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    Home » Pantry Challenge

    How to Prepare for a Pantry Challenge

    Published: Dec 30, 2012 · Modified: Jan 27, 2021 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.

    Are you ready to clean up and clear out? And eat well in the process? Then join the pantry challenge starting January 1. We’ll be making the most of what we have so that we waste not, want not.

    A plate of enchiladas with sides on a table

    Twice a year for many years now, I’ve spent concentrated effort to “eat down the pantry”. By doing so, I limit my grocery shopping, I use up what we have, and I’m forced to be creative. I also learn to be more thankful for what we have. I realize how full my “empty” cupboards really are.

    We Americans are generally blessed with full refrigerators. Yet, in her fabulous book on home cooking, The Kitchen Counter Cooking School, Kathleen Flinn states, “as a country we collectively waste about 40 percent of the food produced for consumption.” Yikes!

    I can’t argue with this. I just cleaned out my fridge. Due to poor planning prior to leaving town, I threw away several meals’ worth of food. Ugh. I need a good reminder to waste less and be a better steward of what we have.

    Out with the old and in with the new, right? January starts in just a few days, so I’ll be starting a new “eat down the pantry” challenge as soon as the ball drops.

    Care to join me?

    Since the phrase, pantry challenge, can mean different things to different people, let me explain in greater detail. Please don’t get scared off before we approach the gate.

    Pantry Challenge

    What is a Pantry Challenge?

    A pantry challenge is a focused, but limited, time to “eat from the pantry.” Rather than buying groceries like I normally would, I focus on what we already have. I build my menus around the ingredients I have as well as those I’ve been avoiding. Sometimes it’s the meal that is is cumbersome to prepare or something that I’ve been too lazy to be creative with. Squash, anyone?

    The pantry challenge helps me deal with those items — and teaches me not to buy it again or not to avoid it for so long.

    Another fringe benefit to giving my pantry a good cleaning out/overhaul is that we save money, too. And January is a fabulous month to do that, is it not?

    baskets of root vegetables in pantry

    A pantry challenge can take many different forms and serve different purposes. It is basically the idea of cutting your grocery budget by a significant amount so that you can save money and use what you have. Sometimes this can be drastic; other times, it can be a chance to trim some fat from your budget.

    An “involuntary pantry challenge” happens when weather, illness, or loss of income prevents you from shopping like you normally would. You make the most of what you already have.

    By practicing this a couple times a year, I balance out my grocery spending as well as keep things in perspective in case I had to make my pantry work overtime against my wishes.

    I’ve written several in-depth posts over the years. If you missed them or want a refresher, hop over here:

    • What is a Pantry Challenge and What is It Not?
    • What is a Pantry Challenge and How Can It Save You Money? :: Food Your Way
    • The Benefits of Eating Down the Pantry :: Keeper of the Home
    • Eat Down the Freezer to Make Space and Save Money

    groceries on a shelf

    Preparing for a Pantry Challenge

    There are a few things that you can do to prepare for a Pantry Challenge:

    Make a few goals.

    At the start of each pantry challenge, I determine some of the things that I’d like to accomplish. This has changed over the years as my shopping habits and the appetites of my family have changed.

    By establishing some goals, I’m making it clear to myself what the point of this whole endeavor is. This month I hope to do the following:

    • Spend $600 or less on groceries to feed our family. We currently spend a little more than $800/month on food prepared and eaten at home.
    • Give my freezers and pantry a good clean out. The deep freeze needs to be thawed in a big way. I’ll have room to do a big freezer cooking session at the end of the month.
    • Use up those things that I have too much of or kind of wish I hadn’t bought in the first place. They are a weight on me, so if we use them up, I’ll feel better. Hopefully, this will teach me to shop better, too.

    Take inventory.

    By taking inventory of what you have in the fridge, pantry, and freezer, you know what tools you have to work with. You also have a chance to start out with a cleaned and (sort of) organized food storage.

    Refrigerator full of food

    I cleaned out the refrigerator today. I feel good knowing what I have to work with as I menu plan or prepare meals on the fly.

    Plan meals.

    Write a list of all the meals you could make with what you already have. You may be surprised that the list is so long.

    Now add to the list the meals that you could make with just one or two ingredients yet to be purchased. This can be the start of your grocery list.

    Be realistic.

    When I first heard the phrase, pantry challenge, I thought it meant that I had to go cold turkey and not buy anything. You know we were doomed for failure that way. Over the years, I’ve learned what’s realistic for us to manage. Sometimes I’ve cut our spending in half; other times, I saved just a fraction of our budget, but we were good stewards with what we had.

    Keep a record.

    Jot down each day of the pantry challenge, what you serve for all meals, and how your family responds to those meals. We have discovered some of our favorite meals based on recipes I developed during the pantry challenge. I’ll be posting daily here on Good Cheap Eats our log as well as posting or linking to recipes that I use.

    little girls sitting at a table with placemats this …

    Make it a family affair.

    One of my renewed goals as a parent and a home cook is to include my kids more in the meal planning and execution. I tend to hover a little too much. I hope to include the kids more in meal prep and part of that will be their taking stock of what we have and getting creative.

    Give yourself a break.

    Don’t freak out if you don’t meet all your goals. If you fall off the wagon, just brush yourself off and climb back on. Doing something is better than nothing.

    Learn.

    Go beyond your comfort zone and learn to make use of the food you have. Waste not, want not, right? Read The Kitchen Counter Cooking School if you haven’t already, paying careful attention to Chapter 12 which is all about using what you have to your best advantage.

    Be a good steward.

    Most important of all, be a good steward of what you have. That, really, is the point of “eating down the pantry”. Only you can know what suits your family best. If you find a killer deal on grocery items that your family needs, go ahead and stock up — even if it is a pantry challenge. If you are sober-minded and know that deal won’t come around again, go for it.

    Likewise, if you are tempted toward take-out, but know you have chicken that needs to be cooked, head home and do the right thing: cook that chicken. Save the take-out for another time.

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    Comments

    1. Kassy

      March 31, 2017 at 8:30 am

      We have a potential move looming and my pantry as well as my deep freeze are overstocked. I just threw out a ton of veggies due to poor planning prior to spring break in addition to a family emergency. All this to say, I’m tired of spending money that I don’t need to. We have plenty of food to eat and I’m ready to put my energy toward healthy creative meals.

      Reply
    2. Heather

      December 31, 2013 at 10:58 am

      I’m jumping in again this year. However, I can’t say that I’ve been really big into stocking up on groceries since last years challenge. But I’m going to try and cut our grocery bill in half for the month. Its a good thing I hit up the bulk food store today (OK I only needed brown sugar, cream of tarter and taco seasoning).

      Reply
    3. Susan

      December 31, 2013 at 7:13 am

      I’m in!! I was planning to clean out the pantry this week – pull everything out, wipe down the shelves, etc… – my post holiday clean up. So, while I’m doing that, I’ll take inventory of the stuff I have and then look for recipes to use up the stuff I already have on hand. When I did this for my freezer in the fall, I created an inventory list in Excel (I’m nerdy like that), and it’s really helped me from buying foods that I already have in the freezer.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 31, 2013 at 9:12 am

        This is last year’s post. Watch for PC updates tomorrow.

        Reply
    4. Traci

      December 28, 2013 at 11:57 am

      I’m in, let’s do this!

      Reply
    5. Elizabeth

      December 27, 2013 at 6:37 am

      No pantry challenge for 2014?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 27, 2013 at 8:03 am

        I took the week off. I’ll be sharing about pantry challenge 2014 next week. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Anna

      November 03, 2013 at 10:48 am

      Over the years, I’ve been on the involuntary pantry eat-down plan a few times a year, having about $25 a week to feed 5 people and 2 dogs. Creativity is key! Unfortunately, I’m in one of those times now and have reached the “stuff no one wants to eat” level. So, I’ll check out your recipes and read up for moral support.

      Are you doing this in Jan 2014 too? I’ll probably be able to restock before then.

      Oh, and do you have a list of “scratch cooking” essentials? I have the stuff to make breads, pizza crusts, etc. Just curious to see if I’m leaving any basics out.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 03, 2013 at 2:14 pm

        Hi Anna, bless your heart for making it work during really tough times. Yes, I plan to do some modification of this in January. And then we do it again in July.

        You might want to check this series: https://goodcheapeats.com/2010/02/build-frugal-pantry/ I wrote that after a pantry challenge, realizing what I really needed to have on hand. I haven’t made a checklist per se, but I should do that soon.

        Reply
        • Anna

          November 03, 2013 at 2:27 pm

          Thanks, Jessica. I will read that post too. Everything helps. Have a great night!

    7. Stephanie

      February 01, 2013 at 6:00 pm

      I would love to do this…my freezer is busting at the seams. I might have to wait until March though as I have already bought a lot. We shall see…and I would love to cut down on my grocery bill…we are spending $800 a month for just 4 people and it is really frustrating me. My daughter was just diagnosed with acid reflux so this is making it a bit challenging for me and my son does not eat meat and is picky in several other ways. I a, going to try it though and see where it goes. Thanks for the great ideas.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        February 01, 2013 at 6:22 pm

        I’m confused as to why you have to start in March. Just focus on what you have this month and only buy the essentials. It’s okay if you “spent money” this month. The basic point is not to buy more.

        Reply
    8. Natalie Muoio

      January 26, 2013 at 10:11 am

      I would’ve so loved to try this out with all of you but I just today found your pantry challenge. 🙁 One big question I do have got you though how do you create your grocery budget? How do you establish a budget do you have a certain formula for this? I am eager too know, hope im not getting to personal..

      Reply
      • Jessica

        January 26, 2013 at 12:41 pm

        The bottom line formula is what you can afford without acquiring debt. But this chart gives you a good baseline: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/usdafoodcost-home.htm The numbers are national averages based on food costs nationwide when all food is eaten at home.

        Reply
    9. RMFrancis

      January 26, 2013 at 7:53 am

      Im inn! My freezers are to full and so is my pantry. I cant wait to see how much money I can save. Also want to get rid of all the processed food in the pantry and eat more from scratch in the future. Thanks For the challenge

      Reply
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