This month, we’re shopping our kitchen in order to use up what we have so we can save money and clear kitchen clutter.
Here we go with Day 31 of the Pantry Challenge!
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Wow! Last day? How did we get here?
Yesterday I gave the fridge a good clean and it felt good to see so much white space. I also tidied the kitchen closet storage. Ready for a new month!
Thank you so much for your participation this year and your graciousness as I work through energy and health issues.
If you’d like to continue the conversation, feel free to do so in the comments section of this last post!
What We Ate
Breakfast – I made instant oatmeal before Bryan and I went out for a vacation day.
Lunch – The kids had leftover soup. Bryan and I grabbed tacos when we were out.
Dinner – Pizza night!
And that’s a wrap, folks!
How did the Pantry Challenge go for you?
Stephanie M
March 1, 2025
Hoping everyone has a wonderful year ahead. See you in 2026!!!
Heather M
Stephanie, same to you! I’ll be in touch on text at some point. I’m sorry I disappeared here at the end, but my health has been kicking me and I was hospitalized for a few days. Recovering slowly but surely. Sending you my love and I will see you on the phone 🙂
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/28/25
B:the usual
L:soup and sandwiches
D: leftover curry and LO enchiladas. I added sautéed cabbage, baked apples and the last of the Greek salad.
I’m calling it “a wrap” tonight too. We are heading out of town to help our son with the toddler as our DIL will be gone for a week. It’s time to take all that food out of the freezer for us to enjoy there. I should have even more white space when that happens. I’ve got some items to prep before we go.
As always, it’s been a fun time. I’m so glad Jessica offers this in January and allows us the chance to continue to “hang out” even when the official PC comes to an end.
I enjoy the strategies (the “shelf”), the menu inspirations, the conversations and the camaraderie. I feel I know you all from the time we’ve spent together over these years.
Wishing you all a good year. When we re-convene I’ll be curious to hear about everyone’s 2025.
Take good care. 🙂 Lynn
PS Oh, maybe by next January we’ll be back on official power. We’ve still got temporary power. A month and counting. 🙁
Heather M
Hello Lynn! Just wanted to wish you well in the rest of 2025. I disappeared last week because I ended up not well at all (major GI issues, incl a nice microperforation)and hospitalized for a few days. Am still recovering, but improving little by little. I so enjoy our time here each year and so look forward to seeing you here again in January. Love to you and yours. Heather
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Oh Heather, I’m sorry to hear of your hospitalization. I had wondered if everything was okay when we didn’t hear from you. I’ve been out of town keeping our granddaughter so not online very much at all this last week. Too busy (and tired!) with the 2year old. 🙂 I hope you will continue to recover and be back to yourself very soon. Sending ((hugs)) and love to you for a smooth rest of the year.
I’ll try to check your Instagram.
Heather M
Thanks, Lynn- responding to your comment below. I have privatized my instagram and would happily accept your friend request. heatherabm is my handle. :>
Lynn from NC Outer Bankd
GROAN. NOW my post shows up. I’m so sorry friends. Another example of the wonkiness I’ve been experiencing.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/27/25
Well, I have no idea what happened to my post from yesterday. I didn’t see it anywhere so I’m hoping this isn’t a duplicate. Along with everything else in our house of late, our internet has been a bit wonky. 🙁
B: usual yogurt, add ins and coffee
L: we both continue to enjoy Stephanie’s good soup. DH added a pimento cheese sandwich and orange to his. We’re out of oranges, which DH is requesting.
D: a mix of cuisines again. I fixed white chicken enchiladas, making liberal substitutions from the recipes I viewed. Used cream cheese that needed to be eaten instead of sour cream we were out of. Opened a jar of jalapeños that I’d previously canned in lieu of green chilis. I used just a few slices to avoid making it too spicy. Used LO chicken from the freezer.
Then I opened the Kalamata olives I’d recently discovered in the pantry. I used those, a bit of feta and other vegetables for another Greek salad, which continue to hit the spot. I added raw carrots for another side. That finished up the carrots, so the fresh produce is getting low.
Karen J
It’s been a fun challenge this year. I’m tapping out until next January (if we are home and not on the road somewhere). Thanks for all the great ideas and conversations!
I’m on a no spend grocery money for the next two weeks. We leave mid March on a Sea of Cortez cruise and I need my refrigerator cleaned out by then so it’s eat what we have. I’m hoping my learned (or should I say re-learned ) habits will last and I won’t revert to my over buying because it’s a great price problem.
Until next year, my friends. 🙂
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
It has been a fun time for sure! See you next January. We’ll have to see then if any of our lessons learned “stuck” 🙂
Have a wonderful cruise!
Heather M
Hi Karen! It’s been great fun this year and I’m sorry I wasn’t able to finish out Feb with you all. I was taken quite ill and hospitalized for a few days. Am slowly but surely on the mend and very much look forward to connecting again in January! I wish you and yours a wonderful rest of 2025! 🙂
Karen J
I’m so sorry to hear about your health issues! It was fun getting to “know” you this year. May the rest of 2025 be kind to you!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/27/25
B: plain Greek yogurt with almonds, Pom arils, coffee
L: lentil soup
D: I decided to make white chicken enchiladas. I didn’t have the sour cream the recipe called for so I used some cream cheese that needed to be used. No green chilis so I used a few slices of jalapeños I had canned last summer. I had the jack cheese. They were tasty despite my substitutions. I’d planned to serve pinto beans, but couldn’t find them in the freezer. Then I found them in the back of the refrigerator, spoiled. 🙁 My only consolation was that I’d cooked them from dried so not quite as much of a loss. I opened the Kalamata olives in the pantry and made another Greek salad. I’m mixing cuisines again! I have a bit more feta cheese so maybe one more salad in the next couple of days. I added some raw carrots as another side.
Karen J
Great substitutions, Lynn! I bet the cream cheese tasted yummy in your enchiladas.