Freezer/Pantry Challenge: The Art of Making Do
Here’s what you need to know about me as a cook.
I want to be prepared for anything. Need me to make a quick dinner for 12? I’m game.
I grew up in a rural area with local groceries stores that had a limited selection. There was no running to the market for last minute dinner plans, and everyone knew you couldn’t buy produce that compared to what you could grow yourself anyway.
My grandparents maintained a big garden kept several deep freezers and a pantry stocked with the garden’s riches.
Though my inventory is small compared to my grandparents, I still have those tendencies. And, yet, in the constant summer of our global food supply, there are no longer any lean times when I need to rely on what I’ve put by. That’s why for the past 5 years, I have implemented my own.
As a preserver, I don’t like to go into the new season of strawberries while I still have jars of strawberry jam left in the pantry. While the preserves will certainly last for several years when canned properly, the color fades over time making them less enticing and more likely to go to waste. The same goes for frozen food. The longer it sits in the freezer, the more likely it is to get freezer burned or otherwise deteriorate in quality. I like to start a new garden growing season with an empty freezer so I have a place to put store the excess harvest. Plus, I can’t be the only one who overbuys around the holidays leaving their pantries and freezers full of more food than anyone could possibly eat in a few weeks! To solve these problems of modern day excess and food waste, I invite you all to join me in the ultimate meal planning challenge of shopping your own shelves and freezer before buying anything new.
I will look first to my own inventory to decide what is for dinner until my cupboards are bare! I am digging deep. No package of rice paper rolls will be unturned. Besides the obvious benefits of reducing your food waste, I turn this into a game that is quite fun for me. And best of all, my grocery bill for the next couple of months is going to be shockingly low. After the family ski trip to Colorado over Christmas, I certainly appreciate a chance to save a little money!
Let’s Get Started!
First make lists of everything you have.
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