How to Use Food Inventory, Reduce Waste and Save Money

It’s amazing how quickly the cabinets fill up. Even our generous pantry is full. Clients often tell me their pantry is too small, but I would argue that we stockpile too much food. We buy large quantities because of a sale only to have items go bad before we use them.

A few years ago, we canceled our membership to a bulk shopping store. The impulse buys and excessive quantities eliminated any cost savings. Grocery store sales and coupons are merely advertisements encouraging consumers to “stock up” and spend more. That’s why for this inventory challenge, I suggest staying out of the store altogether.

I know what you’re thinking….but I don’t have all the ingredients to make this recipe or that. Well, neither did I, but Google and I made a lot of great meals together! I find substitutes for most ingredients or borrow spices from my neighbor. And sometimes, simply do without.

My grandma liked to cook this way. She improvised. Occasionally, it was a disaster but we laughed a lot and no one ever went hungry in her house.

Several years ago, my husband, son and I tackled this challenge for the first time. Our mission – How many days could we eat without grocery shopping? We were determined. It started with a modest trip to the grocery store, buying only extra milk and eggs. Here’s what our inventory looked like when we started. 

The Results

The bananas were gone in a week and followed by the grapes but other produce remained. We got really creative and wasted very little. Eventually, I made bread and even learned how to make almond milk. Our record is 35 days of meals with no grocery shopping. None, zero, zilch! Yes, my son complained but mostly about running out of cottage cheese. We also laughed at our funny concoctions and found endless ways to substitute ingredients. More importantly, the meals were healthier and certainly less expensive than eating out. It proved we could drastically reduce our grocery budget if we wanted to.

So perhaps you’re not up for 35 days? What about 2 weeks? I promise it can be done! If finances are tight, this is a great time for a challenge like this! Use the savings to pay off debt or establish an emergency fund.

One unexpected benefit was our first trip back to the store. It was small and much healthier than when we began. Challenges like this shine a light on our needs vs wants and create better shopping habits going forward. Here’s our first cart after 35 days…

How to get started:

• Shop for typical Weekly Groceries (Double up on milk and eggs)
• Take a long hard look at the freezer, fridge, and pantry
• Throw away expired or freezer burned food
• Make a list of entree-items (ground beef, chicken, pizza etc)
• Plan as many meals as possible from current inventory
• Borrow ingredients from a neighbor
• Check online for ingredient substitutes or try a different recipe
• Save your favorite recipes and cooking hacks to Evernote
• Portion leftovers into containers. Pack for lunch or serve for dinner again
• No grocery shopping!

When you take time to meal plan and consume your inventory of food, the kitchen has a way of organizing itself.

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