The Homemaker Plans Meals: Pantry and Freezer Challenge

I had a hard time planning meals this week.  I was, honestly, so excited not to have to concentrate hard on using up expired items and I thought planning would be a breeze because of that.  No.  It's hot.  It's going to continue to be hot.  I don't want heavy meals, though we've some lately and I don't want meals that require a lot of effort.  That pushed most of the new recipes I'd been saving off the planning list.  

Again, as we came across the river swamp, the trees are even more markedly changing color.  They know something I can't feel, that's for sure.  I may feel sadness and a regret over summer passing but I do look forward to making the cooler weather meals.

Gathered fragments this week are quite low. I have a pint of baked beans in the fridge, leftovers from the large can I opened to go with our lunch on Saturday.  I also have about 1/2 cup of butter sauced corn kernels.  There are four apples that I thought I'd make applesauce with.  And a small container of plums that I thought I'd make some sort of plum sauce with.   Applesauce and Plum sauce will be small batch items.  That's all.  Nope.  I forgot the one cup of canned Yams.  I don't know what I'll do with those.  

As for expired foods to use up, I'm at that point where I will have to think harder to use those things up, but I'll incorporate what I can into my meal plans this week.

Why am I having a Pantry/Freezer Challenge in August of all months? For one thing I have spent all but a small portion of my budget for the month. Honestly, we don't need a single thing.  I have extra of everything at present.  Perhaps in two weeks I'll need produce but at the moment I don't.  So why not do a short challenge, make myself consider using what I have and not planning for what I don't have.

Meals:

I'm over making big breakfasts at present.  I just am.  It's too hot.  The food is too heavy.  I want to work outdoors each morning anyway, and the very best time is prior to eating breakfast and once I've gone outdoors, I'm NOT going to come in and make a big breakfast.  This week I'm sticking to toast, eggs, and cold cereal.  

Lunches are something I do want to plan for since I don't have leftovers.  These will be meals from Monday through Friday.  

Pimento Cheese, Celery sticks, Tomato Soup (a very recently expired item I keep planning to use)

PBJ, Chips, Apple Slices.  John will be happy this day.  He loves PBJ.  I'll use apple jelly from the pantry that I've been urging him to eat.

Small Chef Salads.

Tuna Pasta Salad, Saltines.  I never made this last week, and I know John would enjoy it.

Mexican Pizza.  This will use expired Enchilada sauce, expired black beans, a tiny bit of leftover corn, and some corn tortillas from the freezer.

Suppers:

You'll see that I was a bit behind on the meals I'd planned to prepare last week.  Tuna Pasta salad has already appeared in our lunches and the weekend meals were things I'd thawed and didn't prepare before the week ended.  

Pan Seared Pork Chops, Fried Green Tomatoes, Squash Casserole, Corn. This meal was heavy for a hot day.  It was good, but heavy. I'm calling it a success because I used one of those green tomatoes and made good use of the squash, so it didn't go to waste. I put a portion of the squash casserole in the freezer, since John doesn't care for it.

Stuffed Peppers, Cole Slaw, Butter Beans.  The butter beans are not the tiny green things I like but the big, canned quarter sized ones that John likes. I'll pass.  There are only two pepper halves, so this meal shouldn't feel so heavy.  

 Chicken Chow Mein, Rice, Broccoli, Ambrosia.  I'll use the cans of expired Bean Sprouts and water chestnuts, along with celery, carrots and green onions to make the Chow Mein. No oranges but plenty of Mandarins and some of them are 'iffy'.  John has had no luck choosing a decent one, so I'll just peel and use what I can.

Cheeseburger Mac, Sliced Tomatoes, Fruit Salad.  My homemade Hamburger Helper dish will use the second half of that box of expired pasta (first half in the tuna pasta salad). Frozen grapes, berries, canned mandarins (expired) to make the fruit salad.  

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole, Green Beans, Salad. The casserole will water chestnuts from the freezer.  I'll likely divide this into two and put one in the freezer.

Garlic Steak and Potatoes, Mixed Roasted Vegetables, Tossed Salad.

Cheeseburgers with all the Fixings, Baked Beans, Chips.  I'll use the last of those baked beans I opened on Saturday.  I just want an easy meal for the end of the week. 

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