Meal Planning by Inventory

Sometime after the middle of each month, I set aside time to work on the next month's meal plan.  The first step in that session is to take a brief inventory of what I have in the pantry and freezer and decide what should be prioritized as an item to use.  Lately, I have been focusing on what I still have from my post-Pantry Challenge stock up from February.  That was a very well strategized hundred dollars, which would cost about $20 more today.  And yes, I did end up storing the half-gallon jars on the floor, which is a huge no-no.  I didn't feel comfortable putting them on a top shelf.  They're glass.

I also made a note to use any leftovers in the freezer.  The rest of the corned beef, some sauces, baked goods that aren't part of my monthly challah bake, stuff like that.  Things that are already cooked.  It's easy to forget an extra portion or two of something that you froze to keep it from spoiling.

Then there's the corn.  I like corn.  I just never cook with it, so why do I have frozen kernel, canned kernel, and cream-style?  Got the cans at the 99¢ Store, which does not excuse buying something I don't regularly use.  A recipe using the cream-style will be up soon.

I also decided to use the grill again.  That's what summer is for, right?  There are plenty of people who don't turn on the oven for months at a time.  You can even use it as a slow-cooker with a fire-safe pot or casserole.  This did involve a new purchase, but it was something that was on special and I was going to buy anyway.

If you're a vegetable gardener, it's also important to count your garden as inventory.  I don't get a lot of any one thing at once.  I get enough for a recipe or two, which is fine by me, as long as I remember to use it.  One green onion went to seed before I noticed, so I harvested those and planted some in the pot that had garlic in it last winter.  I'm starting to get a few shoots, which is all I want.  I only use maybe two or three green onions a month.  I'll succession plant in a few weeks somewhere else.  And I have my garlic "harvest" of six bulbs, drying in the garage, that are pretty much ready to use.  Carrots do need to go on the "to use" list.

By basing your menus on items already on hand, you save money in new purchases and by not letting something you've already bought spoil.  It can also lead you to creative new uses for that stray ingredient.