How to Save Money with a January Pantry Challenge

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With my grocery bill continuing to climb, I’m looking for ways to save money. This seems like a great time to have a Pantry Challenge. Have you ever done a Pantry Challenge? It can be done different ways, but I prefer to do it by evaluating everything in my pantry and freezer. It’s important to check expiration dates and clear out anything that has gone bad.

My challenge is then to take odd things I find to create meals and use up what is in my pantry and freezer. This can really help me save money, because I’ve already spent money on this food. When I don’t cook this food, I’ve just wasted all the money that’s already gone. Usually there are food items in the pantry that I purchased to make a unique dish and then just didn’t get it done.

With a new year, I might as well be bold and try those new and unique recipes. They might even become family favorites. So, I’ll grab that jar of artichokes and make something spectacular! Some items may not be used quickly (such as many boxes of hot cocoa mix). Many of the best ways to use up pantry and freezer items is by creating a soup or stew. There are tons of combinations and everyone loves a comforting bowl of soup in the winter.

Here are some places where you can plug in the ingredient you have and find recipe choices:

Taste of Home

Yummly

Recipeland

FoodCombo

MyRecipes

AllRecipes

You can also just Google the ingredient and look for recipes that way. It’s so much fun to try new recipes and add a few new flavors to your cooking portfolio.

Grab this free Weekly Meal Plan Sheet to help you use up the pantry and freezer ingredients. If you prefer a full meal planning journal, this simple one has everything you need to get organized and use the food you have!