Once I got to Ithaca and got my kitchen set up, it was time to stock my cupboards..and my fridge..and my freezer..and my liquor cabinet. Yes, I'm in the process of replacing many of those things that I systematically ate up a few months ago. I spend a lot more than I'm used to spending at the grocery store, due to all those random supplies.
Part of me wonders if it would be cheaper to just never cook, and just grab ready made stuff at Wegman's, microwave dinners, and/or eat in the restaurants/dorms* around campus. I did this in grad school, aided by the presence of the MIT food trucks and the 24 hour coffee house, and I sort of did this as a postdoc and in the early years at the startup company, since they fed us. And I'm sure there will be times when I revert to that when things are super busy. But to make that work, you have to commit to it 100%, like I did when I was a grad student with no kitchen. Going half and half gets pricy and time consuming- I ended up buying stuff I didn't use, and spending too much time going out to find food.
* As a perk, faculty and staff can go to the all-you-can eat dorm lunches for $6. Even when I was a young undergraduate biddy working in the dorm cafeteria, some 20+ years ago, it cost at least that much. As a result, we didn't see many non-students. The postdocs in the group are big fans of this, and they bring along some of the grad students. These are some big eaters, too.
Showing posts with label no-shopping experiment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no-shopping experiment. Show all posts
Monday, July 12, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
No-shopping experiment, conclusion
The goodbye lunches and dinners have started and I'm done with the no-shopping experiment. I've packed up many of my kitchen implements, spices/seasonings and small appliances, and taken a lot of the remaining food over to my mom.
I can't believe how much stuff I had left over after four months of not buying anything other than produce and dairy. I used up all the cuts of meat and soups, but had lots of odds and ends like bacon, cheese, leftover ham, etc. I ate my way through lots of oatmeal, barley, and quinoa, but still had lots of split peas and lentils. I used up large quantities of flour, sugar, nuts and butter but lost momentum once I started packing up my kitchen.
So anyway, the take-home messages are that I buy way too much stuff and don't use it up in a timely manner, and that if there is ever a famine, shortage of specific ingredients, or another period of unemployment in my future, I will be all set. I'm going to try to be better about not buying so much stuff. Being 150 miles from the nearest Costco and Trader Joe's should help.
In an appropriate bookend to the no-shopping experiment, a Sprouts market is opening up near my CA house the day that the movers get here. I've heard good things about it, but I'm glad it didn't open up any sooner or I'd have even more stuff left over.
I can't believe how much stuff I had left over after four months of not buying anything other than produce and dairy. I used up all the cuts of meat and soups, but had lots of odds and ends like bacon, cheese, leftover ham, etc. I ate my way through lots of oatmeal, barley, and quinoa, but still had lots of split peas and lentils. I used up large quantities of flour, sugar, nuts and butter but lost momentum once I started packing up my kitchen.
So anyway, the take-home messages are that I buy way too much stuff and don't use it up in a timely manner, and that if there is ever a famine, shortage of specific ingredients, or another period of unemployment in my future, I will be all set. I'm going to try to be better about not buying so much stuff. Being 150 miles from the nearest Costco and Trader Joe's should help.
In an appropriate bookend to the no-shopping experiment, a Sprouts market is opening up near my CA house the day that the movers get here. I've heard good things about it, but I'm glad it didn't open up any sooner or I'd have even more stuff left over.
Monday, May 3, 2010
No shopping experiment update/Pedrick Produce/artichokes
I haven't cooked very much unusual stuff lately, so there's not much to post here. Nonetheless, the no-shopping experiment is going well. I'm into the home stretch. The frozen fruit is getting eaten, and the frozen veggies are gone. I cooked a roast tonight. It had been in the freezer for a year and a half, but it tasted ok. I've got a few pork chops and a turkey left. The turkey is getting cooked on Mother's Day, and a lot of the unopened canned foods and dried goods are getting donated to the postal service food drive.
I visited Missy this weekend. As usual, I stopped off at Pedrick Produce on the way back. It's in Dixon, a few miles from Davis. They specialize in really cheap produce. You can get a great deal, if you don't mind buying big bags of whatever is in season. It's usually very fresh, and I end up buying huge quantities and sharing the bounty with my parents. My favorites are the watermelons for $0.09/lb, and cherries and asparagus for $0.99/lb. Other items of interest are the extensive selection of grains, beans, dried fruit, candy, seasonings, etc. There's also a wide variety of hot sauces, homemade style tortillas, and pies. It's always really crowded, but it's worth the wait. I recommend stopping there if you're on Highway 80.
Anyway, the no-shopping experiment means that I haven't hit up the dried goods lately, but I still pick up produce. We're at an in-between season here. Strawberries are going strong, but it's been rainy so the quality isn't up to par. I scored some pears, mangos, and jumbo artichokes. The artichokes were 5 for $4. If I'd gotten them at the farmer's market they'd cost at least $2/each.
I cooked them up tonight since my parents were coming over for dinner. They take about an hour, but are easy. Just cut off the stem* and top, place them in a pot, and cook in salted water with a bit of lemon juice until tender. Serve with melted butter, balsamic vinegar, or salad dressing. These were the first ones I've had this year, and it really hit the spot.
* The stems are pretty tasty. Cut off the discolored end, peel, and cook with the artichokes.
I visited Missy this weekend. As usual, I stopped off at Pedrick Produce on the way back. It's in Dixon, a few miles from Davis. They specialize in really cheap produce. You can get a great deal, if you don't mind buying big bags of whatever is in season. It's usually very fresh, and I end up buying huge quantities and sharing the bounty with my parents. My favorites are the watermelons for $0.09/lb, and cherries and asparagus for $0.99/lb. Other items of interest are the extensive selection of grains, beans, dried fruit, candy, seasonings, etc. There's also a wide variety of hot sauces, homemade style tortillas, and pies. It's always really crowded, but it's worth the wait. I recommend stopping there if you're on Highway 80.
Anyway, the no-shopping experiment means that I haven't hit up the dried goods lately, but I still pick up produce. We're at an in-between season here. Strawberries are going strong, but it's been rainy so the quality isn't up to par. I scored some pears, mangos, and jumbo artichokes. The artichokes were 5 for $4. If I'd gotten them at the farmer's market they'd cost at least $2/each.
I cooked them up tonight since my parents were coming over for dinner. They take about an hour, but are easy. Just cut off the stem* and top, place them in a pot, and cook in salted water with a bit of lemon juice until tender. Serve with melted butter, balsamic vinegar, or salad dressing. These were the first ones I've had this year, and it really hit the spot.
* The stems are pretty tasty. Cut off the discolored end, peel, and cook with the artichokes.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
The light at the end of the tunnel
I reached critical mass on the no-shopping experiment recently. My freezer is noticeably less full, even though I keep putting tupperware containers of soup in there. I can even see the floor, if i move stuff around. There is also free space in my cupboard now. I've used up at least 20 lbs of flour, and may need to buy more before I move. I've also used up 4 lbs of steel cut oats (do the math - I eat them for breakfast almost every day) I should make it, assuming that I cook the remaining turkey and roast.
I'm not so worried about condiments, dried goods, etc. I've certainly been running my supplies down, but it's easier just to pass those along to my mom. I'm running down my liquor cabinet as well but will take that with me.
I'm not sure if the no-shopping experiment has been good or bad for my diet. It's a wash. I weigh the same as I did when it started. I keep telling myself that if I weren't doing the no-shopping experiment I'd eat fewer carbs and would lose weight, but I suspect I'd also eat more tasty pre-prepared stuff and it would balance out.
I'm not so worried about condiments, dried goods, etc. I've certainly been running my supplies down, but it's easier just to pass those along to my mom. I'm running down my liquor cabinet as well but will take that with me.
I'm not sure if the no-shopping experiment has been good or bad for my diet. It's a wash. I weigh the same as I did when it started. I keep telling myself that if I weren't doing the no-shopping experiment I'd eat fewer carbs and would lose weight, but I suspect I'd also eat more tasty pre-prepared stuff and it would balance out.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
No shopping experiment, another update/buttery dinner rolls
I'm still eating up the contents of my larder. I just haven't been blogging about it since I haven't made anything interesting. In the last two weeks I've processed a 12 lb turkey, a bag of bagels, a loaf of bread, a bunch of cranberries, some leftover Christmas stollen, lots of flour, some couscous, some arborio rice, and some regular rice. I've made a good dent in the dried fruit, juice, and booze too. I have actually gotten to the point where I've had to start replacing some of the staples, like butter.
I'm starting to find things that have gone stale, like the rice and couscous. The stuff from the freezer is mostly fine. For Easter,my mom cooked a 20 lb ham. Now you see where I get my hoarding tendencies from! I decided to make some homemade rolls.
The recipes on the Cuisinart stand mixer booklet have all been pretty tasty, so I just used their recipe. I modified the recipe slightly to make a wetter dough. If you have a smaller mixer or you don't want to freeze half the dough, just cut all the ingredients in half.
Buttery dinner rolls
makes 32 large rolls
2 c milk
1 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs
4 tsp active dry yeast
8-9 cups flour
Heat milk in microwave until almost boiling. Add butter, sugar and salt and allow butter to melt. Let the mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch. Meanwhile, combine water, yeast, and a pinch of flour. Allow the yeast mixture to sit until it gets foamy (5-10 minutes). Add the butter/milk/sugar mixture and the beaten eggs. Add about 7 1/2 cups flour and mix with dough hook at low speed for 2 minutes, then start adding the remaining flour a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough ball clings to the hook and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Allow to mix for 4 more minutes, then transfer to a clean, greased bowl. Place in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size (maybe 1 hour or so) Divide dough in half, and set one portion aside if not needed. (Freeze for later use) Divide the remaining dough into 16 balls. Place in greased pan (10" round or 11"x15" glass dish) Cover with saran wrap and allow rolls to rise until doubled (45-60 min)
Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes.
The dough was very easy to work with. It's important to add the flour slowly at the end so it doesn't get too dry. The rolls were very tender and buttery. My mom said they reminded her of croissants. They went well with the ham, and later with the ham leftovers. I only took a few home with me, so I made the second batch a few days later. They weren't quite as tender as the first batch, but were still quite good, and it's nice to have the dough on hand for those times when you want fresh baked rolls.
I'm starting to find things that have gone stale, like the rice and couscous. The stuff from the freezer is mostly fine. For Easter,my mom cooked a 20 lb ham. Now you see where I get my hoarding tendencies from! I decided to make some homemade rolls.
The recipes on the Cuisinart stand mixer booklet have all been pretty tasty, so I just used their recipe. I modified the recipe slightly to make a wetter dough. If you have a smaller mixer or you don't want to freeze half the dough, just cut all the ingredients in half.
Buttery dinner rolls
makes 32 large rolls
2 c milk
1 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs
4 tsp active dry yeast
8-9 cups flour
Heat milk in microwave until almost boiling. Add butter, sugar and salt and allow butter to melt. Let the mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch. Meanwhile, combine water, yeast, and a pinch of flour. Allow the yeast mixture to sit until it gets foamy (5-10 minutes). Add the butter/milk/sugar mixture and the beaten eggs. Add about 7 1/2 cups flour and mix with dough hook at low speed for 2 minutes, then start adding the remaining flour a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough ball clings to the hook and pulls away from the side of the bowl. Allow to mix for 4 more minutes, then transfer to a clean, greased bowl. Place in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size (maybe 1 hour or so) Divide dough in half, and set one portion aside if not needed. (Freeze for later use) Divide the remaining dough into 16 balls. Place in greased pan (10" round or 11"x15" glass dish) Cover with saran wrap and allow rolls to rise until doubled (45-60 min)
Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes.
The dough was very easy to work with. It's important to add the flour slowly at the end so it doesn't get too dry. The rolls were very tender and buttery. My mom said they reminded her of croissants. They went well with the ham, and later with the ham leftovers. I only took a few home with me, so I made the second batch a few days later. They weren't quite as tender as the first batch, but were still quite good, and it's nice to have the dough on hand for those times when you want fresh baked rolls.
Friday, March 26, 2010
No shopping experiment, update
I accepted the job at Cornell the other day. I'm not sure if it's coincidental, but I've been backsliding on the no-shopping experiment. I bought a frozen pizza, mustard, juice, sausage, and almond milk today. I don't need any of those things, really, but I'm getting pretty bored with the contents of my freezer/cupboards.
Nonetheless, I've made some progress. There is noticeably more space in my freezer now. I'm cooking one of the turkeys in a few day, so that's going to free up a lot of space.
Nonetheless, I've made some progress. There is noticeably more space in my freezer now. I'm cooking one of the turkeys in a few day, so that's going to free up a lot of space.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
"It'll keep you regular" mixed grain and seed bread
As part of my "no-shopping experiment," I'm trying to use up my supplies of different flours + seeds. Today I decided to make the mixed grain and seed bread from the recipe book that came with the stand mixer. I didn't have enough whole wheat flour, and I had a lot of buckwheat and rye flour, so I ended up with the following recipe. I am sort of frightened by the fact that I had all these ingredients on hand.
The name needs no explanation, of course.
"It'll keep you regular" mixed grain and seed bread
2 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp.active dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten
3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp salt
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Mix the water, maple syrup, and yeast together and let it stand for 15 minutes, then add the vegetable oil and honey. Combine all the flours, oats, gluten and salt and mix. Add to water/yeast mixture and mix for several minutes with stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add seeds and then add more bread flour 1 tbsp at a time until a dough ball forms that clings to the hook. Mix for 4 minutes, then let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1 1/2 hours). Punch dough down, divide into three equal portions, shape, and place in oiled loaf pans. Allow dough to rise until doubled, then bake in a 375F oven for about 35-40 minutes.
My dough was a lot drier than I would've expected. I did change the recipe quite substantially from the original, so I think I should've added less flour. Nonetheless, the dough had a nice texture and rose well. I punched it down, divided it, and prepared two loaves. I froze the third portion for later.
The bread was dense but tasty. It tastes sort of similar to the whole wheat artisan loaves they sell at Costco. I took a loaf up to Missy's and it got the toddler seal of approval from Kadin. Next time I'll use a bit less flour and let it rise longer.
The name needs no explanation, of course.
"It'll keep you regular" mixed grain and seed bread
2 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp.active dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup rye flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten
3 cups bread flour
1 tbsp salt
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
Mix the water, maple syrup, and yeast together and let it stand for 15 minutes, then add the vegetable oil and honey. Combine all the flours, oats, gluten and salt and mix. Add to water/yeast mixture and mix for several minutes with stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add seeds and then add more bread flour 1 tbsp at a time until a dough ball forms that clings to the hook. Mix for 4 minutes, then let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1 1/2 hours). Punch dough down, divide into three equal portions, shape, and place in oiled loaf pans. Allow dough to rise until doubled, then bake in a 375F oven for about 35-40 minutes.
My dough was a lot drier than I would've expected. I did change the recipe quite substantially from the original, so I think I should've added less flour. Nonetheless, the dough had a nice texture and rose well. I punched it down, divided it, and prepared two loaves. I froze the third portion for later.
The bread was dense but tasty. It tastes sort of similar to the whole wheat artisan loaves they sell at Costco. I took a loaf up to Missy's and it got the toddler seal of approval from Kadin. Next time I'll use a bit less flour and let it rise longer.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
More musings on the no-shopping experiment
OK, so I've realized a few things now that the no-shopping experiment has been going on for a while. In particular, some stuff just can't be replaced easily. I'm almost out of wine, so it is now exempt. Peanut butter and tofu are also exempt. They're not dairy but in my mind they're part of the same vegetarian protein source group as dairy.
Bread and cereal also fall into a grey zone. I don't eat a lot of cereal, but it's nice to have around. I replaced my supply today. I'm going to try to continue to bake bread, at least until I use up most of my flour.
I've made a pretty good dent in the frozen leftover soups, so that's good. They will be replenished shortly once I start cooking again.
Bread and cereal also fall into a grey zone. I don't eat a lot of cereal, but it's nice to have around. I replaced my supply today. I'm going to try to continue to bake bread, at least until I use up most of my flour.
I've made a pretty good dent in the frozen leftover soups, so that's good. They will be replenished shortly once I start cooking again.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Split Pea Soup
It's cold and rainy today. I have the flu and crave soup, but my sense of taste is dulled. I decided to make split pea soup. I have a lot of dried peas to get rid of.
I opted to go with a fairly simple recipe that I found in Epicurious. Based on the reviews, it was pretty well-liked and was also pretty adaptable. In agreement with the no-shopping experiment, I adjusted it according to what I had. I omitted the ham hock and used about 8 oz of bacon instead. I fried that up, then set it aside. I drained off most of the fat and then sauteed the onion and celery in the remaining fat. (I didn't have carrots so I skipped them and added two diced up potatoes instead.) I added two cloves of minced garlic and sauteed it briefly, and then added the water, marjoram, two peeled and chopped up potatoes, the bacon and dried peas. The mixture was then brought to a boil and allowed to simmer until the peas and potatoes fell apart (2 hours). At that point it was pretty thick. I added salt and pepper to taste, along with a bit of smoked paprika and a drop of liquid smoke to deepen the flavor. I hope it doesn't taste horrible once I get my sense of smell back. I let it cool somewhat and then pureed the whole thing.
Anyway, it tastes pretty good, and will probably improve with age. It's got that classic split pea soup flavor and the right consistency. I'm looking forward to eating it with little bit of cheese on top and a slice of toast.
I opted to go with a fairly simple recipe that I found in Epicurious. Based on the reviews, it was pretty well-liked and was also pretty adaptable. In agreement with the no-shopping experiment, I adjusted it according to what I had. I omitted the ham hock and used about 8 oz of bacon instead. I fried that up, then set it aside. I drained off most of the fat and then sauteed the onion and celery in the remaining fat. (I didn't have carrots so I skipped them and added two diced up potatoes instead.) I added two cloves of minced garlic and sauteed it briefly, and then added the water, marjoram, two peeled and chopped up potatoes, the bacon and dried peas. The mixture was then brought to a boil and allowed to simmer until the peas and potatoes fell apart (2 hours). At that point it was pretty thick. I added salt and pepper to taste, along with a bit of smoked paprika and a drop of liquid smoke to deepen the flavor. I hope it doesn't taste horrible once I get my sense of smell back. I let it cool somewhat and then pureed the whole thing.
Anyway, it tastes pretty good, and will probably improve with age. It's got that classic split pea soup flavor and the right consistency. I'm looking forward to eating it with little bit of cheese on top and a slice of toast.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Musings on the no-shopping experiment
I bought a crazy amount of dairy, fruit, and vegetables recently. This is normal for me. My freezers and cupboards are too full not because I buy huge quantities of meat and starch, but because I tend to default to dairy, fruit and veggies and the other stuff ends up in the freezer or cupboard. It remains to be see if I actually save any money during my experiment.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
No shopping experiment, exceptions
I'm making exceptions to the no-shopping experiment.
1. Coffee is necessary and is exempt.
2. I have a huge oversupply of tea. So it's not exempt, even though it can easily be moved.
3. Cat food is exempt, obviously. However, the cats will surely benefit when I cook those turkeys.
4. I've also declared a moratorium on buying bath stuff. I have enough for several years. Really. Certain stuff from Paula's Choice is necessary and exempt, however.
5. Chocolate is necessary and exempt. It is unlikely that I will be left with an oversupply, of course.
6. It will become necessary to buy some stuff to get rid of other stuff. However I won't buy the Costco size packages.
1. Coffee is necessary and is exempt.
2. I have a huge oversupply of tea. So it's not exempt, even though it can easily be moved.
3. Cat food is exempt, obviously. However, the cats will surely benefit when I cook those turkeys.
4. I've also declared a moratorium on buying bath stuff. I have enough for several years. Really. Certain stuff from Paula's Choice is necessary and exempt, however.
5. Chocolate is necessary and exempt. It is unlikely that I will be left with an oversupply, of course.
6. It will become necessary to buy some stuff to get rid of other stuff. However I won't buy the Costco size packages.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Pork Chops with Spicy Citrus Chipotle Sauce
It's day one of the eating through the freezer experiment. I pulled out some soup for lunch and defrosted two thick cut pork chops for dinner/leftovers for tomorrow. I decided to brine the porkchops, and got out a cook book to find the brine proportions. Right next to the recipe for the pork chops, there was a sauce recipe that used orange juice, lime juice and zest, and chipotle peppers. I had all of those things. Perfect!
The pork chops were browned for on both sides, and then put into a 450F oven for about 10 minutes. Use a meat thermometer just to be on the safe side. Puree the sauce ingredients in advance and then cook the sauce down while the porkchops are resting.
Here's the sauce recipe. I modified it since I didn't have molasses. This makes enough for four pork chops. (I made a half recipe)
1/2 cup molasses (I used a combination of brown sugar and corn syrup)
1 cup orange juice
zest and juice from 2 limes
4 adobo chilies in sauce (I had some in the freezer. I just threw in the entire packet - it may've been a bit more)
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp butter.
salt and pepper to taste.
Puree all the sauce ingredients in the blender.
After the pork chops are done cooking, let them rest under fill. Drain the fat from the pan and add the sauce. Cook it down until it's thick and shiny. Remove from heat and add the butter. Serve with the pork chops.
The pork was done to perfection on the chop that I tested with the meat thermometer. The other one was a bit underdone so I saved it for tomorrow, when I'll be reheating it. Rugrat was crying and begging while I was browning the chops, so I gave her some without sauce. She liked it. As for the sauce, well, it's good I'm on a spicy foods kick. Even so, it was a bit much. I'd back way off on the chipotle peppers next time. It was tasty, though. It wasn't too sweet, and the citrus flavors came through. I ate my pork chop with broccoli and homemade bread. (I have a lot of flour to use up too!) I am enjoying this experiment so far.
Net food cleared from storage
2 pork chops
3 limes that were staring to go bad
1 packet of chipotle chiles from the freezer
2 oranges that fell off the orange tree
some flour + brown sugar
The pork chops were browned for on both sides, and then put into a 450F oven for about 10 minutes. Use a meat thermometer just to be on the safe side. Puree the sauce ingredients in advance and then cook the sauce down while the porkchops are resting.
Here's the sauce recipe. I modified it since I didn't have molasses. This makes enough for four pork chops. (I made a half recipe)
1/2 cup molasses (I used a combination of brown sugar and corn syrup)
1 cup orange juice
zest and juice from 2 limes
4 adobo chilies in sauce (I had some in the freezer. I just threw in the entire packet - it may've been a bit more)
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp butter.
salt and pepper to taste.
Puree all the sauce ingredients in the blender.
After the pork chops are done cooking, let them rest under fill. Drain the fat from the pan and add the sauce. Cook it down until it's thick and shiny. Remove from heat and add the butter. Serve with the pork chops.
The pork was done to perfection on the chop that I tested with the meat thermometer. The other one was a bit underdone so I saved it for tomorrow, when I'll be reheating it. Rugrat was crying and begging while I was browning the chops, so I gave her some without sauce. She liked it. As for the sauce, well, it's good I'm on a spicy foods kick. Even so, it was a bit much. I'd back way off on the chipotle peppers next time. It was tasty, though. It wasn't too sweet, and the citrus flavors came through. I ate my pork chop with broccoli and homemade bread. (I have a lot of flour to use up too!) I am enjoying this experiment so far.
Net food cleared from storage
2 pork chops
3 limes that were staring to go bad
1 packet of chipotle chiles from the freezer
2 oranges that fell off the orange tree
some flour + brown sugar
The (almost) no-shopping experiment
I love to go grocery shopping, and I'm a total hoarder. As a result, my cabinets, freezer, etc, are filled to bursting. Hell, I've got two turkeys in my freezer, four kinds of flour, and more weird legumes and grains than you can shake a stick at....
So now, I've got time on my hands, less income than usual, and the prospect of an impending cross-country move. It's time to "eat through the freezer"*, and the cupboards, and the fridge, and the liquor cabinet, so I don't have to end up giving all of this food to my mom.
So I'm starting an experiment. As of now, I'm only going to buy cottage cheese, milk, coffee and eggs. I'll buy produce on an as-needed basis, but will try to use up the frozen fruit and veggies. I may make exceptions for special occasions.
This will not keep me from food blogging, though. Quite the opposite. I'll keep you updated on the experiment and will also write a lot of posts as I try new recipes to use up my larder of provisions.
*My ex-boyfriend was an even bigger food hoarder than me. In fact, he was a bad influence on me. His particular predilection was to fill the freezer. Anyway, ever so often he'd go through phases where he'd "eat through the freezer".
So now, I've got time on my hands, less income than usual, and the prospect of an impending cross-country move. It's time to "eat through the freezer"*, and the cupboards, and the fridge, and the liquor cabinet, so I don't have to end up giving all of this food to my mom.
So I'm starting an experiment. As of now, I'm only going to buy cottage cheese, milk, coffee and eggs. I'll buy produce on an as-needed basis, but will try to use up the frozen fruit and veggies. I may make exceptions for special occasions.
This will not keep me from food blogging, though. Quite the opposite. I'll keep you updated on the experiment and will also write a lot of posts as I try new recipes to use up my larder of provisions.
*My ex-boyfriend was an even bigger food hoarder than me. In fact, he was a bad influence on me. His particular predilection was to fill the freezer. Anyway, ever so often he'd go through phases where he'd "eat through the freezer".
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