I’ve got a problem.  Isn’t that supposed to be the first step?  Admitting it?  Well, I have come to realize I have a serious food hoarding problem.  I have been cooking out of my basement freezer for most of the month.  I have done a great job cleaning it out.  I really have.  Check out the list before this started and the list after.

All of this is available in my basement freezer!

As of January 28th

That is a major improvement.  Ok, so maybe a couple of things were added and then crossed off but still, I did a good job.  And I used up items from my fridge to compliment the things I cooked out of the basement freezer.  My fridge is really pretty empty (for me).

I have made lamb, lasagna, french toast, lemon curd, chocolate cake, used up bacon, mango, sausage, cubed bread, sauces and seafood… I really worked hard and we ate very well, if I do say so myself.

Here in-lies the problem:  I hardly touched my kitchen freezer or the pantry.  Like, almost at all.  Crackers and chips are still falling all over the place.  And I still have ideas for meals I was going to make in January.  See the lobster stock listed on the basement freezer list?  That is going to become risotto.  I’ve never made a seafood risotto and I’m excited.  I did use up some frozen fruit but it was mainly from the kitchen freezer.  All those Trader Joe’s meals, they are all still there.  All those cheeses and crackers and salamis, etc that were destined to become a big platter.  They are still there.

I know I showed you the pictures of the chips in the storage bins that aren’t meant for food.  I didn’t show you the inside of my pantry because it’s just too embarrassing.  So those things you buy “just in case” you need something easy… haven’t touched them. Saffron rice, box mix of red beans and rice, all but two of the pantry soups I mentioned in the first post, all the pastas (except the 9 noodles I used for lasagna last week) are all still there.

I really wanted February to be my fresh start.  People use January as a new beginning and I totally get it.  It makes perfect sense.  But as I mentioned before, my January is for cleaning out so I can start “Fresh February.”  Well, it isn’t happening.  February is still going to be mostly cleaning out mode.  Except this will be dedicated to the pantry and kitchen freezer.  Shoot!

Don’t worry, I’m not going to keep talking about this for all of February.  I just really am going to do a lot better from now on.  I always start strong then fall back on old habits of buying “just in case.”  No more!  That doesn’t fit for me since I go to at least one grocery store almost every day.  AND I meal plan.  I don’t need just in case food.  Or at least not as much as I have.  So stupid and wasteful.

I realize everyone is different and what works for me will not necessarily work for you.  But with food prices increasing we could all probably be more mindful of how much we really need.  It starts now.  Even though I bought a bag of egg noodles yesterday just in case.  But that was yesterday.  Today is the day!  Today is the day my friends!

Happy Weekend!