Day 37: Odds and Ends

Day 37 Vitals:

Weight:  270 lbs.
Mood:  Exhausted
Water Consumed:  2 Nalgenes
Breakfast: 2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Lunch: Tomato Soup and Toast
Dinner: Tomato and Sweet Potatoes
Hangry Thought of the Day: Do not EVER nominate me for your Facebook Challenges!

We are now rapidly approaching the half-way point of Project Table for One.  So far so good.  I went looking through my pantry the other day and I actually have quite a bit of odds and ends that I should find some use for.  Here are some of the items I have in abundance:

• 1/2 bag of Flour (Week 1 Cub Foods)
• Possible Uses:  I would like to take another stab at baking bread.  But right now I tortillas, bread, and am making scones this week.  So I will take this venture on in the near future
• 1 full bag of black eyed beans (Week 0 Pantry Stocking)
• I have a recipe for these, but the last bunch of stores I have been at did not have ham hocks.  I will keep trying!
• Soy Sauce (Week 3 Wal-Mart)
• I picked this up as a flavoring agent based on the advice of the book Good and Cheap.  but I am trying to be mindful of my salt intake, so I have been avoiding it's use.  It's not that this is a BAD thing to pick up, I just don't need it.
• 1 LARGE pack of Hot Dogs (Week 4 COSTCO)
• I picked these up for cabin weekends.  So I will get to these shortly.  I think I just burned myself out on hot dogs the first few weeks.
• Baking Powder (Week 1 Cub Foods), Vanilla (Week 3 Wal-Mart), Brown Sugar (Week 0 Pantry)
• And lastly I have some odds and ends from Week 0 Pantry Stocking like a jar of Vindaloo sauce, some canned beans, a can of spicy corned beer.  Lots of fun stuff still out there.  

So what would you cook with these odds and ends?  Leave a comment below!

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Day 23: My $30 at COSTCO

Day 23 Vitals:

Weight:  274 lbs.
Mood:  Seems like a normal day so far...
Water Consumed:  2 Nalgenes
Breakfast: Pancakes
Lunch:  Beef Stroganoff /sans noodles
Dinner: Pizza Dogs
Hangry Thought of the Day:  What are you waiting for peeps!?  Click the link to the right and donate already!

Just a quick update before we get into the article.  I was away this weekend on in impromptu trip to the cabin (more about this tomorrow), and internet was sparse.  So fret not, I have not wasted away yet.  But I am pretty sick of hot dogs.

So for today's article I would like to talk about how I spent my $30 at COSTCO.  I knew going into this week that I was going to have to plan ahead, not only for this week, but for weeks to come.  As a Warehouse Wholesaler most items at COSTCO come in VERY large sizes.  So last week at Wal-Mart I stocked up on extra vegetables for this week so I could concentrate on getting some much needed proteins for the next upcoming weeks.

Overall I ended up really going heavy on the proteins.  I knew for a fact that I wanted the drumsticks.  Six packs for six weeks for less then $15.  That was an easy grab.  My next stop was for some bulk pasta.  During my scouting run the week prior I wanted to pick up a mixed package of pasta that they usually carry for $6.99.  But the thing with COSTCO is because it is there one week, doesn't mean it is there the next.  I was also hoping to pick up potatoes but the only bags available were 20#.  During week 1 I bought ten pounds and it lasted me over two weeks.  I just don't think I could go through twenty pounds without having some spoilage.  But adversity breeds creativity.  I grabbed some eggs which should help lesson the budget for next week, and then I decided to double down on a large pack of hot dogs.  I also found a huge package of buns, which was pretty much the only thing left I could squeeze into my budget.  

My thinking was if I can take my major proteins off my list this should mean I can focus my next two weeks on making better side dishes, and more vegetable and fruits.

So what would you have bought at COSTCO for $30?  Leave a comment below!

Don't forget, if you like this blog please help us in trying to end Childhood Hunger here in the Twin Cities.  Click the link the FINNEGANS logo in the right hand panel, and donate what you can.  Every dollar helps to reach our goal of $2,500 for this GREAT cause where 98% of your dollar will go back to the community!  Thanks for you help!

You can find us on the web at the following places:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tableforoneMN/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TableForOneMN?lang=en

Please help spread the word of this project!