Operation "Pantry Living" Step 1

So here is the plan - spend less than $20 a week at least for the next 3 weeks. (If not 5... I am working toward pay weeks and I am in the middle of a pay period now... in case your wondering why the odd amount.)

Why am I doing this? A couple reasons. A) To see if my family of 5 can B) To save money C) I am a shop-a-holic - since I can't afford to buy clothes or shoes (a dire necessity for a girlie girl) I have found myself buying ridiculous amounts of groceries to compensate which leads to D) Clean out the PANTRY!

Today's Shopping list -
Bag of Dog Food (not included in the $20)
1 gal of milk
Bread
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Jalepenos
1 pkg cream cheese

Here is my menu for the next week:
Saturday - Homemade Ravioli
Sunday - Chicken Pot Pie (home made)
Monday - Fajitas w/fresh pico de gallo
Tuesday - Green Chili Chick Enchiladas
Wednesday - Meatloaf w/mashed potatoes
Thursday - Crunchy Chicken Strips (from my new Better Homes and Garden Cookbook) w/green beans
Friday - Ranch Style Chicken Salad (which takes left overs from the night before)

Wish me luck.

Here is the list of what I currently have on hand: (b=box/bottle/bag, p=package, c=can, j=jar)
Pantry
1 b each - Cheerios, crisp rice, choc cheerios
1 b (Sam's club size) Oatmeal
1 b Bisquick  /  1 b Cream of Wheat
1 b & 1/2 of Pancake Mix
8 sleeves saltines
14 p Ramen Noodles
4 c Evap Milk
2 b Syrup
1 j Peanut Butter  /  4 misc j of Jelly
4 b chipotle hot sauce
4 c gravy
2 c whole berry cranberry sauce
18 c tuna  /  1 c chicken (chunk)
1 c diced green chilis
2 b lasgna noodles  /  4 p spaghetti
1 b rice
1 b craisins
2 lrg p corn tortillas  /  1 lrg p flour tortillas
1 lrg b Tort Chips
8 misc p cake mix
3 b misc rice mix (Zatarains)
1 b stuffing
1/2 b potato flakes
2 p bread crumbs
5 c corn and peas  /  2 c green beans
10 c chicken broth
3 c pineapple chunks
4 c chick noodle soup
5 c Cream of Mushroom, C. of Chick, 4 of C. of Brocc
1 c Tomato soup
3 p Dry Pinto beans  /  1 p Dry Navy beans
1 p French Onion Dry
3 c Refried beans / 4 c each Kidney, Pinto beans
6 c Tomato Sauce / 6 c Diced Tomatoes
4 c diced italian style tomatoes
2 c green chili sauce
8 onions

Freezer
10 p Chicken breasts
9 1lb p hamburger
1 roast
1 pork loin
1 p hot dogs
1 p flank steak (Sam's club)
8 b butter
2 1lb p shredded mozz cheese
2 each p Ham Hock, ham steak
1 pkg e ground pork, spicey italian sausage
1/2 p peas
1 b peas/carrots
1 2lb p shrimp
2 1lb bg mex style shredded cheese
4 p sliced cheese
2 p taco meat
3 p pepperoni
1/2 bag french fries and hashbrowns

Fridge
2 gallons Milk
2 dz eggs
2 green peppers
2 tomatoes
1 lrg p Salad mix
3 naan bread
1 p pre-cooked bacon
2/3 p of raw bacon
1 celery
2 p crossaints
parm cheese
3 lemons
1 eggplant

and misc dressings, condiments, left over lunch meats, cheese etc.

So there you have it. I guess we will see how much it is reduced over the next month.