Take the Pantry Challenge - Rules and Recipes (2024)

By Marjory Pilley Published · Updated

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Take the Pantry Challenge and use up the food in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. It will help you organize your kitchen AND save money too.

When should you do it?

  • After holidays to use up the special ingredients you bought.
  • At the beginning of the year to save a little cash.
  • Seasonally to keep everything in order.
  • When you can't find anything in your pantry or freezer or you're throwing out expired food.
  • To make room in your pantry/refrigerator/freezer for a healthy dinner plan.

You can even make this part of your monthly shopping routine!

Take the Pantry Challenge - Rules and Recipes (1)

Pantry Challenge Rules

You set the rules for YOUR challenge to eat the pantry clean. Here's what to cover:

#1 Set a time frame for the challenge.

If you've never done it before then try it for 7-10 days. Once you're a veteran, try it for even longer!

My time frame: 7 days

#2 Decide if you will step foot in a grocery store.

If you are, what's your budget? There are many reasons to allow this. You may need certain products for special diets or for children. Or, you may want a little wiggle room for fresh items, like milk or fresh produce.

My goal: $20

#3 Clean out your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.

Work in sections (i.e. start with spices, dry goods, refrigerator and then the freezer.) Lift out everything. Discard anything that has expired. Donate or give away items that you definitely don't plan to use.

#4 Make an inventory of what's left.

Simply make a list of everything you have on hand. Highlight or place an asterisk next to items that you need to use asap.

Tip: Use a marker to write the expiration date or opened date so it's easy to see.

#5 Create a meal plan.

This is the fun part and you should definitely get the family involved. Print out our free meal planner and follow the easy process to set-up a weekly meal plan using the food you have on hand.

Get creative. When things start running low, think about dishes you enjoy and whether you can substitute something you have to come up with a new favorite. For example, make chicken fajitas instead of beef. What's Cooking America's Baking and Cooking Ingredient Substitution Chart is also a great resource.

Recipes Ideas

Just because you're eating your pantry clean doesn't mean meals should be boring. Here are some recipe ideas that are easily customized based upon what you have on hand:

Breakfast

  • Eggs - Make it a scramble and stir in vegetables or beans.
  • Quiche - Use the basic quiche template and variation suggestions in Crustless Quiche to Make-Ahead and Freeze.
  • Smoothies - Substitute different berries in our Simple Strawberry Smoothie recipe.
  • Muffins - If you stocked up on baking supplies, make muffins! Do you have cans of pumpkin puree? Make one of these Pumpkin Muffin Recipes.
  • Oatmeal - Load it up with toppings such as nuts and frozen or fresh fruit. Follow our directions to make steel-cut oatmeal in a crock-pot.

Of course, use up any ready-to-serve items, such as frozen waffles or boxed cereal.

Lunch and Dinner

  • Rice Bowls - Make rice, quinoa, farro...or any grain base for a bowl. Add in protein, vegetables, cheese, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, crunchy toppings and drizzle with a little sauce. What sauce? Use salad dressing or use olive oil and vinegar.
  • Soups - Many of these Soup Recipes are customizable by swapping out the protein.
  • Salads - Use those greens up early in the challenge so they don't go bad.
  • Pasta - You can add just about anything to Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic.
  • Breakfast for dinner!

If you have:

  • Ground beef - make crumbles for Gourmet Sloppy Joes or make Turkey Meatloaf Muffins (you'll need ground beef, chicken or turkey, cheese and breadcrumbs or oatmeal, onion and salsa.)
  • Chicken breast- my favorite sheet pan recipe is Mediterranean Chicken Bake. You can easily swap out the ingredients in this recipe.
  • Beans - go meatless! Use them in place of meat in the ideas above.

Use up any frozen dinners and vegetables!

Snacks

Here are some healthy snack options

  • Fruit
  • Cheese and vegetables or crackers
  • Energy Balls - Use any nut butter in this recipe. Swap Medjool dates for an equal amount of honey.
  • Trail mix - Use nuts, cereal, dried fruit to make these.
  • Healthy Veggie Muffins - these recipes call for only a few ingredients

Good luck and have fun!

Did you take the pantry challenge? Do you have questions or tips to share? Leave a comment below!

More Cooking Tips & Guides

  • What to Serve with Corn on the Cob - 30 Best Recipes
  • What to Serve with Chicken Marbella (15+ Best Side Dishes)
  • What to Serve With Shrimp: 25 Best Side Dishes
  • How to Cook Whole Butternut Squash (Crock-Pot)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nonarae

    I’m not trying to judge.. honestly confused though.. only 7 days? Is that not like a normal amount of time to go without grocery shopping? I feel like i can easily go a few weeks between trips if I need to. I’m prepping for my first real pantry challenge now, and I think I’m going to do a full 8 weeks with a $25 per month grocery budget for dairy and some fresh fruit/veggies. The biggest challenge will be keeping my husband out of the store snack isle 😅😅😅

    Reply

    • Marjory Pilley

      OMG I know the pressure from family members. A longer period is even better!!!

      Reply

  2. Shanna

    I've been doing this for about 10 years. Usually January or January and February. With high bills on the winter time, this saves so much money. I also have to go to the food bank due to high bills. But I only go when I need to. So we come up with some really interesting meals. A lot of homemade pastries and bread during this time also. We also have an Amish cookbook that get very utilized. It can be done! I also barter with neighbors of I have excess items and I'm looking for something else. Like right now I have 1/2 a beef sitting in my freezer, but very little chicken, so I can use my beef to barter.

    Reply

    • Marjory Pilley

      Thanks for your inspiring comment and tip about the Amish cookbook! Definitely going to check that out!

      Reply

  3. captbridgers

    great idea but I have 5 freezers, 3 fridges. One freezer has a list of items...not up to date. Been trying to use up freezers but barely a dent. If we had one freezer & one fridge, this idea would be a piece of cake!..no pun intended...but an impossibility for hoarders

    Reply

    • Marjory Pilley

      Wow! That is a challenge! Maybe set a small budget for each week to cover true necessities and then slowly tackle sections over the course of several weeks?

      Reply

Take the Pantry Challenge - Rules and Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Take the Pantry Challenge - Rules and Recipes? ›

Each time your family uses up one of your pantry items, cross them off your master inventory list. Continue this challenge until you use up everything in your pantry or there is nothing else that you can make unless you buy more food.

How do I prepare for a pantry challenge? ›

The Benefits of a Pantry Challenge:
  1. Less food waste. ...
  2. Saving money. ...
  3. Try new recipes. ...
  4. There are so many more benefits to doing a pantry challenge. ...
  5. 1) Set a goal for your pantry challenge. ...
  6. 2) Take a FULL inventory of your food. ...
  7. 3) List every possible meal from your inventory. ...
  8. 4) Meal Plan to use everything up.

What is the pantry challenge to save money? ›

Each time your family uses up one of your pantry items, cross them off your master inventory list. Continue this challenge until you use up everything in your pantry or there is nothing else that you can make unless you buy more food.

How do you eat down the pantry? ›

Tips & Tricks for a No-Spend Pantry Challenge
  1. Challenging Yourself to Eat Down the Pantry.
  2. Cooking With What You Have. Get creative with old recipes. Discover new recipes. Plan out your menu. Don't give up on fresh foods. Come up with unique combinations of foods. ...
  3. More Ideas for Your Pantry Challenge.
Jan 14, 2024

Why you should eat your pantry? ›

A pantry challenge is a great way to free up that extra cash. If you've never done a pantry challenge, the point is to avoid the grocery store and only prepare and eat meals using things you already have in your kitchen so you can use the money you normally would be spending at the grocery store on other things.

In what order should a pantry be organized? ›

I have from top to bottom:
  1. baking stuff on top shelf plus sweets so kids can't see them when they open the pantry.
  2. sauces, vinegar, tomatoes, spreads and jars of things.
  3. canned stuff, cereal, gladwrap/baking paper/foil/plastic bags.
  4. pasta, grains, pulses and noodles.
Feb 20, 2015

What do you wear to a food pantry? ›

Food Bank recommends casual and comfortable clothing. Close-toed shoes, tennis shoes or boots ARE REQUIRED. No heels, open-toe shoes, or sandals are permitted in the warehouse.

What is the 100 envelope savings challenge? ›

It works like this: Gather 100 envelopes and number them from 1 to 100. Each day, fill up one envelope with the amount of cash corresponding to the number on the envelope. You can fill up the envelopes in order or pick them at random. After you've filled up all the envelopes, you'll have a total savings of $5,050.

What is the 5 savings challenge? ›

The fiver challenge - save £7,000

This challenge works the same as the 52 week challenge, but you go up in multiples of £5 rather than £1. So week one = £5, week two = £10, all the way up to week 52 at £260. Alternatively, if you're not in the position to save these larger amounts, you could save £5 every week instead.

What is the secret to food challenges? ›

Begin expanding your stomach one week before the contest.

During the beginning of the week, eat one extra large meal during the day, then keep your other meals normal. On days four and five, you should have two large meals only. The actual meal sizes will depend on you and your typical portions.

What side do you remove a meal? ›

In America, the rule of thumb is to "serve on the left!" Plates, along with other serving dishes, are served on the left side of the guests. Plates are cleared from the table on the right side of the guests. "Remove on the right!" Simply remember the two R's!

How not to throw away food? ›

Here are 7 ways you can reduce food waste in your kitchen:
  • Take an inventory. Take stock of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer before going to the store to prevent overbuying.
  • Create a meal plan. ...
  • Save and eat leftovers safely. ...
  • Store food appropriately. ...
  • Buy "ugly" foods. ...
  • Compost. ...
  • Use leftovers creatively.
Jun 4, 2021

What is a pantry dinner? ›

Made from pantry essentials like rice, pasta, noodles, tuna, beans and tomatoes, these dinner ideas can all be whipped up without leaving the house. Plus with so much variety – think soups, pasta bakes, fritters and more – you'll never get bored.

What is a pantry challenge? ›

A pantry challenge is a quest to eat as much of the food in the house that you already have, with little to no grocery shopping. The purpose is threefold: to eat the food you have. reduce your food waste. save money by having no grocery list or grocery bill for a length of time.

What is the pantry food method for weight loss? ›

Fresh vegetables and fruit are top of the list when it comes to a weight-loss pantry. Non-starchy varieties are great for adding volume and taste to meals, 'diluting' other higher-kilojoule foods. They are also packed with nutrients to keep you well.

What goes in a walk in pantry? ›

If your pantry space is large enough to walk in and have three walls of shelving, think about using deeper shelves on one side for small appliances, serving dishes, baking dishes and such. Then shelves on the other side not so deep to store food, like canned goods, cereal boxes, dry foods and such.

What to do for a food challenge? ›

The OFC starts with a small serving of the food and after a period of time, usually 15-30 minutes, if no symptoms are present, a slightly larger amount is eaten. Before each subsequent dose, careful evaluation is performed to look for any symptoms.

What should be in a walk in pantry? ›

A walk-in pantry should house whatever you need it to. It can be simply a store cupboard for non-perishable foods, or can act as an area to hold both large and small appliances, from the fridge to the food processor. Regardless, it's important to keep items zoned and organized.

What is considered a walk in pantry? ›

Essentially, it's a food storage area that you can walk into! The space is often larger than a traditional pantry and can accommodate more items. An average size walk-in pantry is usually around 4 or 5 feet wide and 4 or 5 feet deep. This offers plenty of room for shelving while still providing space to move around in.

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