Monday, December 27, 2010

Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge: Join us!

Welcome to the Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge, co-hosted by Laura at Frugal Follies, Denise at Shopper Strategy, Robbie at Going Green Mama, Crystal at Mrs. Happy Homemaker, and Rebecca Jean at Midnight Maniac.

This January, the five of us plan to challenge ourselves to eat from our pantries - to use up all that excess food sitting in the backs of the cupboards, from the refrigerator door, and from the freezer - and limit our shopping to as little as possible.

And we want you to join us, too!

The rules are simple: Make up your own rules, based on what's best for your family.  But a few basic rules:
  • Eat!  This is not a eat as little as possible challenge.  Prepare healthy foods for your family, even if it means doing more shopping than you expected.
  • Don't load up this week with a month's worth of groceries.  Go ahead and do your regular shopping, though.
  • Don't not buy groceries, but then eat at restaurants all month long.  Of course, feel free to eat at restaurants as you would normally do, if you wish.
  • If you need to stop the challenge mid-month, based on the needs of your family, do so.
As for the details of the challenge, it's up to you!
  • You might want to purchase dairy and produce throughout the month; others might try to stretch what they already have.  
  • You might want to limit your challenge to food items, or extend it to personal care items, paper goods, and cleaning supplies.
  • You might want to allow yourself to purchase great deals; others won't.  
  • You might want to use CVS's Extra Care Bucks or Walgreens's Register Rewards to buy free items, or not.  
  • You might want to sign up for food freebies, or leave them until February.
Next week, we'll kick off the challenge by posting our goals.  So figure out what your goals are - is it to save money?  to have more room in your pantry? to stop wasting food and thus help the environment?  Figure out why you want to participate in the challenge - I look forward to hearing what your goals are!

ETA: Check out my goals and those of my fellow bloggers - and link yours up, too!

(Bloggers: if you wish to join us, we'll have a linky each week where you can link to your challenge posts.  The linky will appear at the blogs of all four co-hosts!)

Good luck!

Posts about this challenge:
Take Inventory
Menu Plan 1/3/11
My Pantry Inventory
Clean Out the Cupboards Challenge Goals (link yours up!)
My Fridge and Freezer Inventory
Recipe Idea Resources
A Nice Break
Creativity
Getting Antsy

Bookmark and Share

11 comments:

Kim December 27, 2010 at 6:14 PM  

Sounds very tempting. We have so much food in our freezer & pantry I know we could make this work for at least a while. January is a tight month for hubby's work so this might be a real blessing for the budget.

Undeserving Grace December 28, 2010 at 6:10 PM  

Now following from
undeservingrace.com I'd love to have you join me when you get the time! Have good week filled w/ lots of blessings and grace!
{tara}

Heather Ortega December 29, 2010 at 5:53 PM  

This is a wonderful idea!!! I have so much food in my house right now it won't even fit in the cupboards.

Coupon Teacher December 30, 2010 at 9:47 AM  

I am Taming the Stockpile in January, so I will be able to participate along with you!!

Dianna December 31, 2010 at 11:56 PM  

I had already put cleaning out/organize pantries on my chore list for January. I will join this challenge for sure.

Marsha Cooper January 2, 2011 at 10:51 PM  

We've pretty much been doing this lately. He's not given me grocery money to spend, he's not bought much. I've not had much to spend (the last 2 weeks just $10 each week, that I did the best I could with)
On the other hand, he does buy milk and such whenever I call and tell him to pick it up on the way home.)

Mandi January 3, 2011 at 9:28 AM  

Great idea! My husband is starting a new job this month, so money is going to be a bit tight, and using up the foods we already have would be a good way to stretch the grocery budget.

Anonymous,  January 5, 2011 at 12:54 AM  

You wont believe it but my dh and I were JUST talking about this a few hours ago. Hours.
I think Im going to join you!!!

(Single)Mommy January 6, 2011 at 8:51 PM  

I'm a new follower I'd love a follow back @ http://myadventures-in-mommyland.blogspot.com/

I think I might give this a try!

Leslie January 11, 2011 at 11:48 AM  

I was thinking about doing something just like this a few weeks ago and just landed on this post from another blog. I'm in, if it's not too late!

Spendwisemom January 15, 2011 at 8:26 PM  

We are making tamale pie tonight to use up some old cans, and I am still trying to just spend $5 a week to stock up my pantry to replace some of the old.

Post a Comment

Next Post Previous Post Home
Content © 2010-2014 by Frugal Follies.   © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008