Eat In Month

Charlie and I joined 'The Chic Life's' Challenge for January.  Diane calls it 'Eat in Month'.  For the entire month you don't go to a restaurant.  I didn't think this would be too difficult since we cook 90% of our meals at home anyway.  Then I started going through my pantry for dinner yesterday.  Geezzz, I should have made my grocery list before I decided to join.  And I should have asked Charlie to go to the store.  We were out of almost everything.  Not sure how that happened but it is definitely time to stock up again.

Back on track for the Challenge though, I took some of the chicken that we had from New Year's Eve, cut it into chunks and made an alfredo sauce.  Served with noodles and a salad it was a great way to eat something simple and use the leftovers.  Not to mention it was darned good and warm.  Isn't Houston supposed to not have winters because even though it is only in the low 50's, it's windy and feels much colder?  I'm moving closer to the equator.

After realizing that our cupboard is almost bare, I decided to take the challenge a bit further.  It is all about saving money and eating more sensibly.  Charlie gets his lunch packed for him everyday.  Aren't I a good wife! 

OK, stop laughing.  However, he is a breakfast skipper.  I have always wanted him to eat something in the morning within a few hours of waking up.  If he doesn't he goes 6-7 hours with only coffee.

So today, he got a scrambled egg with cheese on toast.  For lunch, he has tuna salad with carrots instead of chips.  I also threw in a few Nilla Wafers for a sweet treat. 

I'm hoping that if he spreads that out over the day, he won't be so hungry when he gets home and he will eat a lighter dinner.  Which, by the way, is going to be chili because it's cold outside and HOORAY, I have all the ingredients.  Not really difficult to have, hamburger meat, italian sausage, canned tomatoes and spices.  Although I have to sub tomatoes that have jalapenos since I don't have plain diced ones.

It's funny that this challenge has really made me think.  Running to the grocery store to pick up one or two items isn't really a big deal for us.  Generally the problem is, I run in for 2 things and come out with 20.  So after looking at what I have and deciding to use it in ways that maybe I wouldn't normally, is a good thing.  I did make a list though and Charlie will be going to the store so we only buy what's on the list.

Thanks Diane, I welcome these small changes and I am hoping that they become routine.

How do you plan your meals and do your shopping?   One meal at a time or do you shop for the entire week?  Let me know.  I would love to hear from you.