed veggies on the side. The entree with be two meals for 2, tomorrow we are going to have canned green beans on the side.
Good reminder!
Made rice bowls with chicken thighs from my freezer (bought on previous sale), garden veggies, and homemade pico de gallo (8 servings cost me $6 including the cost of the frozen thighs).
ETA- serving sizes similar to Chipotle
Recipes from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s for comfort food meals can be inspiration for pantry cooking.
Tater tot casserole, chicken and rice casserole, stuffed cabbage rolls, chili, quiche, frittata, etc. are cheap and easy to make. And may even be somewhat exotic for those too young to remember them being served by their moms……
I have to remind myself of this weekly.
I keep a running list of what I have in the freezer, cross off as it is used.
Simple prepper logic, rotate your larder. Eat what you store, store what you eat. Sample small before stocking up. Anything that gets close to the shelf life, don’t replace or store as much.
That canned boiled peanuts was no bargain if you don’t like it!
I got a big bag of potatoes recently and it’s been bringing me such joy finding all the ways to use them with the other items I have on hand. I never knew I could add fresh radish as a topper to a jacket potato, etc. I plan to work thru all of them before shopping again