Eating down the pantry

Found this interesting experiment while browsing online this morning. It's a challenge to eat what's in your cupboards and not grocery shop for one week. While I'm too late to officially participate, this is something we've been discussing around our house for some time. We're not the only ones; it's been on many minds these past few months too, as we see grocery prices go up and for many, incomes/savings go down. A quick google search and I found a good number of blogs and websites on the topic, and I even joined a Facebook group around this particular week and challenge.

It's not much of a secret: I have a grocery store "habit" and it's been all too easy the past couple of years to overstock--"just in case" a craving strikes... It's a leftover from the days of catering, when the walk-in was stocked with just about everything I like to eat--and there is nothing like the air circulation of a walk-in refrigeration unit to keep things fresher longer, so no waste (or, less waste). So, I have developed a habit of indulging the "I want what I want, when I want it," in regards to food at least. It's rather embarrassing to admit how stocked up we are.

I did a little scope of the freezer and fridge(s) this morning and am convinced we can do this, easily. I found some leftover eggplant parmesan, chili, perogies, soup, bread, even a cake (!)... the list goes on! And that doesn't count the pantry of cans and boxes of pasta... At the very least we'll raise our consciousness about what we eat, what we need to replenish more frequently (breakfast smoothie ingredients, especially apples and bananas) and what we don't. I know this week will be a bit different because Seth is with us--nothing like the eating machine that is a 12-year-old to remind you to pick up a few extra groceries!

Wish me luck. I haven't even told the boys yet. Let's see if they notice...