'Eating from the Pantry' Challenge--Update

We're halfway through the week and we're still making it!! I haven't stepped foot in a Grocery store and won't until next week! This is very new for me, because, like I said, I am a grocery-shop-once-a-week kind of gal. Plus, going to the grocery store has always been a fun outing for me and the kids, so it was a 2-for-1! We're getting low on a few staple items, ie, sour cream, cottage cheese (the kids love it!), cheese, and veggies, but other than that, we're doing fine! Since I have our meal plan for dinners, I know I have those ingredients, it's lunches that I've had to be creative with! We've had a lot of PB&J Sandwiches, baked potatoes, fruit and noodles. I did veer slightly from my meal plan last night, but ONLY because I was given some amazing Leeks from our neighbors garden. Have you cooked with Leeks before?? I haven't, but I found an amazing recipe for Potato/Leek Soup, so I thought I'd make it yesterday, instead of the Pounded Chicken Breasts, Oven Fries, and Corn. (We'll have that tonight!) It was really delicious soup, and SO EASY! If you're interested, here's the link to the recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Potato-Leek-Soup-II/Detail.aspx

Not shopping this week has saved us $100 from our budget. For our family of 4, we have set our Grocery budget at $400/month, and/or $100/week. To some, that might be high and to others, that might be low! But, that includes EVERYTHING, ie: toiletries, dog/cat food, groceries, diapers, etc, etc. So, $400/month has been something to get used to, but we are DOING IT! In fact, not shopping this week, as I said, saved us $100 and I was already under budget, (only by a dollar, but, hey, under is under!!), so I have only spent $299 on groceries for the month of April!! WOOHOO! Which makes me realized that spending under $400/month is SO DOABLE. As soon as I get this down to a "T", I am hoping that we can gradually lower and lower our budget to get down to $50/week and/or $200/month!!! I'm POSITIVE it is doable!! It just may take some time!!

If you don't already have a budget set for groceries, I say, why not try it?? You have nothing to lose. It's probably one of the easiest ways to save money to use it in other ways!!!!

I am hoping to go over coupon-clipping next week and how I save HUNDREDS by doing that!