When a Plan Comes Together

Who doesn't like it when a plan comes together?  It occurred to me that if I didn't want to, I didn't have to go to the grocery store this week (at least not for dinners).  Skipping a trip to the grocery store has been wishful thinking of mine for some time now.  Thanks to a little planning, skippin' is beginning to look like a real possibility.

Sweet Gherkin pickles and Sloppy Joe Sauce

The plan I've been working is this:

1. Purchase a large supply of meat to stock the freezer.
2. Join a CSA for fresh local produce.
3. Build a respectable pantry stockpile.
4. Preserve food for future use.

Happily, I purchased a 1/4 beef from Sevens Sons this past week.  I am hoping that the 90lbs of beef will last a good six months for our family of five.  We average eating beef about three times a week.  This is the third time I've purchased from them.  I've found the meat to be very lean, tender and tasty.  Plus, I like that it's local.

Back in February, I rejoined our local CSA.  This will be our second year participating.  We are into week two of the season and off to a good start.  This past week, we enjoyed strawberries, romaine lettuce, asparagus, knob onions and radishes.  It's nice having this paid for in advance.  Now, it's just a matter of picking it up every week which is no trouble at all.

When I say "respectable stockpile", I just want you to know that you won't be seeing me on TV for extreme couponing or prepping.  I don't have a basement or garage lined with shelves bursting with consumables.  Although I do use coupons and take advantage of a good sale.  I did get twenty free bottles of salad dressing by using coupons once.  Yep, we used it all :)      Seriously though, most of my pantry is stocked via my Sam's Club membership.  I tend to buy only the basics - flour, sugar, yeast, rice, pasta, etc..

As for preserving food, I am always thinking about how to make what we have stretch and last.  I have begun canning, tried dehydrating, and acquired a second freezer with then intentions of making food last and making it more cost effective.  I also go by the saying "waste not, want not".  If a meal provides extras for us, those extras go to use.  For example, a weekend breakfast of homemade sausage and cheese English muffin sandwiches makes seven.  We eat five and the other two go in the freezer to be used later as sandwiches for my husband's lunch.

So what are we eating this week?

• Grilled steak  with asparagus 
• Sloppy Joes with sauce that I canned last fall 
• Homemade pizza with premade crusts and sauce from the freezer
• BBQ chicken sandwiches on homemade pretzel bread rolls
• Patty Melts with mac and cheese
• Tacos and salad

Beef and produce from local farms ~ dry goods from the pantry ~ everything else from the freezer 

The plan is coming together.