When I was rummaging around in my freezer, I found a very large package of cocktail hotdogs. I have been trying to use up what I have in the house. I made some for West for a recent Sunday brunch and he loved them. So I took this last package from the freezer to thaw last Friday. Then my son called me that evening and told me that West was sick so they would not be coming for Sunday brunch.
Knowing that I had some crescent rolls in the refrigerator, I decided to use them up. So these were dinner last night. We had a huge salad for brunch so no veggies were necessary. We had enough left over for a few lunches this week. I did refreeze about 20 of them to make for West when they come again. However, I have no more crescent rolls and I refuse to pay the price they are asking for them. So I found a copycat recipe online to make the dough and then wrap the hotdogs. It looks very easy. Here is the recipe if anyone is interested: https://bakingamoment.com/homemade-crescent-rolls/ .
After dinner, I decided to thaw a large sirloin tip roast. My plan was to make a beef stew in the crock pot today and eat on it the rest of the week. But this morning I remembered that it is Hubby’s birthday tomorrow. So that was not going to work and the roast is back in the freezer. I promised Hubby that I would make a big pan of lasagna for his birthday dinner.
The last time that I actually went to a grocery store I was shocked at so many of the prices. For example, we wanted A1 sauce and we had none. Walmart was out of stock on it and one of my other grocery stores wanted $ 9.08 for a small bottle. Needless to say it is still on the store shelf.
When I got home, I looked up a recipe for the A1 steak sauce and found a copycat recipe which is here: https://www.everydaymaven.com/paleo-steak-sauce-homemade-a1/ . I have every ingredient except the orange. But I have orange extract that I can substitute. This week I will make some and it will be much cheaper and healthier than the original.
So many people across this country have stocked up on food in case of an emergency. Well, I think these outrageous prices are the emergency. There are so many things that I can make rather than pay exorbitant prices at the grocery store. I would bet that most of us have the ingredients in our pantries to do just that. Think about using up some of your food before it goes bad. I know it is more work but I believe that in this economy, it is well worth the savings and the time.
Tonight Hubby and I will be making a Chef’s salad for dinner. We have plenty of lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, red onion, black olives, hard boiled eggs, real bacon bits, and ham, chicken, and cheese to use up. Throw in some croutons and our choice of salad dressing and we have a yummy meal with no leftovers. So we will be ready to eat that lasagna tomorrow night!
We got our electric and gas bill today. It was $ 116.37. More on that in our frugal post the end of the week.
How are you lowering your grocery bills? Are up shopping in your own pantry and freezers?
6 replies on “Shopping from my Pantry and Freezer”
Hi Precious. Last night I made French toast from some leftover bread and some sausage links from the freezer for supper. Tonight we are going to have a rice dish with veggies and smoked sausage from the freezer.
This weekend we will be attending the wedding of our son in law’s sister in Fla. I got a dress at a local thrift shop for 12.99 and will wear shoes I already had. Our neighbor will watch kitty. My arm is better.
Hi Chris,
Yum on your meals! We love using up leftovers and breakfast for dinner is always delicious.
Thanks for updating me about your arm. I am glad to hear is is better. I was going to write you and ask you today.
Enjoy the wedding. I bet you will look fantastic.
We started eating out of our pantry and freezer also. The cost of food right now is sooooo expensive, and that pantry food is just sitting there….right? I’ve just been buying eggs, plain bread, milk and other basics to fill in. Today I got a good deal on whole chickens. They were $1.39 a pound and will make great Sunday dinners. When I got to the store they only had 3 left. I bought all 3. Each bird is around 5 to 6 pounds, so it’s all good. I also bought a pork roast at $2.29 a pound. Got a 4 pounder. All this rain revived my veggie garden. Got a few more tomatoes out of it, an eggplant and some cucumber. Not bad. I can’t believe people are actually spending money to buy fall decorations. Say what? Fake plastic pumpkins and orange dried flowers. I buy 2 mums for my own fall decorations and a pumpkin, which I later cook up and eat when winter rolls in. I refuse to buy wasteful decorations. The trees out my window show the changing colors. For free.
Hi Cindi,
Yup, it has been sitting there and needs to be used up. Nice deal on the chickens. Do you have a Walmart near you? I have been getting the Perdue twin pack of roasting chickens for $ 1.14 a lb. But $ 1.39 would be a great price in our area too. Since turkeys are expected to cost more this Thanksgiving(time will tell), you are all set with those chickens.
Nice score on the pork roast and your garden.
I am trying to get rid of decorations. I will never be buying anymore.
The leaves will be changing here soon. I can’t wait! They are so gorgeous!
Absolutely eating out of the pantry and freezer.
*Pulled bacon out of the freezer and cooked it over the weekend to have available for quick suppers after work.
*Pulled a loaf of bread out of the freezer. I wish I could bake carb free gluten free bread, but I haven’t tried it yet.
*Sweet tooth was calling so I thawed out peach preserves and had on toast and butter. Refroze the preserves so I don’t eat it all at once.
*More tomatoes from the garden, but I think that is the last. Ate on my bacon sammies.
*Different types of peppers from the garden went in the freezer.
*Pulled a package of lunchmeat from the freezer to take to work for lunch. Ate this with my free package of cheese from Kroger.
*I was craving something tart so I pulled a jar of pickled beets from the pantry. Yummmmmm.
*BEST SURPRISE SO FAR: A friend coordinates, boxes, and gives away 150 food boxes per month. There was a lot of left over vegetables and I received over 100 pounds of food: celery, carrots, potatoes, onions, apples, peaches, watermelon, grapefruit, cabbage. I was able to fit it in the fridge or in a cool room until it can be processed.
*Other good news: son’s chickens are producing eggs again. Free eggs. They are non-GMO free range and the eggs have such a great flavor.
So I got food to put back in the freezer in place of what I pulled out.
Hi WendyG,
Thanks for sharing. This is a great list with many tips on saving money also. I love that you eat bacon for dinner. We should do that more often around here. I have never thought to bake carb free bread. But we usually use the low carb Keto wraps. I love how you solved your sweet tooth problem. So much better than munching on junk. Nice score on the free cheese.
I love pickled beets as a kid. My grandmother used to have them sometimes for dinner. I haven’t had them in years.
Wow!! So many vegetables. You are so lucky! If you have a cool room you can put the potatoes and onions in a crate in there. Just don’t put them in the same crate or near each other. Then cover them with a towel loosely draped over them. They will last all winter. You just have to check them once every couple of weeks to make sure there isn’t a bad one.
I used to buy those type of eggs. The yolks are so yellow! But they have gotten too expensive. Enjoy them.