I have such a bad habit of using just a smidgen of some food item and then hanging on to the rest for years. “This Junket is still good. I only used it once!” (See? You didn’t even know what Junket is, did you? That’s because I don’t think they make it anymore.)
I’m working on editing the mess.
We didn’t get our grocery shopping done last Sunday, and that was the catalyst that began this whole process. I wondered if it would be possible to make it through a week of breakfasts with no milk. As it turns out – yes. I had bacon & eggs – a no-brainer. Hmmmm…. what else could I use up?
I made a few pancakes to freeze, using up some oatmeal, old strawberry yogurt (remember, I don’t have milk) and some dried cranberries. They wouldn’t win a prize at a fair, but they’re not bad and they’ll get me through Saturday.
I realized there were many, many more things that need to be eaten or just thrown out. We have boxes and cans of food that have fake prices from when Lloyd used them for a math unit for middle school. He hasn’t taught middle school for the past two or three years.
Thus began the week of cleaning out the fridge & cupboards. Our first dinner was half a summer sausage, half an apple, the rest of the bread dough (baked into bread balloons), and a sad little bit of soup to use up half a can of chicken broth. It was such a tiny amount that it only filled two ramekins halfway.
The past three nights we’ve eaten frozen meatloaf and mashed potatoes (made from sprouting spuds) for dinner. Despite the fact that I am dying for a Subway sandwich, it feels good – a small dent has been made. In another week we may have waded through the old frozen meats. Remember these? Some are still in there.
So, the plan is to eat this stockpile and then start fresh with new hoarding.
Brad says
Don’t tell me you’re getting rid of the three-year-old M&M’s and two-year-old crackers! What will I eat when I visit?
Karla says
I know what Junket is! In fact, I have some in my cupboard! They still made it as recently as 2 years ago -- that’s when my parents bought some and then gave some to me.
Peggy says
I think that meal looks AWESOME! Presentation is everything! Good job!
I have ALOT of stuff in my freezer as well! I guess I need to purge. And yet we could probably live a year off all that stuff in the event of the zombie attack. To purge or not to purge?
http://splicd.com/hbySy_6CluI/9/12
Christina says
I cleaned my freezer out in January when we had a snow day (yes, we got less than 1/2 inch of snow and they closed my office). It’s a shiny inside now!
Gretchen says
Umm, you are checking “best if used by” dates, right? I’m just saying…
I am also playing the “What can I use up?” game. However, I keep buying two ingredients to use up one. I have marshmellows so I bought rice krispies and butter to make rice krispie treats. I have corn tortillas so I bought enchilada sauce and chicken. Unlike you, I am not making a dent.