Pantry magic
My challenge for this month is to try to eat my way through our pantry….until I can see blue sky, or in this case, bare shelves. I am not going to buy any food items other than fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy – ie fresh stuff….for as long as I can hold out, and hopefully at least a month.
Why? Not for some new-found austerity, or a desire for minimalism in the kitchen (minimalism and I don’t go together – I am the person who thinks it is essential to have six different types of paprika in my wall of spices afterall!). But my pantry is overflowing (as is my freezer), and I can’t physically cram anymore in there. It would be quite nice if we could eat our way through some of our stash. And I know it will only happen if I force myself to do it.
I officially started this challenge earlier this week. I was doing a quick shop before school pick up and found myself wondering what else we needed (after I had stocked up on the fresh stuff). I started aimlessly wandering the aisles, picking up boxes “just in case” we had run out of whatever it was at home. And then I remembered – no more shopping for food stuff. It felt rather strange to walk out with just my fresh stuff. I was pleased but also slightly anxious.
When the sugar runs out I will just have to start using one of the five bottles of honey I have in the cupboard (why five? even I don’t know the answer to that one other than a trip to New Zealand and Manuka honey featuring somewhere in that little bit of overconsumption!). We don’t normally buy biscuits other than crackers for cheese…which I guess I will have to make now. When the flour runs out I might have to use some of the six different types of gluten free flours I have in the pantry. Are you getting a bit of a mental picture of my pantry as yet?! 🙂
Wish me strength and join me in this challenge if you feel so inclined.
Spice and more 
Good luck! Ring me if you run out – borrowing from a friend is not the same as buying… 😉
Nice one! I stopped the shopping for things ‘just in case’ a few weeks ago, and I’m sure our food bill has gone down a lot. Always forgetting my shopping list, whack another item in just in case, and then not use it for 12 months- I was sick of the clutter too. I’m finding I can spend more of that saved money on more expensive fresh items.
So good luck, and enjoy those 5 jars of honey!
I do a less extreme version of this, when I walk into the garage and just grab things off the shelves and put them next to the cooker until I use them. I do have quite a stash of rye grain though, hard to use up unless you are baking for a vollkornbrot lover! There was a hilarious comedy routine last night where the standup was being all the different spice bottles on the shelves in his kitchen cupboard, with appropriate accents, all discussing when they were last used and how long they had been there. Ooh, hang on, I’ve just googled him and here by the magic of YouTube is Michael McIntryre’s salt and pepper routine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP3JP4kqkLE . Oh joy!
I absolutely love that comedy sketch!! I have to post it on a main page somewhere on my ‘spice’ blog – very appropriate! Thanks for the link!
Good luck, I hope to see some creative recipes appear on your blog as a result! I’m just wipping up a Morrocan bean soup which might be a good one for you if you have an excess of tinned pulses in your pantry!
That soup sounds yummy!
See, others haven’t seen your spice rack, but I have, so I know you won’t be using up anything any time soon… 😉
But I am looking forward to see what clever recipes you come up with! 😀
Ah, ye of little faith….
I SO need to do this! My pantry doth overflow! Sadly no matter how hard I try, I just keep buying more 😛
Good luck!! I do need this as well. The other day I realise that I have to bags of risotto rice! lol. Seriously need a pantry clear-out!
That’s a great idea actually! Perhaps I could work my way through the 6 bags of different rices that I have in my pantry. Or the various cans of lentils, chickpeas, etc. Might do just a weekend version of the challenge though… not sure I can refrain from buying new stuff for longer than that! Good luck! 🙂
ha ha, I am glad to hear that I am not the only one with this ‘disease’! 🙂
Used up some rye grain and hazelnuts, sunflowers and pumpkin seeds yesterday, with your post whispering in my ear! I have far too many extra bits to put in bread that don’t get used up quickly enough and end up going on the bird table…..
That sounds like a fantastic combination in a loaf of bread – yum! I hope you have posted it on your site as I about to go over to look for it!
I will post something later today about the other breads, I think the photos are still in the camera and I can’t find where I’ve left it! Thanks for all the lovely comments on the blog 🙂