I made a grocery order just now, and I was wondering if the people who shop my order for me ever wonder how we're surviving on what looks like an imbalance of foods. Then I thought that you friends may also wonder how we're eating (and what we're eating), based on seeing what groceries I bought in January. Given what I posted, it would be reasonable to assume we ate nothing but produce, frozen French fries, ketchup and whipping cream for the whole month.
So, I thought I'd give you a rundown for all of our meals last month.
Breakfasts
- oatmeal (scratch, not instant)
- toast (homemade bread)
- Great Value brand of Cheerios
- semi-homemade donuts (canned biscuit dough formed into donuts and fried)
- homemade yogurt
- applesauce
- fresh fruit (apples, oranges, tangerines, bananas)
- frozen fruit (foraged blackberries, blueberries)
- juice
- dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, prunes)
- scratch muffins, coffeecake, cornbread
- eggs
Lunches
- sandwiches (using homemade bread, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, homemade hummus)
- salads and other raw veggies
- homemade soups
- eggs
- cooked dried beans
- any homemade bread product (leftover cornbread, muffins, flour tortillas, loaf bread)
- pasta and homemade sauce
- leftovers from previous night's dinner
Snacks
- pretzels, crackers
- nuts
- raisins
- fruit
- cookies, breads
Desserts
- cookies
- homemade pie
- scratch cupcakes
- coffeecake and snack cake
- ice cream (leftover from December)
- holiday candy
- rice pudding
- homemade milk and cornstarch pudding
- homemade cheesecake
Beverages
- milk
- juice
- coffee
- tea
- cocoa from homemade mix
- water
- sparkling cider (on New Years' day)
Dinners
- Hot Dogs, Buns, Sauerkraut, Hoppin' John, French Fries, Brussel Sprouts in Cheese Sauce, Scratch Cheesecake (using hot dogs, homemade buns, canned sauerkraut, dried black-eyed peas, rice, frozen peppers, seasonings, frozen French fries, frozen Brussel sprouts, scratch cheese sauce, homemade cheesecake)
- Chicken and Dumplings (using canned chicken and canned vegetables, scratch dumplings)
- Tuna Casserole, canned carrots, and applesauce (using canned tuna, canned soup, frozen and fresh veggies, cheese and onion powder, pasta, jarred applesauce, canned carrots)
- Chicken Nachos and Canned Corn (using canned chicken, corn tortillas, avocados, cheese, homemade salsa, lettuce, olives)
- Stir Fry (using rice, canned chicken, TVP, eggs, cabbage, canned carrots, frozen peas, nuts, soy sauce, sesame oil)
- Pigs in Blankets and carrot sticks, apple wedges, canned corn (using canned biscuit dough, hot dogs, carrots, apples, canned corn)
- Pizza (homemade crust or homemade French bread as crust, homemade pizza sauce, pepperoni, green pepper, frozen mushrooms, olives, canned pineapple, frozen ham from Christmas, cheese)
- TVP Meatballs and Marinara over Pasta (using TVP, eggs, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, herbs, seasonings, pasta)
- Spaghetti and Meat Sauce (using tomato paste, canned tomatoes, herbs, seasonings, onions, celery, ground beef, pasta)
- Vegetarian Lasagna (using tomato paste, canned tomatoes, herbs, onions, celery, frozen broccoli, TVP, pasta, mozzarella and Parmesan)
- Chicken Noodle Soup and Italian Bread (using canned chicken, canned and fresh veggies, pasta, herbs)
- Chicken, Vegetable, and Potato Soup with Scratch Biscuits (using canned chicken, canned and fresh vegetables, garden potatoes, seasonings)
- Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread (using several types of beans, green pepper, onions, canned tomatoes, herbs/spices, avocados, cheese, homemade cornbread)
- Lentil-Vegetable Soup and Homemade Bread (using lentils, canned tomatoes, fresh and frozen vegetables, spices, herbs, Parmesan, homemade bread)
- Hummus and Italian Bread w/ Raw Veggies, Homemade Apple Cobbler (using dried beans, sesame seeds, olive oil, seasonings, homemade bread, carrots, celery)
- Tomato Soup and Toasted Cheese Sandwiches (using tomato paste, seasonings, homemade bread, cheese)
- Spinach Frittata, Muffins, Canned Fruit and Vegetables (using eggs, canned and frozen spinach, cheese, homemade pizza sauce, scratch muffins, canned fruits and vegetables)
- Burrito Bowls (using pinto beans, seasonings, rice, canned corn, homemade salsa, cheese, olives, avocados)
- Scrambled Eggs, Hash Browns, Canned Vegetables, Bacon (using eggs, cheese, garden potatoes, canned vegetables, bacon)
Many of these meals we did twice, either as leftovers or just repeated in the month. For side dishes, we used various canned and frozen vegetables, as well as fresh cabbage, lettuce, avocados, celery, carrots, oranges, tangerines, bananas, and apples.
January is a month when I take it easy on myself and don't expect anything spectacular. I used a lot of canned chicken this past month, as it's easy. We also ate eggs for several dinners and used dried beans a few times per week. These are all easy foods, in my mind. I'll likely make more of an effort this next month, now that I've had a month of easier cooking as a break.
We ate every meal cooked from home, with exception to a single meal that my husband's office provided for him for a meeting one evening. One afternoon, a meal in a bag showed up on our doorstep. My husband's work seemed to feel they had to bribe their employees to all attend a Zoom meeting. Otherwise, all from home.
Sometimes, it feels a bit boring to only eat our own cooking. But, for the most part, it's working, and no one is going hungry.
