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    Home » Pantry Challenge How To

    How to Meal Plan for a Pantry Challenge

    Published: Jan 1, 2022 · Modified: Feb 21, 2023 by Jessica Fisher

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    A meal plan for a pantry challenge is essential! It can help you get a meal on the table in record time as well as help you prep in advance and make sure you use what you have on hand.

    Wondering how to meal plan for a Pantry Challenge? Here are the strategies I’m using to help make our “eat-down-the-pantry” month go well.

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    Jump to:
    • How to Plan
    • Sample Meal Plans

    This month we’re undertaking a low-spend, Pantry Challenge kind of month. My hope is that we will spend a few hundred dollars on groceries and focus on using up what we have –without anyone freaking out too much, myself included.

    When you shop the kitchen, you save time and money, avoid food waste, and learn to grocery shop better going forward.

    Taking inventory and meal planning are critical to a good pantry challenge. When you know what you have, you can make plans to use it, prep ahead, and enjoy great meals. Here’s how to do it:

    How to Plan

    1. Take an inventory.

    I think that taking stock of what you have is pertinent to your having success in a pantry challenge.

    Even after one day, I find that having fresh knowledge of my supplies helps me think in different ways. The stuff that needs to be used is fresh in my mind.

    Be sure to do Freezer Inventory so you know what proteins you have on hand as those are going to be the building blocks of your pantry challenge meal plan. Scan the fridge and pantry as well and find those hidden ingredients that need using.

    pantry challenge inventory worksheet on clipboard

    2. Brainstorm what meals you can make.

    After you know what you have in the freezer, fridge, and pantry, brainstorm a list of meals you can make from those ingredients.

    It’s okay if you have more than one idea for an ingredient, write it all down. This will give you choices later so you don’t feel locked in.

    3. Plan out the month of meals.

    Once you have your meal ideas out on paper, plot out a month of meal plans on a grid.

    In the Good Cheap Eats Club, we call these our bingo cards. We fill in enough dinners for the month that use what we have or what we anticipate to be on sale. Remember that pancakes make a great dinner.

    It’s okay if you don’t make each meal on a specific date, the point is to have options based on what you know you have on hand for your pantry challenge. Then you can meal plan from there.

    4. Plan a new week in a little more detail.

    When the start of the week rolls around, consult your bingo card. What sounds good this week? What fits your activity levels? What do you have ingredients on hand for?

    These are the things to add to your pantry challenge meal plan. Once you’ve used the idea, be sure to cross it off your master calendar.

    5. Make a list of things to prep.

    Once you know your week’s meal plan, make a list of things to prep. (You can grab this printable meal prep worksheet if you want to be fancy.)

    If you are guilty of forgetting to thaw, you don’t want that to be an issue during your pantry challenge. It will impede you from using what you have.

    Instead make a list of things to thaw each well as well as set reminders for things to prepare in advance so that actual meal prep can go easily.

    Sample Meal Plans

    Breakfasts

    I like to plan a breakfast buffet for the weekdays. Then my kids can wake up at different times, do their thing, and I’m not a short order cook. Here’s a sampling of the easy breakfasts planned this month:

    • baked oatmeal cups with apple stacked on each other in a basket in front of a black backdrop.
      Baked Oatmeal Cups with Apple (31 cents each)
    • fluted banana bread on white platter, cut into slices.
      Instant Pot Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
    • close-up of waffles stacked on a plate topped with whipped cream and blueberries.
      Whole Grain Cornbread Waffles (52 cents each)
    • three ramekins of flavored cream cheese on bagel buffet
      Flavored Cream Cheese for Bagels (75 cents/batch)
    • sliced carrot bread on white platter
      Easy Carrot Bread Recipe
    • pouring milk into a bowl of gluten free granola.
      Gluten Free Granola (73 cents/serving)
    • sliced hard and soft cooked eggs on board
      Simple Hard Cooked Eggs (Stovetop, Instant Pot, Air Fryer Methods)
    • bowl of oats with spoon and red striped napkin
      How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in the Slow Cooker

    Lunches

    Lunches may be all over the map. In order for school to go well, I need to have few interruptions. That means more sandwiches and easy-prep meals. Here are some of my go-to’s for the month:

    • pork chili in a bowl marked ENJOY with a plate of tortilla chips.
      Spicy Pork Chili with Pumpkin (91 cents/serving)
    • closeup of sweet and sour pulled chicken on hawaiian bun.
      Easy Shredded Chicken Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
    • spoon of potato soup with sausage suspended over bowl of soup.
      Potato Soup with Sausage (95 cents/serving)
    • pasta with lemon and tomatoes in large platter next to red cloth and bowl of cheese.
      Easy Pasta with Lemon – Perfect for Meal Prep
    • pair of chimichangas in baking dish topped with sauce, cheese, and chopped scallions.
      Beef Chimichanga Recipe (61 cents each)
    • tuna macaroni salad in large wooden bowl with a red spoon.
      Tuna Macaroni Salad (45 cents/serving)
    • dish of ham and egg salad with lettuce leaves
      Ham and Egg Salad
    • instant pot BBQ pork sandwich
      Instant Pot BBQ Pork Sandwiches (77 cents/serving!)

    Dinners

    We may have some pretty fancy dinners based on what I found lurking. I hope that my energy level is up for the task.

    That said, generally we have some of the same things each week:

    • Sunday Roast or a pub-type dinner
    • Pasta
    • Tacos/Mexican Food
    • Date night so the kids make their own ramen
    • Soup Night
    • Pizza

    Based on what I know is on hand in the freezer, we’ll likely have these recipes this month:

    • bite of meatloaf on a fork on plate
      Slow Cooker Meatloaf
    • the baked supreme pizza round.
      The Best Supreme Pizza Toppings on Homemade Crust
    • halves of chili cheese burrito stacked on a plate with chips and guacamole.
      Easy Chili Cheese Burritos
    • close up of crockpot enchiladas on a blue plate with fork and salad.
      Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas
    • a bite of pot roast on a fork with meat and potatoes in the background.
      Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Tomato Gravy
    • shepherd's pie ready to serve
      Shepherd’s Pie with Cheddar Mash
    • close up of sliced roast turkey breast on white rectangular platter with fresh herbs.
      Easy Roast Turkey Breast Recipe
    • close up of platter of crockpot ham with cranberry and parsley garnish.
      Slow Cooker Ham

    What’s YOUR meal plan for the pantry challenge?

    This post was originally published on January 4, 2015. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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    Comments

    1. Claudette

      January 02, 2022 at 3:16 pm

      Started the pantry/freezer inventory. Too cold today to stand outside in the garage to inventory the freezer there, but inventoried the on in the basement. I did this challenge last January, and I was amazed at how long we ate before we had to buy anything other than perishables. Thanks for the reminder again this January. We use the Plan to Eat App and it works great for us.

      Reply
    2. Nancy @ Little Homestead in Boise

      January 14, 2015 at 6:27 pm

      We’re joining you at the Little Homestead, with a link back 🙂 Great ideas, thanks!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 15, 2015 at 7:31 am

        Thanks for joining us!

        Reply
    3. Jennifer

      January 07, 2015 at 11:11 am

      The challenge I have this month ( and for a few more!) is that four times a week, I have to go out at our regular dinner time to pick up one of the kids from their activities, so meals have to be fairly easy or very well thought out because by the time we get home, everyone is starving!! Had your turkey burgers this evening and they were yummy!!! Sean and I planned the meals for the next ten days, all based on emptying the freezer and a few trying your book’s recipes. “L’organisation épargne la sueur” as Lio likes to tell me.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 10, 2015 at 3:12 pm

        How do you say crockpot in French? 😉

        Reply
        • Jennifer

          January 10, 2015 at 11:00 pm

          “Mijoteuse” parce que ça mijote!

    4. Stephanie

      January 05, 2015 at 10:06 am

      I’m so impressed you even officially planned out breakfasts and lunches! I never thought to do that, though I’ll admit that we eat the same things every day for breakfast. I’m not sure if my calendar will post, but here is what I have. Definitely not quite as detailed! I take some sort of leftovers every day for lunch and my husband (working nights) sleeps through lunch. My son gets lunch supplied by the daycare.

      http://www.plantoeat.com/planner/

      Reply
    5. Heather @ My Overflowing Cup

      January 04, 2015 at 6:15 pm

      Thanks for the reminder that I’ve still never made crepes. My family had them once and loved them. It would make them very happy if I made them. I’ve been meaning to try your recipe for quite some time.

      I always have a column of meal prep ideas next to my menu because it helps tremendously to have a few things done ahead of time. Any time I find a few extra minutes, I will try to get something else on the list done. It helps me stay ahead and makes dinner less stressful.

      My freezer has 3 turkeys in it, so that will be the most frequent meat this month. Thanks for sharing all of your hard work in an effort to encourage and inspire us!

      Reply
    6. Sandi

      January 04, 2015 at 5:40 pm

      breakfast: coffee
      lunch: buffalo chicken dip, crackers, half slice of cheesecake
      dinner: ham, scalloped potatoes, sauteed yellow squash
      Not the most balanced or nutritious, but used up things in the fridge

      Quick question about the photo on your FB page showing the jars of mixes… why do you not put the sugar in with the other dry goods?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 05, 2015 at 1:00 pm

        The jars were so packed, there wasn’t room.

        Reply
    7. Angela

      January 04, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      I’ve got our menu completed too – and I’ve already made some ‘adjustments’… 😉
      http://testosteronepalace.blogspot.com/2015/01/happy-new-year-and-semi-annual-pantry.html

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 05, 2015 at 12:59 pm

        Me, too.

        Reply
    8. Tiffany R

      January 04, 2015 at 4:35 pm

      I love pantry challenges but I am doing this pantry challenge in secret. If I tell the family, all I will hear is complaining. So, let’s see how long it takes before the notice…

      Breakfast: Oatmeal (me & hubs) & Bagels (kids)
      Lunch: Using leftover grilled chicken – Salads w/ last of strawberries (me & hubs) & Quesadillas (kids) w/Applesauce
      Dinner: Sesame Chicken, Spinach (to use up before it goes bad), leftover rice & leftover broccoli. I thought they were going to complain about the leftover rice but no one said a word.
      Dessert: Homemade Chocolate Chip Scones in honor of the new season of DOWNTON ABBEY!!!!

      Reply
      • Lee

        January 04, 2015 at 5:45 pm

        I complete mine in secret as well 🙂

        Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 05, 2015 at 12:59 pm

        I’ve done that before too. 🙂 What they don’t know….

        Reply
        • Angela

          January 05, 2015 at 6:05 pm

          I’ve done that before too…

    9. Stephanie M.

      January 04, 2015 at 4:21 pm

      Starting on Sunday:

      Breakfast – Hubby had frosted mini wheats; I had a mini bagel with L.F. cream cheese
      Lunch – Hubby had leftover pasta from last night; I had a salad
      Dinner – We both had roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn and dinner rolls
      Dessert: Home made banana cake

      Reply
    10. Deb

      January 04, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      This is perfect timing for us. We’ll have no income until February, so using what resources we have available (pantry, freezer, garden, etc.) will be key to not having a credit card blow-out. I was given a number of ham bones & are boiling them up today to freeze the meat & stock for soups. By doing this it will take up less room in the freezer & make dinner prep less mess. I need to do a good freezer inventory & make up our monthly meal plan. I plan only dinners as lunch is usually left-overs & everyone gets their own breakfast (porridge, Weetbix, or eggs.)

      Reply
    11. Meghan

      January 04, 2015 at 1:39 pm

      Not a real meal plan but I went shopping & got tons of stuff because Mother Hubbard had nothing on me. This week we are planning on chicken parm made w/ crescent rolls, roast in the crockpot, pasta night, breakfast for dinner, chicken in the oven, baked with green beans & potatoes. I also got tons of stuff for lunch so I do not spend money eating out. Also got breakfast stuff so we are not stopping at our local WaWa for breakfast everyday.

      Reply
    12. Mona

      January 04, 2015 at 12:54 pm

      We also started the Challenge on the first so our monthly menu is ready to go. All the prep work is done for the first couple days. Did run to the store today for cheese, bananas, lettuce, spinach, crescent rolls and onion soup mix for a total of $12.58.
      Our meals:
      Yesterday: Breakfast – Cinnamon raisin bagels with cream cheese
      Lunch – Leftover beef stew
      Dinner – Baked hake, noodles, green beans
      Today – Brunch – Bacon, fried eggs, potatoes and toast
      Snack – Crackers and cheese
      Dinner – Ree’s Chicken spaghetti with green salad

      Reply
    13. Stephanie M.

      January 04, 2015 at 12:22 pm

      I don’t have a specific meal plan where I know what I’ll be eating each day. My freezer is stocked with a good variety of meats such as eye round for roast beef, bottom round for pot roast, a roaster chicken, a turkey breast, a pork roast, pork chops, flounder, bay scallops, thin chicken cutlets, boneless chicken breasts, chicken drum sticks, one package of ground turkey, 3 New York strip steaks, and sweet Italian sausage. I also have a few bags of frozen veggies, such as corn, green beans, and peas. I usually always have more fresh than frozen. I also have a variety of frozen appetizers left over from the holidays which can serve as weekend lunches when my husband is home. I have a good amount of side dishes in the pantry like beans, pasta, rice, boxed side dishes, etc. So really, my goal is to use all of these things and only go to the store if I need perishables and essential ingredients to prepare meals with whatever meat I’ve chosen. Most of the roasts will be eaten the second day same as the first and then turned into a completely different meal which will warrant several more meals. So I think I’m set up pretty well to not have to go shopping too much. I’m planning on an empty to nearly empty freezer when the month is over. 🙂

      Reply
    14. jan

      January 04, 2015 at 11:27 am

      Started the Challenge on the 1st … made my life easier by pulling out THREE proteins from the garage freezer (ground beef, chicken breast and italian sausage) and based my menu for week around that … as much as I complain about the amount of food we have in this house, I’m glad when I do the Pantry Challenge because it’s not really difficult, just makes me be more focused to use what we have on hand! Not sure I could plan a whole month ahead of time but its nice to know WHAT you can make based on what you have on hand! First stop of the year at Aldis and spent $26 … that included 3 boxes of tissues, tp, 2 gallons milk, 2 dozen eggs and an assortment of veggies … kind of nice not spending $$$ for the holidays!

      Reply
      • Rhonda

        January 04, 2015 at 2:50 pm

        Hi Jan

        I also pull my proteins at the start of the week and get an idea of my weekly menu based on what fresh ingredients I have on hand and any items I am wanting to use up. Does make life easier to have them out. I like to plan week by week, I enjoy the flexibility and we waste very little so works for us.

        Reply
    15. Cindy

      January 04, 2015 at 10:39 am

      My plan is to finish using up the holiday leftovers; Christmas Eve ham is almost gone (scalloped potatoes, ham and cheese sandwiches and omelets). Ham bone stock (2 quarts) in freezer for ham and bean soup later this month. Left over turkey will be used in enchiladas and possibly turkey/broccoli Alfredo.

      We do brunch on the weekends so yesterday was blueberry pancakes and turkey sausage and fruit; dinner was meatless spaghetti, romaine and spinach salad with the remaining chocolate chip mint ice cream.

      Brunch today is spinach, mushroom, feta omelets, bacon and bananas. Dinner will be chicken stir fry – broccoli, carrots, celery and onions with brown rice.

      Reply
    16. Nancy

      January 04, 2015 at 10:12 am

      I’m starting out the pantry challenge with a pot roast, potatoes, and carrots in the slow cooker today. This will feed our family of three for three dinners, at least. Next up is the frozen turkey, which will stretch to turkey divan, turkey pot pies, turkey tortellini soup, and turkey/rice/bean enchiladas. I have three full weeks of dinners planned and most of the fourth week. I’ve only planned dinners because we’re all adults in this household on different schedules, and everyone fends for themselves for breakfasts and lunches.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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