Summertime Pantry Challenge

I'm a very irregular blogger (obviously!).

But, Jessica's Pantry Challenge for July is just what the doctor ordered for the moment and I'm thinking that some accountability would be a good thing. Plus I think better when I write.

We've had some serious extra expenses for June and I know that I need to do some clean-up before we find ourselves in big trouble.

Here are my rules and circumstances:

1. I use WIC.*

2. I get a food box from the food bank at the first part of the month.*

3. I have a special needs child who is not allowed to have any food colorings, and we also try to limit sugar, MSG, chocolate and anything else artificial. He is an extremely picky, so getting him to eat anything is a huge challenge.

4. I have three other children and a husband who like to snack and think every meal needs to include meat. Thankfully, they will eat casseroles and such so I can stretch the meat out.

5. I have a 3/4 full freezer thanks to a very generous church member who faithfully shares truckloads of day-old produce and bread with the church family. I get as much as I'm able to and freeze it. I recently brought home a 50 lb bag of potatoes and over a bushel of bell peppers. I've also been aggressively stocking up on meat sales lately.

6. We are also doing well in the snack department thanks to a recent trip to Sam's Club and some great sales (free Goldfish, woohoo!!)

7. I don't have a set budget yet, but I'm going to aim for as low as possible. $0 would be great, but maybe $100 is more realistic. I know that I'll have to buy diapers, toilet paper and laundry soap here real soon.

8. I'm going to take advantage of all the sales and coupons that I can.

9. I've been convicted for awhile that I need to get back to more homemade snacks. I tend to go in cycles, just like this blog (just like life!) and I've recently been in a more packaged foods cycle, which I know isn't good for our bodies, even if I do get it free. So, I've been searching online for snack ideas and will be incorporating those more.

10. Get back to doing a specific menu: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This worked so well when I started it at the beginning of summer break, but I quit when my oldest went to camp and haven't started it again.

11. Continue to take advantage of the free school lunch program*. Since the kids don't go to public school, they think going during the summer for school lunch is so fun. It great for me since I don't have to make anything for lunch and we always bring our leftovers home to eat later. And today, a family threw away all of their Teddy Graham bags. They were just laying on the top of the garbage pile, unopened. So, I grabbed them. Why waste?

Anyway, that's my pantry challenge. I'll be updating regularly as I go along about my progress. I'm also going to try to limit my total spending altogether this month, so I may throw in a post or five about my Goodwill withdrawls.

You can see my first week's menu here. Click on the button at the top to be taken to all of my Summertime Pantry Challenge posts.

Thanks so much for coming along with me!

For more Pantry Challenge, check out these sponsoring blogs:

• Amy from The Finer Things in Life
• Erin from $5 Dinners
• Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Shaina from Food for My Family
• Lynn from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
• Tammy from Tammy’s Recipes
• Jessica from Good, Cheap Eats

*Some people have very strong opinions against WIC and food banks and the like. I respect your opinion and ask that you respect our choice. If this bothers you for any reason, please refrain from flaming me and just move on to another blog. I'm a tired mom of an angry special needs child and I don't need more drama. Thanks :)