Pantry Challenge Update

OK friends, we're about 2 weeks into Pantry Challenge 2018. I've often done Pantry Challenges in the past, when unemployment or teenaged boys demanded that I spend less on groceries or use up everything I had on hand. This is my 4th or 5th year playing along informally with Jessica over at GoodCheapEats and I'm loving it. Not purchasing groceries every few days is forcing me to look past my 3-5 fave easy peasy meals that I use in rotation and use my creativity to either find a suitable substitution for some of our normal groceries or to even think completely out of the box and make up something new entirely. Here's how we are doing on our goals for the month.

Our goals:

1. Get the cold storage to the bare minimum so I can defrost it and clean it well.
~It's going down in the freezer and fridge, but not as quickly as I had anticipated. The proteins are holding out well, which is good since The Man Crew isn't too crazy about meatless meals.
2. Use up whatever is hiding in the back of the pantry shelves. I’ve had helpers recently with putting away food (YAY!) but they just shove, not organize it by type. (Oops)
~I re-organized the pantry, tossed a few things that had expired while they were lost, and am working my way through using things up, especially baking goods that are already open.
3. Reduce our food budget for the month by at least half. Specific Goal: spend under $250 by only purchasing dairy and a little produce.
~So far, all I've spent was that initial $111, and 30 of that was for dog food, so our actual food expenditures are at a lovely low $81. I will be needing fresh dairy and produce before the week is out, I'm thinking.
4. Eat at home. We’ve developed quite a bad habit of eating out more often than our budget can truly handle and that ends today. I’m aiming for one family meal out this month. Everyone else eats at home or packs a lunch.
~We are doing so well on this! I went to the little bistro near work once and every other meal has been eaten at home, or packed from home. ( this doesn't count as 'grocery money' as I use my 'discretionary fund' envelope for things like this.)
5. Remember that I bake fantastic bread and it’s better for us and way cheaper than store bought bread.
~Oh goodness, I had nearly forgotten how delicious fresh bread is. YUM~O and so frugal!
I think that’s enough goals for one month. I'll update throughout the month with our progress.

I'm quite pleased with our pantry challenge progress so far this month. Are you taking the Pantry Challenge? It's not too late to jump in!