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? The month went fast, didn’t it?
Thank you so much for your participation this year. 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 a breakfast bowl with leftover sausage and veggies from the fridge.
Lunch – We ate leftover lasagna and leftover beef pot pie from yesterday’s shoot.
Dinner – I had four pounds of clearance ground turkey that needed using. So, I cooked it all up and used half in burritos for tonight and the other half for a Shepherd’s Pie for tomorrow.
And that’s a wrap, folks!
How did the Pantry Challenge go for you?
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/19/26
B: yogurt, coffee
L: chili, crackers and cheese
D: maple Dijon boneless thighs. I’m out of rice, but when “freezer diving” today, looking for something else, I found some cooked brown rice I had frozen. It was perfect for the sauce in this recipe. We ate more of the broccoli salad to round things out.
S: old fashioned popcorn
Maureen
We ended up grabbing a quick dinner out on Tuesday. Our lunches lately have been bits of this and that, including some leftovers, at home. Today’s was gnocchi and pasta sauce (gnocchi was past the best buy date from the pantry and sauce from the freezer). I pulled a few muffins from the freezer that were snacked on. Dinner last night ended up being a bunch of various quesadillas, including a pizza one that hubby had. And tonight is homemade chicken noodle soup with the leftover chicken, homemade stock, and homemade noodles. I’m going to see if I can find some snacky items in the freezer for the weekend.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Homemade noodles! I’ve never tried that. And I still haven’t made any bread. 🙁
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
1/18/26
B: Greek yogurt with Pom arils and hm granola
L: leftovers
D: cheeseburgers on buns with lettuce, plus broccoli salad and baked beans. I made the baked beans from dried navy beans. I’ve never tried this before and they turned out pretty well. I have made a dent in my dried beans cache during the challenge. I have cooked the pintos, black eyed peas, half of the black beans and now all of the navy beans. I’m glad to see that stock reduce a bit.
S: finished ALL of the last batch of the Chex mix and DH made old fashioned popcorn on the stove. We are out of table salt but have pink salt, kosher salt and sea salt, so we will make do!
Usually when I go to see my mom, I make an Aldi run. This time, except for the quick trip to pick up needed chicken thighs, I didn’t shop there at all. I’ll see what I can cobble together from what I’ve got!
Tasty
Feb 18th
Breakfast and lunches have been fairly normal. We leave tomorrow for 3 weeks so want to get the fridge as empty as possible.. Last weekend I knew we would need some more bread so I made a couple of French loaves. Supper on the 16th was chilli from the freezer with 1/2 of one of those loaves, Last night we had a cauliflower chowder with the second half of said bread. Tonight I’m pulling a piece of chicken from the freezer and will do ‘something’ with it along with 1 solitary parsnip and 1carrot – probably roast them and heat the l/o cauliflower cheese. I picked up some yogurt for tomorrow’s breakfast and we’ll find something for lunch before we leave.
On that note, I’m done with the pantry challenge for this year. I really hope I have learned something this year and can act on it. That just leaves me to thank Jessica for hosting this annual event yet again and to thank everyone who took part this year. I hope 2026 is good to all of you. Bye til January 1 2027!!
Maureen
Have a wonderful trip!! See you next year.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Have a great trip Tasty! Sounds like you made great headway prior to leaving. Wishing you all the best for the rest of 2026. So good to “chat”. See you 1/1/27!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/16/26
B:the usual
L: for my mother’s birthday lunch, we went to a locally owned restaurant that serves local seafood. We all enjoyed ourselves, as did Mama. She especially liked the Key Lime pie slice they gave her for her birthday, which she saved for later. We came home and 2 friends joined us for cake and ice cream. In between, she fielded birthday wishes calls. It was a very nice day and I think she felt very celebrated and loved.
D: lunch leftovers
2/17/26
B:the usual
L: more pimento cheese sandwiches and chili if brought. This worked out well as DH and a friend had to remove a broken loveseat. I had some errands to run for my mom before I took her to a doctor’s appointment. We could eat as needed.
D: we had originally planned to return home Wednesday morning but our schedule was too tight for an appointment. So we left late afternoon for home. We did pick up fast food as we didn’t get home til almost 9.
It was a bit of a hectic visit, but a great one. My mother felt very celebrated and loved, which was most important! And we all felt quite blessed to be celebrating her.
Maureen
It’s really warming up here this week…false spring in the middle of winter. So, we’ll enjoy it, but I’m determined to stick to the freezer clean out. Yesterday and today were leftovers for lunch. Last night was rotisserie chicken with leftover potatoes and veg for sides. I’ve got chicken stock going in the crockpot with the bones. I dug around in the freezers and found two containers of salsa chicken. I’m going to make a batch of soup with them using some stock and some bit and bobs from the fridge (leftover cheese dip, etc.). Some soup will go back into the freezer in individual containers for me for lunches, but I’ll be sure to label them this time.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
That will be good soup with those additions. Yes, I’m trying to do better with labeling going forward also. I’ve had too many surprises!
Heather from Sacramento
Hi everyone! I’ve been following along but not posting. Mainly since I eat the same stuff all week haha. I have been eating my leftovers from the freezer for lunches and eating salads for dinner for the most part. I was very proud of myself for cooking a frozen turkey breast that had been in the freezer for too long. I paired it with leftover frozen mashed potatoes from thanksgiving and the last bag of green beans in my freezer from my u pick farm adventures 2 summers ago. I used some of my bacon salt on the green beans. I ate so many. I can’t believe I had been throwing leftover mashed potatoes out every year. I am really trying to minimize waste. I just wished I had more time and energy to cook. I also finished off the applesauce that I had frozen. I made a tortellini dish with spinach and tomatoes. I used 2 lbs of the frozen cherry tomatoes. I have been eating the granola that I made and have used up so much oatmeal on that recipe alone. Tonight I had some friends over and I made lemon posset for dessert with the frozen lemon juice I had. It was so good. I had never had it before.
Tasty
What a nice surprise to see you again this year Heather. Seems like you are doing really well with the PC.
Maureen
Wow, you’ve been doing a fantastic job clearing out older items from your freezer!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Well done Heather! It sounds like you are making great headway with those items you have previously prepared and the new ones. Yes, LO frozen mashed potatoes can be good on their own or tossed into soups as a thickener. I too try to avoid food waste at all times. We pay good money (very good money!) for food and throwing anything away annoys me! Good for you to fix the long frozen turkey. Here in the south, we don’t stop at bacon salt for green beans. We use the bacon grease! 😉
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/15/26
On the road to celebrate my mother’s 95th birthday tomorrow!
B: we ate toast before we left
L: I packed hm pimento cheese sandwiches with chips, apples and grapes
D: I had brought some food with me, but another child unexpectedly joined us 🙂 and I was short on chicken. So I ran to Aldi where my mom lives to pick up more thighs. Not .99# like the ones I brought with me, but 2.49# 🙁 . That’s okay, I’d much rather them have join us! Plus I had some thighs left over that I can send home with them. Also brought with me sweet potatoes I baked, the last of the asparagus and kiwi and grapes. I also picked up a pack of the microwaveable rice, since one of my kids doesn’t eat sweet potatoes. That provided another side option.
My mom was thrilled to have 2 of her 4 grandchildren here and we FaceTimed with the great granddaughter as it was too quick of a turnaround trip for her.
I have a few errands to run tomorrow morning before our birthday lunch and celebration!
Tasty
Have a wonderful visit with your mom, Lynn.
Lynn from the NC Outer Banks
Thank you! It was a wonderful visit. She enjoyed her day and extra time with the grand “kids”.
Maureen
I hope you enjoy your time with your mom and family! What a gift to have everyone together…and to not have to think about all of the food because of your planning and prep.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
We had a wonderful time with almost all the family gathered. And it was nice not to think much about food due to the preparation ahead of time. I could focus on the 95 year old birthday “girl”!
Tasty
Feb 15th
B – hubby stuck to his regular, I had a yogurt and finished the brioche bread – toasted.
L – hubby grabbed a couple of apples, I had the last piece of haddock from the freezer – another box gone!
S – a complete meal from the freezer – b’less, s’less turkey breast, l/o carrots, stuffing and Brussels sprouts. Did make some gravy from the pantry. Definitely gaining some empty space in the freezers!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Yay Tasty! You’re making great progress!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/14/26
Happy Valentine’s Day!
B: avocado toast, DH finished the last of the egg casserole
L: pimento cheese sandwiches and we finished the chicken rice soup
D: at Christmas we were given a gift of steaks and sides. So we had our at home Valentine’s meal of filet mignon and scalloped potatoes. I added asparagus I bought recently with LO hollandaise from a while ago that I froze, plus kiwi. We thoroughly enjoyed a relaxed, delicious meal at home with no fuss. It was great! We had some chocolate for dessert.
Tàsty
Feb 14th
B – we both had yogurt and apple turnovers I had found in the freezer and baked yesterday.
L- hubby had fruit a d I opted for a cheese sandwich.
S – hubby fancied something ‘not from the freezer’ soon we went to the store and found some PF Chang Mongolian beef. Certainly it was quick and easy. Just before we had supper a neighbour ca e around to share Valentine cupcakes that she had made.
Maureen
My brother has three littles (the oldest turns four this week) and he brings a tub of snow into the kitchen for them to play with, so he doesn’t have to get them all suited up to go outside. I can’t imagine not living somewhere with the four seasons, but it is fun to see people enjoy it, especially when they don’t get it where they live.
It looks like we’ll be eating out a bit the next week or so, based on the calendar. But, DD is on mid-winter break, so maybe she’ll join me in some lunches from the freezer. I grabbed lunch out yesterday in between errands. Grocery purchases were all produce, except a rotisserie chicken that DD requested that will probably be on the menu Sunday. Dinner was pork loin with rice, baked potatoes, and salad…we had everything, but not exactly a pantry challenge meal. Lunch/brunch today is fend for yourself and the girls and I will be getting dinner out on our way to a concert. Hubby is out for the afternoon at a basketball game with DS and on his own for dinner. I will dig through the freezer a bit tomorrow to select some things for the next couple of days.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Maureen, so I’m not totally crazy! Your brother has a great idea, for different reasons. I can’t imagine suiting up 3 little ones. (I stopped with 2!) And about as soon as you get outside, they are too cold and need to come back in. And then off and on with the heavy clothes. I figure I can stretch the good “snowy” times with the granddaughter even if it’s in the spring, which could be a bit confusing to her 🙂 LOL.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
And Tasty, the granddaughter might not be interested in snow come spring or summer either! 🙂 We shall see.
Tasty
Feb 12th
Thought I had posted for the 12th but don’t see it anwhere..
I have to guess that breakfast would be pretty normal for both of us. Lunch I have no idea what hubby had as I was out with a friend for our monthly lunch and went to the local Korean restaurant – fabulous food as always. Come supper time Iwas not hungry. Hubby decided to finish the l/o chilli and I had just some cheese and crackers.
Today started out pretty much the same as every other day with a regular breakfast ,but the. Iwas out the door by 7.15 as our little canning group held our first sale of the year and raised a big chunk of cash for our local hospital. It was a bitterly cold morning and even tho we were indoors, with people coming and going at the gym.
By the time we left shortly after noon, we were all frozen. I came home and had a bowl of vegetable beef soup.to warm up. Hubby? Tonight it was l/o Salisbury steaks from the freezer with cauliflower cheese to use up the cauliflower and some odds and ends of cheese. A good but tiring day. Less than a week for us to go on the challenge and it’s a case of making the best use of what we have.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Tasty, that’s great that despite the bitter weather that y’all made money for the hospital. So kind of you all to support such a worthy cause with your time and talents.
Salisbury steak is a recipe I’ve only started making of late, but boy does my family like it!
I’ll give you a chuckle. One of the items I have in my freezer is a container of snow, for when my little granddaughter visits! LOL.
Tasty
We used to do that too when our sonwas little so he could have some snowing summer, but by summer he wasn’t interested!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/13/26
B: breakfast casserole and toast
L: chicken and rice soup, 1/2 pimento cheese sandwich
D: chili from dried beans with tomatoes from the pantry, onions and peppers from the freezer, with Greek yogurt and cheese, plus another Panera like salad
Did spend $11.24 today when I bought asparagus and broccoli (both 1.49#) and Greek yogurt. That puts me at $127 for February. Hoping to keep it under $150.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/12/26
B: avocado toast and coffee, no idea about DH
L: DH finished the chicken noodle soup and added a pimento cheese sandwich after I made the pimento cheese this morning. I had 1/2 pimento cheese sandwich and a cup of chicken and rice soup I also made this morning, using up the the last of the broth. I added a chicken thigh, carrots, celery and onions from the fridge and the rice LO from dinner last night.
D: dinner was a good freezer meal. I made a breakfast casserole. My son in law had made egg nog, which left egg whites, which I froze. After defrosting I did add a whole egg for some color. I added peppers and onions from the freezer as well as some half and half I had frozen in 2 containers. I finished up a few remaining bacon slices from a package and some onions. It was good to get those containers out of the freezer. Added a baked sweet potato, a half a bagel each and grapes. The LOs will be for breakfast.
S: nuts and banana cupcakes! I’ll be glad when they’re gone!
Maureen
I got busy yesterday and realized I was starving mid-morning, so I just had some cereal. We were all on different schedules last night, so I thawed chili for hubby and some taco meat for a salad for me. DD declined the few things I offered to make her, so she figured something out on her own. For lunch today, I finished off some rice from the fridge and just sauteed some veggies to go with it. Dinner will be spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad. The sauce and garlic bread are from the freezer. Space is opening up in the freezer and I am going to enjoy it and make sure I don’t fill it back up.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
2/11/26
B: avocado toast and coffee
L: more of the chicken noodle soup and the last of the tuna salad for us both
D: leftover chicken legs (they were huge and meaty), hm roasted potatoes (finished up the bag), LO veggies from night before and mixed fresh fruit (apples, oranges, Pom arils and canned pineapple). No fresh pineapple for us Tasty!
A few of my comments never showed up, but I continue to read everyone’s posts. Carry on!
Tasty
Feb 11
B- hubby by had his usual. I hadthe last piece of pineapple, a yogurt and a toasted English muffin without e marmalade I made yesterday
L – hubby had fruit and cheese. I had a ,little bag of sausage and made a one egg omelet. It was a hit!
S – hubby’s current favourite of stuffed chicken breast and salad
Stephanie M
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Hi everyone!! I popped in to see if anyone is still posting and I’m so happy to see you all are doing well I thought I’d send a post just to keep myself honest. lol
I’m still on the challenge as well and working hard to come to the end of it. Most likely in about a month or so but for now I’m happy with the progress I’m making.
In the last two weeks, I’ve emptied my freezer of a freezer bag of lentil soup, a large eye round for roast beef, a bag of salmon, a bag of flounder, a bag of shrimp, a bag with peppers and gravy from a previous meal so I added that to some pork chops for another meal, a loaf of bread, a Sunday roasting chicken, two of the last three slices of chicken Parmesan, and the rest of the home made banana bread. So I’m almost done but not quite yet. Wow looking at that all written down, that’s an incredible amount of food in the freezer for only two people!!
I hope everyone is well and thinking warm thoughts as we move closer to spring!!
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Stephanie, my previous reply to you didn’t show up. But that’s a LOT of progress, especially for 2 people! Jessica is so right when she says “I (we) have food at home!”
Maureen
That’s fantastic progress! Everyone’s posts are helping me realize how much food I can fit in my freezer. Now that there’s just three of us at home and my schedule puts me near grocery stores multiple times a week, I can really afford to modify the way I shop. I can focus on stocking up on the items we love, but I definitely don’t need as much (quantity or variety) stored as I have.
Maureen
Everyone had separate takeout Monday night because of schedules and I had a dinner meeting. But, lunch on Monday and Tuesday pretty much cleaned out the fridge – only a couple of things left. I had thawed what I thought was Italian beef for a sandwich for myself for lunch, but it was pot roast. So, I finished off 3 small containers of leftovers instead and made pot roast sandwiches for dinner. DD won’t eat that, so she had pizza with the leftover dough ball. We are back to a fairly clean slate, so I’ll be digging in the freezer to plan the next couple of days.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks
Maureen, I’m glad I’m not the only one that sometimes has a surprise when defrosting items! I’m going to try and do better with labeling! Good pivot!