Stocking up the pantry Cheaply at this time

22 years ago

If you are trying to stock your pantry, this is a great time to do it. Each holiday, stores usually have great sales on staples and specialty items--so fill your freezer and pantry now and eat off it for months. At thanksgiving and christmas flours and sugars are very inexpensive. You can get food grade plastic buckets from bakeries to store the flour. Put a couple bay leaves in them to keep bugs at bay.

I buy pumpkins or are given pumpkins for free after halloween--I clean them, roast the seeds for snacks and cut the rind up in 3" square pieces. It's easy to whack off the outer rind from the squares. The squares are put in zip lock bags (about two cups each), frozen and used to make bread and muffins all year.

Make turkey once a week when turkeys are very low priced--and freeze/can the meat for many more months.

I'll post how to really stretch a turkey or whole chicken on another post.

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Comments (12)

janetwilson
22 years ago
Very interesting post. It is amazing how cheap turkey is this time of year.

Recently a local grocery store was closing and offering a discount on their inventory - we happened to hit them on the last day they were opened and we stocked our pantry and freezer with some great deals. Everything we purchased was 75% off and I filled 2 large grocery carts for about $80.
joyfulguy
22 years ago
janetwilson,

We'll all have to come pay you a visit ...

to help reduce your inventory of all of that bargain stuff.

Happy to gloat (sorry ... "be thankful") with you for such a great deal.

ole joyful

P.S. Sort of like the "Organizing" folks are going to visit one another's well-stocked digs to take charge of organizing the places.

Watching them should be fun, don't you think?

One trying to throw out - the other trying to hold on to "precious" stuff - sort of like two dogs pulling on either end of a bone.

(And growling??).

oj
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intherain
22 years ago
Yes, I am taking advantage of the specials. My pantry is getting full!
kathy_
22 years ago
I found The Dollar Tree has canned Campbells ready to serve soup for $1 per can. The cheapest it is in the grocery store is $1.79. I bought 11 cans of minestrone today and my mother bought the last 2. There is chicken and rice there too but I usually make my own. There was lots of $1 Christmas stuff too but I resisted temptation. Kathy_PA
jamie_mt
22 years ago
Now Ed, you wouldn't be pokin' fun at us "organizing folks" behind our backs, would you? LOL (just kidding, of course...your comments are always amusing)

Did my monthly shopping trip this weekend, and wow, got great deals on enough baking supplies for the next three holidays, plus cooking for company a few times this month. I even bought some premade things I'd usually just make myself (crusts, etc), because they were so cheap I could save myself some time & not be out a lot of $$ doing it.

Didn't find any frozen cranberries yet though - that was disappointing.
MoAtWork
22 years ago
LOL Ed! You just Try to take away my stock pile of bargains and I just might do more than growl! :)
janetwilson
22 years ago
Sorry Ed, didn't mean to sound like I was gloating - but merely pointing out that you should take advantage of great deals when you come across them - rare though they may be!
mid_tn_mama
Original Author
22 years ago
Apples and cabbages are in season now. You can freeze peeled sliced apples to bake with and also flash freeze chopped cabbage to cook with later. Also freezer slaw is great when you are having a quick meal and need a green fast--just pull from the freezer.
joyfulguy
22 years ago
janet

Didn't understand you to be *really* gloating nor mean to accuse you.

But when we get such good bargains, we usually are quite happy: big smile on the face, sparkle in the eye - walking on air, more or less. (Even if temporarily).
And thankful.

And may we be forgiven if we gloat - just a little?

I was feeling a touch of gloating with you, rather than being accusatory.

Hey - we're all in this together.

Good wishes to all for the rest of the week. Try to find something interesting, joy-inducing and helpful to do each day: it induces a happy heart within.

joyful guy
yellowhair
22 years ago
I purchased a turkey today. Didn't want to fight the turkey-last-minuters and it was too good of a deal to pass up. Man, there was a crowd at the grocery, on a Sunday!
joyfulguy
22 years ago
When are you guys in the U.S. going to get with it and celebrate Thanksgiving in early October, like we Canadians do?

Not so cold, with a sniff of snow in the air, then.

(Don't tell your retailers that they could start pushing Christmas right after Hallowe'en).

Have a great week.

ole Ed
User
22 years ago
Kathy posted about the soup at Dollar Tree - I had gotten some of that. But don't forget about Big Lots for food items for your pantry also. During this time of year, I have found great bargains there also - Campbells mushroom soup & canned fruit for $.79 or less. I agree that this is the time to stock a pantry.

Stocking up the pantry Cheaply at this time

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Stocking up the pantry Cheaply at this time

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