Pantry Challenge, final week

Well, here we are on the last week of the pantry challenge and I have to say I'm pretty pleased with my outcome!  I only go shopping once a week, on Tuesdays, so I can say for certain that I won't be spending any more money for the month.  This week we bought pizza for my hubby and some disposable diapers (I use both cloth and disposable, depending on the day, whether we are at home or going out, etc.).  I didn't end up needing any thing fresh, we have enough of everything on hand to get through the week.

Final total for the month:  $279!!! 

 Here is our final weeks menu:
Thursday
Breakfast -Hot cereal. 
Lunch - Sandwiches, fruit, vegies.
Dinner - Chicken and Rice, vegies. 

Friday 

Breakfast - Cold cereal
Lunch -Sandwiches or leftovers, with fruit and/or vegies
Dinner - Homemade pizza 

Saturday
Breakfast -Homemade Biscuits and Sausage Egg Gravy
Lunch - Leftovers (Smorgasbord!)
Dinner - Homemade Mac N'Cheese, Fruit, Vegies. 

Sunday
Breakfast - Cold Cereal.  We always have cold cereal on Sundays, we leave early for church and cooking something has proved to be completely impossible.
Lunch -  Hamburgers and Homemade Fries
Dinner - High Tea!  Yum!

Monday
Breakfast - Hot Cereal
Lunch - More leftovers
Dinner - Easy Lasagna (I'll make 2 of these and freeze one), vegies

Tuesday
Breakfast -Hot Cereal.  We will choose between oatmeal, baked oatmeal, cream of wheat, polenta, or rice with milk, fruit and sugar.
Lunch - PBJ, fruit and/or vegies
Dinner -Tostadas

Wednesday
Breakfast - Cold Cereal
Lunch - Sandwiches
Dinner - Meatloaf, Potatoes, vegies.

Snacks
We don't snack much, mostly on fruit and vegies.  I stock up on them whenever it's on sale, usually we have apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, and celery on hand.

Drinks
We go through around 4 gallons of milk a week here, roughly $8 when it's on sale.  I will buy as much as can fit in my fridge when it's on sale, it usually lasts till the next sale.  I purchase soda on sale and keep it on hand for Mark on Friday nights, otherwise we don't drink it.  (Notice I keep it on hand for Mark, not the rest of the family)  We have juice with breakfast on the weekends ($2) and water the rest of the week.  Water with lunch and with dinner, except occasionally when I make iced tea (.20 a batch).

I've been racking my brain trying to come up with tips for feeding your family frugally but I really haven't come up with anything that others haven't taught.  The biggest things are 1) Use what you have (So someone gave you something you don't like?  Cook it up, it's only one meal and then you will have been a good steward of the resources God has provided for you!), 2) Don't throw away food, use up your leftovers in creative ways (This goes hand in hand with the last one).  3.)  Be flexible about your meals, if someone gives you 20 pounds of onions find a way to use them, if something has been sitting in your fridge for a bit, use it up!  Most Importantly, BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU!!! You may not be able to eat exactly how you would like but you DO have food, be grateful for it!  This has been a lesson that I have had to learn the hard way.  If you can learn from my mistakes it would be so much easier for you! 

Hope you have enjoyed this series!  If you have any more questions about how I feed my family for just over $300 a month be sure to ask!  I love to get comments!