Lets be clear. My reason for agreeing to participate in this challenge is not to experience the past but to live mindfully in the present. I believe that I have already been doing this for the past several months, mainly starting when I decided to move to a new apartment. My goal was to use most of the excess stores that I had including beans (all kinds - split peas, lentils, black eyed peas, chickpeas, etc.), rice, nuts, frozen foods, etc before I moved... I also wanted to be less wasteful because I found myself discarding pounds of produce simply because I was not very organized.
Since moving, I have had very little waste - just the occasional bad recipe that even a dog won't eat. I generally buy what I need and use it up. If I have a couple ingredients that I think would work well together, I do an Internet search for a recipe. For example, I had left over carrots and garlic so I found a recipe for roasted carrot and garlic soup which turned out great!
I enjoy being creative in the kitchen and experimenting with unique recipes. Remember the sprouted wheat berry flat bread and the zupa orgokowa (sour pickle soup)? These challenges have really expanded my culinary horizons.
Will I win by saving the most money? No way! Will I personally win by continuing to be mindful and embarking on culinary adventures? Absolutely!!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
super cook sunday
saturday we hosed our monthly gaming group, so i invited everyone in the group to come eat on us. there is one thing we are ahead on in this challenge, and that is hosting credits. we had 8 people show up at 2pm, and 4 more later in the evening.
though are per meal cost has been low since the challenge start, actual expenses continue to rack up. a trip to the store cost another 31.27, though many of the items were beverages for hosting. i cant remember if i made 4 or 5 pizzas, but i can tell you we used nearly a full 5lb bag of flour and 25oz of cheese in the process, along with toppings.
sunday came and i cooked, all day. i made 1.5lbs of potatoes into chis, fried in some bacon fat i had saved. i then made 24 dozen pierogis, and bbq beef ribs for dinner. the leftover dough from the pierogies was rolled out into noodles. welcome back pasta queen.
i put the ribs in the slow cooker with half an onion and some leftover mushrooms from pizza day, along with a cup of water. 6 hours later i put them on the foreman grill with some barbeque sauce. they literally fell off the bone. i saved what was left in the c
rock pot to make soup out of later.
tonights dinner was chicken and dumplings. when you make pierogies there are casualties whose filling pokets break in the water. i took about a dozen of those and chopped them up for the dumplings. i tore 2 chicken legs apart to remove the bone, skin, and all the tendons. i found it came apart easiest when pulled apart by hand. i floured and pan fried them, added the dumplings and a bit of water. i let them simmer for a few minutes and then added a country gravy packet i found in the cupboard. it turned out pretty good. ill substitute flour and pepper next time i make it.
though are per meal cost has been low since the challenge start, actual expenses continue to rack up. a trip to the store cost another 31.27, though many of the items were beverages for hosting. i cant remember if i made 4 or 5 pizzas, but i can tell you we used nearly a full 5lb bag of flour and 25oz of cheese in the process, along with toppings.
sunday came and i cooked, all day. i made 1.5lbs of potatoes into chis, fried in some bacon fat i had saved. i then made 24 dozen pierogis, and bbq beef ribs for dinner. the leftover dough from the pierogies was rolled out into noodles. welcome back pasta queen.
i put the ribs in the slow cooker with half an onion and some leftover mushrooms from pizza day, along with a cup of water. 6 hours later i put them on the foreman grill with some barbeque sauce. they literally fell off the bone. i saved what was left in the c
rock pot to make soup out of later.
tonights dinner was chicken and dumplings. when you make pierogies there are casualties whose filling pokets break in the water. i took about a dozen of those and chopped them up for the dumplings. i tore 2 chicken legs apart to remove the bone, skin, and all the tendons. i found it came apart easiest when pulled apart by hand. i floured and pan fried them, added the dumplings and a bit of water. i let them simmer for a few minutes and then added a country gravy packet i found in the cupboard. it turned out pretty good. ill substitute flour and pepper next time i make it.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Market Day Proposal
I would like to propose a "Market Day" for our next family dinner which will be held on Thursday, Febuary 20. My inventory is listed in the previous blog. I am happy to trade or share. (I have 26 containers of applesauce.) LOL Our dinner on that day will be a pot luck. I will be roasting one of the turkeys as my contribution.
Challenge Stores
Today, I took inventory of my challenge stores. I have two small freezers full of food I have either grown in my garden or received via the local food distribution channels. The two turkeys and fresh sweet potatoes were purchased with a gift card I received from work over the holidays. Listed below are the preserved food, the food leftover from the previous challenge and a list of purchases I've made to begin the challenge along with my 5 pounds free supplies. I've decided to use up what little I have in the refrigerator from pre-challenge and I am taking 1 pound of my free food to use various items such as a few slices of bread, 4 slices of turkey, and a few slices of cheese. I know I will probably spend more than I have listed here. However, if I don't spend any more money than I already have, I will be eating for 18 cents per day. My goal is to eat for less than 50 cents per day. Here is my beginning challenge list:
| ITEM | Quan | State | Location | Cost | |
| VEGETABLES | |||||
| Beans (Green) | 3 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Beans (Green) | 1 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Beans (Loobie) | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Beans (Wax) | 5 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Beets | 7 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Beets | 6 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Broccoli Stems | 3 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Cabbage (Shredded) | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Cabbage (Whole) | 1 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Carrots | 10 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Carrots | 4 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Carrots (Whole 5 lb) | 1 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Chives (Chopped in Roll) | 1 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Chives (Chopped in Roll) | 2 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Corn | 4 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Eggplant | 4 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Pickles | 7 | CANNED | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Spaghetti Squash | 4 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Spaghetti Squash | 4 | FRESH | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Sweet Potatoes | 11 | FRESH | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Tomatoes (Canned) | 9 | CANNED | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Tomatoes (Skinned Whole) | 4 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Tomatoes (Skinned Whole) | 4 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Turnip Cubes | 2 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Zucchini (Breaded Slices) | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Zucchini (Stuffed) | 2 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Zucchini (Shredded) | 5 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| FRUIT | |||||
| Grape Juice | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Grape Juice | 1 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Grapes | 5 | FROZEN | Basement | $2.50 | |
| Peach Pie | 1 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Peaches | 5 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Pear Jelly | 3 | CANNED | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Pears | 7 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Strawberries | 5 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Applesauces | |||||
| Pear Sauce | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Cinnamon Applesauce | 6 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Blackberry Applesauce | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Apple/Pear Sauce | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Plain Applesauce | 1 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Plain Applesauce | 8 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Apple/Pear Sauce | 5 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Soups | |||||
| Carrot/Ginger Soup | 2 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Lrg Roasted Veg Soup | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Roasted Veg | 3 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Roasted Veg Soup | 4 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Turnip/leek Soup | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Turnip/leek Soup | 4 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Turnip/leek Soup | 1 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Zucchini Soup | 5 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Zucchini Soup | 7 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| MISCELLANEOUS | |||||
| Banana Bread (2 slice pckg) | 3 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Bread & Butter Pickles | 7 | CANNED | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Sage/Mint Tea | 4 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Sunflower Heads | 6 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Sweet Potato Pancakes | 2 | FROZEN | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Sweet Potato Pancakes | 3 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Turkey | 2 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| Whole Zucchini Bread | 1 | FROZEN | Garage | $0.00 | |
| DRY GOODS | |||||
| Barley | 4 | DRY | Basement | $0.00 | |
| Farina (20 oz) | 2 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Cornmeal (1 lb) | 4 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Bran (1 lb) | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Chicory | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| Dry Garden Herbs | 5 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 5 POUNDS FREE | |||||
| 1 Pound Butter | 1 | FROZEN | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 1 Pound Coffee | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 1/2 Pound Veg Soup Paste | 1 | CANNED | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 1 Pound Leftovers | 1 | Refrigerator | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 1 Pound Oil | 1 | CANNED | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 1/4 Pound Salt & Spices | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| 1/4 Pound Brown Sugar | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.00 | |
| PURCHASES as of Feb. 1 | |||||
| 1 Doz Eggs | 1 | FRESH | Kitchen | $2.97 | |
| 1 Large Package Oatmeal | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $2.49 | |
| 5 Pounds Potatoes | 1 | FRESH | Kitchen | $2.50 | |
| 1 Bag Bananas | 1 | FRESH | Kitchen | $0.99 | |
| Coffee Creamer | 1 | FRESH | Kitchen | $2.99 | |
| 1/2 lb sugar @ 1.98 5 lbs | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $0.20 | |
| 2 lb flour @ 2.49 5 lbs | 1 | DRY | Kitchen | $1.49 | |
| TOTAL SPENT TO DATE: | $16.13 | ||||
Friday, January 31, 2014
Rules Recap, Challenge 3
We discussed them last night, so here's a quick run-down;
Challenge lasts from Feb 1 2014 to Apr 30 2014.
Participants record how much they spend on food during that time period. The participant who spends the least (or couple who spend the least per person) is/are declared victor(s).
Participants are allowed 5lbs of goods that are exempt from their spending total to reflect the dwindling stores they may have in their home.
Participants can 'use up' old commodities in their posession at the estimated cost of the original goods (for example, half a $1 bag of broccoli left over in the freezer costs the participant 50¢ instead of going out and buying a new bag.)
Change found on the ground does not count towards your total.
Challenge lasts from Feb 1 2014 to Apr 30 2014.
Participants record how much they spend on food during that time period. The participant who spends the least (or couple who spend the least per person) is/are declared victor(s).
Participants are allowed 5lbs of goods that are exempt from their spending total to reflect the dwindling stores they may have in their home.
Participants can 'use up' old commodities in their posession at the estimated cost of the original goods (for example, half a $1 bag of broccoli left over in the freezer costs the participant 50¢ instead of going out and buying a new bag.)
Change found on the ground does not count towards your total.
I Won't Win This Challenge
I have, in fact, probably already spent more than some of the participants will for the entire challenge. So Why would I participate, doomed from the start?
To those of you just tuning in, I'll very briefly recap. The first challenge I proposed was to live for a week solely on what participants could grow, forage, or hunt for. I saw a bear on a PBS special who knew what he could eat outdoors by instinct, yet I could not craft a meal without a grocery store. It was at first just a personal trial but I suggested it to some friends and family members and they wanted to try too. Another friend suggested I write a blog about the experience, hence this blog.
The second challenge was inspired once again by a PBS special. That challenge was about homesteading in Montana. People had a bit of money but for the most part were on their own to survive 5 years to 'earn' their land. The proposal for the second challenge was to see who could survive the longest, given roughly $10 per person (plus what you could grow, forage, hunt, or fish for.) I was the victor in that challenge. The runner-up in the second challenge was my mom, Therese.
After that challenge ended I did some number crunching and realized that Therese had spent nearly 2¢ per day less than I had. This sparked the idea for our third and final challenge. The spirit of this challenge is the Great Depression, and participants are trying to see how little per diem they can spend on food.
Part of the reason I am participating in this challenge is to connect with a generation of ancestor not too far removed. Our family came to America during WW1 and settled in the coal mining country of Pennsylvania. My grandparents were all children during the depression, though truthfully the burdon of this time probably weighed heavier on their parents.
A greater part of the reason, and it was not anticipated, is that participation helps others. I imagine there may be some people who read this blog looking for help or inspiration while going through trying times, but that is not what I mean. Our project has had positive reprecussions outside of our circle. We've been able to help friends going through tough times to find available food. We've arranged free food for a non-profit organization from a local bakery that would otherwise throw the food away. And we, through our grandmother, tapped into a network of donated food that would literally be thrown away if she, and we, didn't particiapte in its distribution and consumption.
For myself and my wife who has agreed to join in this time, I've set a personal goal for this challenge outside of victory. My goal is to survive on $1.50 per person per day during our 3 month voyage. We have a few people who do work for us at our building. They're not well off, and we provide lunch for them. I'd like to absorb the cost of their meals in that $3 per day (6-7 more meals per week.) I'd also like to host 4 or more people for dinner each month, with a cost of no more than $20 per gala. Finally, I'd like to, through atypical means, generate $300 in income by the end of the challenge tto pay for the value of the food we consume.
Expenses so far...
Tomorrow begins our third (and final) food challenge. Here is a quick recap of what I spent and have ready in stores for this challenge;
10lbs Chicken Leg Quarters @.49¢/lb $4.90
4-1/2lbs Beef Ribs @99¢/lb $4.46
5lb Sour Cream $5.09
5lb Pasta Salad $4.79
10lb Cheddar Cheese $21.58
5lb Mozz-Provalone Cheese $12.59
20lbs All-Purpose Flour $6.76
10lbs Self Rising Flour $3.78
10lbs Potatoes $3.49
4lbs Sauerkraut $4.38
4lbs Margarine @ 75¢/lb $1.50
2lbs Margarine @ 36¢/lb 72¢
30ct Eggs $3.15
2lbs Barley $1.98
3 Jars Tomato Sauce @ 99¢ ea $2.97
9 2-Liters of Soda @ 79¢ ea $7.11
7 Dozen Prepared Pierogies @ 33¢/Doz $2.31
4-1/2 Dozen Prepared Pierogies @ 33¢/doz, gifted to Sharon $1.49
8lb Wild Turkey $0
7 Pint Bags Frozen Tomatoes $0
1 Loaf Banana Bran Bread $0
4 Pint Bags Carrots $0
3 Quarts Frozen Soup $0
1 Box of Wheat Cereal $0
3 Cans Applesauce $0
__________________
Total $93.05
That seems pretty rough, not having started and already having spent nearly a hundred bucks. Over a third of that is in cheese costs, It was cheaper to buy it in a big bulk and have it all at once. I hope my pierogi factory will produce enough trade goods to diversify our stores. 1lb of cheese will make about 16 dozen pierogies.
10lbs Chicken Leg Quarters @.49¢/lb $4.90
4-1/2lbs Beef Ribs @99¢/lb $4.46
5lb Sour Cream $5.09
5lb Pasta Salad $4.79
10lb Cheddar Cheese $21.58
5lb Mozz-Provalone Cheese $12.59
20lbs All-Purpose Flour $6.76
10lbs Self Rising Flour $3.78
10lbs Potatoes $3.49
4lbs Sauerkraut $4.38
4lbs Margarine @ 75¢/lb $1.50
2lbs Margarine @ 36¢/lb 72¢
30ct Eggs $3.15
2lbs Barley $1.98
3 Jars Tomato Sauce @ 99¢ ea $2.97
9 2-Liters of Soda @ 79¢ ea $7.11
7 Dozen Prepared Pierogies @ 33¢/Doz $2.31
4-1/2 Dozen Prepared Pierogies @ 33¢/doz, gifted to Sharon $1.49
8lb Wild Turkey $0
7 Pint Bags Frozen Tomatoes $0
1 Loaf Banana Bran Bread $0
4 Pint Bags Carrots $0
3 Quarts Frozen Soup $0
1 Box of Wheat Cereal $0
3 Cans Applesauce $0
__________________
Total $93.05
That seems pretty rough, not having started and already having spent nearly a hundred bucks. Over a third of that is in cheese costs, It was cheaper to buy it in a big bulk and have it all at once. I hope my pierogi factory will produce enough trade goods to diversify our stores. 1lb of cheese will make about 16 dozen pierogies.
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