Eating On A Budget: Not Quite Bare challenge Update

As I was reading through my possible list of leftovers I noted a couple of errors I thought I'd corrected.  I'd listed yogurt twice, with two different amounts and forgotten to count in my yeast packets.   I also have updated my broth amount. 

To Carry Over:  Tomato paste (about 3 ounces), 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups chicken, probably about 1 1/2 quart of broth, and I think about half the noodles I make which should be enough for another meal. At least 6 cups of yogurt will be leftover.  Of the five pounds of flour and four pounds of sugar I should have 2.5 pounds of flour left, and about 7 cups of sugar.  I think we'll have about 1/4 jar of peanut butter left, more if none is used to stuff celery,  but jelly should be nearing the end of the jar.  There may be a potato or two and certainly I will have some celery, carrots and onions left.   I'll continue to have salt/garlic powder and I still have 1/2 pound black beans, too. 2 packets of yeast. Life isn't looking nearly so bleak when you can cook a meal and have foods left in the cupboard and fridge and even put a few things away in the freezer.  If this keeps up I'll have to do a pantry/freezer  challenge!

Meals listed are based upon what I said I'd have in my scenario.  Yes, they are slightly different.  I used what I had on hand and that's more a money saver for me than using foods I might have to go out to purchase.  The point of my scenario is to teach/remind us that we can eat well on a lower budget.  I'll be honest with you, much as I'd liked to have added to my challenge list, I was still mighty impressed with how far I could make things go were it needed.

Meal one:

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Potato Chunks

Green Beans

Cake

In reality I had fresh green beans but I saved back a few to toss into the chicken noodle soup later and the cake was John's birthday cake with chocolate frosting. And I did serve a salad with this meal to extend it.

Meal Two: 

Chicken Pot Pie with pourable crust

Brussels Sprouts (found these in the fridge drawer...I'd forgotten I bought them so wanted to use them)

Cranberry Sauce (pulled from freezer.  One of my use it up items)

I had plenty of pot pie left for a second meal and enough cranberry sauce as well.  As you can see, I'm not following my scenario budget meals exactly.  For one thing, I am still trying to use up items that have been on hand and it would be a shame to waste foods on hand (like those Brussels Sprouts).  And by the way, one of those containers of cranberry sauce was labeled sometime in 2015 and it was just fine.  So if you ever have leftover cranberry sauce and wonder what to do with it:  FREEZE IT!  It keeps well.

I was very mindful of the mention of one of you readers who followed last challenge on your own and noted there wasn't enough chicken in the pot pie made.  Well I made sure to put in enough we'd notice it thanks to that observation.  I  set aside the two legs for a future dinner.  I discovered at this point that one of the wings had been pretty much laid bare last weekend when I served company.  I decided the two legs were plenty large enough on this big roaster to suffice as a meat serving for us. 

I picked over the bones and got a large cottage cheese container full of meat.  Not quite the three cups I'd thought I'd get but pretty close.  I also had more broth than I'd thought I might.  I got 2 quarts and one pint and half sized jar. 

I must add here as well that there was fat atop the broth which might well be used to season vegetables or used in frying potatoes rather than using the margarine.  I have noted in the past that the fat will taste of celery and onion (I tossed in ends and tops from both) so this fat is best used for savory cooking.  So if you'd prefer to have a plain chicken fat then skip adding that to your initial broth making, and be aware that any seasoning used on the chicken is going to add some flavor to the fat.  While we were out shopping today at The Fresh Market I found little 1/2 cup containers of Duck fat in the dairy case for $5.99 each...Just so you can feel you've added luxury in life by saving that poultry fat!

Several of you mention the bulk purchases.  I don't have access to those.  If I did, I surely would utilize them if they fit the budget but I don't.  There is a bulk spice section of sorts at The Fresh Market which we visited today but they are pre-measured portions for $3.99.  The least expensive spices available to me are either Aldi or Dollar General at present and neither of those sell pepper for less than $2.29. I know because I've checked.  I've noted that not all Aldi stores have the same prices by the way, so by all means if you can buy it less expensively, DO.