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I know many of you were readers or at least familiar with The Tightwad Gazette, either the original newsletter or the compilation books published once the newsletter wrapped up. I learned about her back in the early 90's, when my older kids were still quite young. Money was tight and I looked wherever I could to find ways to stretch our income. The one thing that stood out was the Pantry Principle, basically not shopping every week for the weeks groceries, but rather building a stocked up food stores of food purchased at the lowest possible prices. Some time later, I also learned about The Non-Consumer Advocate, who basically recycled the same principle. Now, it's just DH and me, we've got different financial motivators than making sure there was not more month than money. Still, with my month of competitions I have been wondering how to do a Pantry Principle like strategy for two and would a modified version help me whittle down funds now and ongoing?.
We're no longer going through boxes of cereal and an 18 ounce jar of peanut butter can last us more than month. DH get's bored with the same meals and boredom for him is a sure sign that our take out and eating out budget will skyrocket, so I need variety on hand. My strategy will to have on hand a basic pantry, freezer, and long fridge life food that I can easily pull a meal together on the fly. With that in mind, I approached my shop last Saturday. beyond fresh food, I didn't buy for meals, but to restock. Other weeks this will look different.
Replaced:
- Black Beans
- Chili beans
- Diced Tomatoes
- Baking mix
- Soft large Tortillas
- Canned vegetables-corn, peas, green beans
- Frozen vegetables-broccoli, chopped spinach
- Family pack boneless chicken (to cook 1/2 for two meals this week and freeze other 1/2 in two packages)
Over the next few weeks, different pantry (generic for all stock) items will be bought depending on what we use up. I'll hope to build back other items that are used and if I hit a great sale, buy a spare. I don't want cases of the stuff though. I don't have room, or interest right now with other urging and reorganizing going on. As I found though with a couple weeks of menu planning, we easily have food that could be turned into meals for weeks if not a month even if I was prevented from getting to a store or shelves were bare, though some might be quite creative. This approach, while adding fresh food, should get me in and out of a store in 30 minutes or less as I'll know exactly what will go in my cart. If this reworked version of The Pantry Principle works, I might keep it going and squirrel away more of my grocery budget in October and early November before buying holiday food, and be ahead of my annual $5,000 grocery budget.
What's on the list for this coming week? Well, I realized with all the attention on getting a basic spice/basics kit for my college kid's kitchen, I am at the bottom of many things myself. Running out of garlic and onion powder would throw my whole cooking game off. Are you weekly shoppers or do you do some form of a pantry principle? Has your shopping changed as you've added or lessened your household count?
Edit: Thanks for all the great comments o this post. I see that managing pantry's is a tool so many of you use both for organizing your life as well as managing your grocery budget. Thanks for participating!
We're in the thick of food prep/consuming a lot of food with the boys. My principle is to keep a good size of things we use often on hand (shelf stable cauliflower rice, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, etc) & then replace the rest as we run out. I used almost all of the red curry paste & the last can of coconut milk on Monday, so I will add both to the shopping list. I will look for them on sale, but as we make curry pretty regularly (every 8 weeks or so), if I can't find either on sale, I'll just pick them up for the pantry. Neither item is often on discount, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteWhen we see things we buy regularly on sale at Costco (our primary source for most groceries), we do typically stock up. This may be: Costco, a brick of cheese, chicken, etc.
I find with kids, especially teenagers, the stocks can go from full down to bare quickly. I like your approach.
DeleteI inventoried my pantry, split the list up of what could be ate weekly or monthly and then wrote it on the calendar. We are over a month behind because the gardens are still coming in and we are being gave stuff also... I am fine with that LOL.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a garden, I'd have to be much more mindful of knowing when things need using up. I get by now with just our kitchen fridge and freezer,and the one in the garage if needed. Each year I say this might be the year to garden, but I didn't even d think it this year!
DeleteI remember those Dacyczyn books. The philosophy was sound, even if the specific tips were sometimes ridiculous. In Taiwan, it is important to stock up on essential items, as stores frequently run out of basic items, and restocking is always uncertain. Of course, everyone learned that lesson after the famous Covid shortages.
ReplyDelete--Jim
She was extreme in many area I could not or would not want to replicate, but as you said, applying her principles were sound. I think that is what her hopes were withsharing-people could apply what worked for them,and if something was too extreme, no skin off her nose. I've since read snippets with her kids, all well functioning adults by the sound of it, and able to live positive lives based on the foundations her frugality afforded them.
DeleteSince I started growing all my own veg we hardly shop at all other than for fresh cream. Tony picks that up on the way home from work so I rarely venture near a supermarket. We do a big freezer shop once every few months or so to pick up meat and fish. I'm learning how to dehydrate my veggies this year too so I won't need as much freezer space.
ReplyDeleteI'll be following to learn how you do the dehydration and then learn how you then use the vegetables. I would think that has to be a great way to always have veg on hand for soups and stews.
DeleteI am a big fan of Amy’s Pantry Principle. Before COVID hit, We always had a stocked up pantry. But after COVID it was harder to stockpile because we were not going into the stores. Nowadays I do a monthly grocery shop and try my best to get it to stretch for one month. Maybe soon that will change, but for now that is where we are.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to be a month ahead or so-even if meals get odd if I stretch out a fresh food trip a bit longer. I want to be in and out of stores fast, so this is one of my man drivers to restocking rather than shopping.
DeleteThere's a well stocked pantry, cold room and freezer in my house. Grocery shopping happens every 3 wks as a rule. Menu planning is based on what's on hand. The other day, I made spinach & artichoke stuffed shells from Canadian Living magazine (Sept 21) with the opened jar of artichokes in the fridge. No large pasta shells so I substituted lasagna noodles to roll the filling in. Swiss chard was substituted for spinach, 'cause that's what there was. Delicious. The big grocery shop was done yesterday and the majority of it was restock. I like the cook once, eat twice concept awa batch cooking. You're still working and that sure cuts into planning and prep time.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter "stole" y artichoke hearts when she wet to college! I may replace the next time I' at aldi. I love the sound of that meal. If I find a good deal on either large shells or lasagna noodles, I'll buy a spare as for some reason, they are nearly twice as expensive as the equivalent weight of other pasta. Since I am working, I too like cook once, eat twice meals. Though with working form home, I can start something, and then just work a little later to get my work done. Not commuting is a real time saver.
DeleteI am definitely a pantry principle user for most meals, though I will go buy things if we want something special. I tend to shop weekly for fresh produce, but I cherry pick the stores for stock up items.
ReplyDeleteI think tha tis where I want to head-pantry basics, and supplement when we want something special. DH just had a rogue shop and bought $12 worth of shrimp and a certain juice. I'm on th efenc at counting his buys in the grocery, but I really do want a true track of what we spend.
DeleteI bought a copy of the complete compendium of The Tightwad Gazette last year and I'm slowly reading bits of it each evening. Of course it's very dated and some of it is no longer relevant but her principles still stand don't they!
ReplyDeleteI find her books a bit relaxing-brings me back to when we had little spare money, but we tried to give our kids a good life. More extreme than I would ever be by choice, but I still find ideas to reapply.
DeleteI loved the tightwad gazette it was my bible when the kids were growing up although I was never as frugal as she was.
ReplyDeleteI don't think many people could surpass her frugal skills! Really though, they certainly weren't deprived, and her saving money did not come at the expense of others. I hate reading when people claim to save money, but someone else paid the cost. I don't mean like a gift, but by the frugal person being a jerk.
DeleteI have that book and still love it. We always keep a reasonable stock of dried/tins so that we can rustle up a meal of some description. Arilx
ReplyDeleteThere's a bit of comfort in those rustled up meals, I think. Knowing that even most our homes most humble meal is still a feast, keeps me down to earth and wanting to share what I have when we have abundance.
DeleteI have almost always had a pantry of some type or another. Started out with boxes of canned goods in the hall closet due to shortage of cupboard space but have grown to a purchased pantry which I really like. It has created a bit of security and saved us during the Covid crisis, when going to the store was not an option for awhile. I haven't experienced any extreme food shortages yet, but read of other bloggers finding somewhat bare shelves or pick up orders missing significant items. One of our few restaurants has had to close for a few days due to supply shortages. I think it is essential to keep extra supplies, and shelf life, or best used by dates, are not as critical as some people think although it is still a good idea to rotate your items when buying more. I also keep extra cat food on hand. Just tried to add a favorite to our chewey order and it is unavailable again. Sometimes our meals consist of weird combinations but my husband likes when that happens because it's unexpected.It's one way to use up things that are on the edge. Kind of like Mavis' from One Hundred Dollars a Months picky bits. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteI read Mavis sometimes-I should more regularly. Your husband is my kind of guy-see's the variety not th elimitations with those creative meals. Our chili tonight will be sort of creative, but I already am looking forward t it.
DeleteI liked the Tightwad gazette books too, and I think I picked it up at a yard sale. I need to go back and reread them.
ReplyDeleteCovid seems to have changed my shopping more than anything. I used to buy what was on sale, and I would try to go to a couple of stores for the loss leaders. There aren't that many good sales anymore, and I only go to one store each week. If diced tomatoes ever go on sale, I'll pick up a case since I use them a lot in cooking in fall and winter with chili, soups, stews etc. There are the oddest shortages of things sometimes.
Not many sales, plus, I want to be in and out. This means I head to the areas I need to restock rather than a good browse. I'll be picking up more of those food we use so often as well-tomatoes, beans, cream soups, and veggies top m list.
DeleteSad to admit that in general I am not a pantry stocker! There are a few items I use often enough to keep a stock of, but mostly I shop weekly. I try to plan meals and do ok for a week, but beyond that is hopeless. I've never read anything by Amy Dacyczyn, one of these days I'll order a book! Our library does not carry them. I need to do better at stock up! Celie
ReplyDeleteI got all my copies used-there seems to be enough reference to her material on the internet, you probably could get a lot of the ideas without opening a book. U was a much bigger pantry user when all three kids lived at home, and then waned with our small household. Covid has me rethinking the need to always be prepared, even if prepared now is different than 20 years ago.
DeleteWe get a weekly CSA May through mid-October which provides 90% of the fresh veg we need. I shop every 2 weeks, sometimes 3. I have a well-stocked pantry and freezer. When the last item is pulled it goes on the shopping list. I sometimes go to the bakery 2miles away for a good loaf of sourdough.
ReplyDeleteLike your husband, we tend to eat out when we get bored. :-(
I was supposed to partner with a coworker for a CSA two years ago-well, Covid changed that plan. Now I just try and take advantage of the farmers market and roadside stands. Boredom sure can eat up money though, so I try and repurpose leftovers, or if I make a double batch, I save half for another week.
DeleteI discovered the pantry principle on my own. In 1984 I had $5 to spend on groceries. I needed a few things, I don't remember what. But, a can of green beans was on my list. When I got to the store, I realized green beans were 5 cans/$1. I had a dilemma on my hands. I thought and thought. I knew I would not need to buy greens beans for 5 weeks if I bought the five cans. Back then, you had to buy 5 cans. today, we can buy one can for the reduced price.
ReplyDeleteI finagled all this in my head. I left off something at full price and got the cheap beans. Of course, I could not have the other item. I reasoned I could get it the next week and just suffer this week. After I did this, I looked for ways to never pay full price and soon had lots of food. That was where I was then. Now, I rarely pay full price.
I shop when I want to or when I feel like it. I might go to several stores in one day or over several days. It all depends on what is on sale, how I feel, is it raining, but I never restrict myself to only shopping one a week or month or whatever. I do have plenty of food so I would not have to shop, but I would miss milk and fresh fruits and vegetables...lol.
I'm sure there have been variations of th epantry principle since the beginning of human kind. I don't restrict my shopping to any plan, but I just have limited time sinc eI work full time, to shop, so I try and be strategic when I do. I also hate shopping, so th eleast time I can spend going to stores the better.
DeleteI don't have anything to do with food shopping except to shout "Don't forget the rum!" when Jon leaves for the supermarket once a week!
ReplyDeleteMy mum was more hellraiser than homemaker, it's in the genes! xxx
I love this! Well, Jon might be the shopper, but I know you help plan like yoru food for festival meals, you lunch noodles. It just takes on a more free spirited and fun than some of us boring stodges!
DeleteI’m definitely going to have to start following some of these blogs; I appreciate several from the Information which has been composed.
ReplyDeleteAirbrush Tan
Thanks for sharing. , I will visit once more.
I hope you do come back and read and participate in the comments. I've got a great bunch of readers/blogger world friends I like to think.
DeleteI now regularly scan the pantry looking for staples getting past their prime to use or replace. I hope to cut down on waste.
ReplyDeleteYou'll probably find more than you imagined you would.
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