Pantry Challenge, Week 3 Update

I spent $132.67 on groceries from Sunday to Saturday for Week 3. Then we ordered pizza ($33) so our weekly total is $165.67 and our month to date total is $414.50. This INCLUDES ordering out once a week for the last three weeks, so if I don’t count that, we are coming in right around $324 which I am SUPER happy with!!  I honestly am okay with spending the amount that I am because, since I do not have the time to do a TON of freezer cooking, this challenge at least makes me conscious of how much I am spending and on what.  

Each week I say we are NOT going to eat out.  Then we do, usually because by Thursday or Friday, I am so over cooking and doing dishes that I want to eat out of containers and throw everything instead of washing pans.    I can't kick myself about it, but I know that we should not be spending this money.  I am going to try REALLY hard to prep up some pizza dough so we can through that together on Friday if we want.  Or have something easy on hand for those days I just do NOT want to cook.  

Week 1: $134.70
Week 2: $114.13
Week 3: $165.67
Month to Date: $414.50

Pantry Challenge, Week 1 Update

Time to check in for the first week of our pantry challenge!!

So far, I have cleared out some room in our freezer but I am still adding things (I made a batch of black beans in the crock pot this week) to it!  I am hoping to be a little more creative this week and use up more of the veggies in the freezer.  I have a head of cauliflower and quite a few peppers to think of something creative to do with.  I also defrosted the sugar cookie dough I had in there and I hope to make some cut-outs tomorrow while I am home with Logan, before his doctor's appointment.

Spending so far:
Fresh Fork Market Winter CSA: $25
Groceries:
We needed milk, school lunch supplies, trash bags...pretty much everything.  My goal was to stay under $75 and I managed to come in at $70.56
McDonald's on Friday: 23.18
Quick run for some impromptu ice cream on Monday: 15.96
TOTAL for Week 1: $134.70

What I learned:  We absolutely can not eat out this week.  I conned C to purchase ice cream while he was out buying sinus meds because I had a bad day at work and was cranky.  And the McDonald's?  Gross.  I am also hoping that this weekend, we will only need a few staples, such as milk and bread.

Linking up at Good Cheap Eats!

2013 Pantry Challenge Log

Tuesday, 1/1/13: Port Roast and potatoes with fresh kraut in the crock pot; roasted parsnips and carrots
Wednesday, 1/2/13: Breakfast: Chocolate Chip Scones
     Lunch: Leftovers
     Dinner: Pumpkin and sage pasta with bacon and cream sauce
Thursday, 1/3/13: Back to work for me!
     Dinner: Chicken quesadillas with cheese and black beans and Cilantro Lime Rice
    (I also prepped Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos for the freezer for my lunch)
Friday, 1/4/13: I hate to admit it...but McDonald's.  I had a hankering for a Quarter Pounder like it was no one's business.
Saturday, 1/5/13: Party at a friend's house

Sunday, 1/6/13: Roast chicken, butter noodles with parsley, honey dijon Brussels sprouts
Monday, 1/7/13: Angel hair pasta with pesto and tomatoes
Tuesday, 1/8/13: Unstuffed Pepper Soup
Wednesday, 1/9/13: BLTs and baked potatoes
Thursday: Take-out (I was exhausted...time to remedy this and prevent it from happening again!)
Friday, 1/11/13: Leftover soup and focaccia bread (made from pizza dough I had taken out of the freezer)
Saturday, 1/12/13: Hamburgers on the grill (it was 60 degrees!!) and quick oven potatoes

Sunday, 1/13/13: Spicy Kale Lasagna and salad
Monday, 1/14/13: Chicken stroganoff over white rice
Tuesday, 1/15/13: Omlettes and hasbrowns
Wednesday, 1/16/13: Meatloaf with corn and roasted potatoes
Thursday, 1/17/13: Spaghetti with artichokes and tomatoes
Friday, 1/18/13: Pizza
Saturday, 1/19/13: Dinner at my parents' house

Sunday, 1/20/13: Breaded and baked pork chops, mashed potatoes, sauteed watermelon radishes
Monday, 1/21/13: Flu.  Kids are...frozen pizza I think?  Not even sure.  Half-dead on the couch
Tuesday, 1/22/13: More flu recovery.  I think the kids had leftover frozen pizza and tater tots.  I had soup.
Wednesday, 1/23/13: Vegetable beef soup (I just want a damn hamburger!)
Thursday, 1/24/13: Thai Chicken Salad (vegetable beef soup for Jamie, who is finally back on her feet)

Weekend Recap/MPM

Someone (yeah, me) forgot to blog her weekend plan for the blog hop (sorry Molly!).  Then when I went to recap...I also just can't seem to remember what we did this weekend!  Here are the things I can remember, in no particular order and I am not even sure on what day.

• Played Mario Kart on the Wii
• Made Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal (need to try it again...recipe needs tweaking)
• Took Logan outside to play in the snow with Alexys
• Went to a camera class and lunch with my sister-in-law
• Stopped at HomeGoods and didn't buy ANYTHING
• Stopped at Target
• Watched some TV (Once Upon a Time and the Golden Globes...perfect way to spend a Sunday)

Um...yeah, that is all I can remember.  Oh, and we did some cleaning.  So how 'bout them apples?  Er, recap.  Whatever.

While I am at it, here is the menu plan for the week.  Still working on The Pantry Challenge  (check out my meal log here) getting ready to do a ton of freezer cooking in February as rehearsals begin for our musical (I can't believe auditions are this week!).  I know I am going to have to pick up some meat from the deli for lunches and eggs for pancakes but here is our menu for the week (I am making the pizza dough from scratch today):

Sunday: Skillet Lasagna
Monday: Buttermilk pancakes and hash browns
Tuesday: Chicken Caesar sammies, baked fries, corn
Wednesday: Not sure yet..something with ground beef because I know I have that in the freezer, lol
Thursday: Chicken corn chili
Friday: Stromboli and salad
Saturday: Mom and Dad's for my brother's birthday

Link up at OrgJunkie for Menu Planning Monday!