Winter is the perfect time to organize and reevaluate our homes. One way we like to do this is with The Three Rivers Pantry Challenge. The pantry challenge can be done anytime; however, every January and February is when we like to challenge ourselves to use what we have on hand and stay out of the grocery stores. For the pantry challenge, you make the rules so you can really tailor it to your family’s specific needs and lifestyle.
Here are three things the pantry challenge can teach us:
How to Be Mindful
The pantry challenge allows us to be more mindful of what we have preserved and shopped for over the previous months. For many, so much time is spent selecting seeds, planting, nourishing, harvesting, and preserving our harvests from our gardens for several months. That’s a lot of work!
That time and effort shouldn’t be wasted simply because we forgot a product was on the shelf or because it may not be our favorite thing in the pantry. However, waste not want not, friends! That's the mindset of the pantry challenge. It’s ok if that pickled okra isn’t the family favorite, you know that now and likely won’t preserve any more of it. But it’s not ok to waste it. If you really just can’t stand it - offer it to a friend or neighbor who has mentioned how much they love it. Being mindful of the work you put in and the goal of all of that work can really help us to bite the bullet, or in this case, the pickled okra.
How to Be Intentional
The pantry challenge also allows us to evaluate what foods we enjoy eating the most and new ways to use items we don’t naturally gravitate toward. So, we’ve learned that the family doesn’t particularly care for pickled okra... that’s ok! Now we know and we move forward in our garden plans. When planning your next garden season, you may still plant okra but may look for other ways to preserve it. Or you may opt to forego okra all together. The idea is now you become more deliberate about what you plant, how much you plant, and what you intend to do with the harvest.
How to Be Creative
If we're staying out of the grocery stores, then we should obviously see cost savings. The pantry challenge reminds us to not only be frugal but to also be creative. The pickled okra isn’t a huge hit with the family, and you’ve given as much as you can to friends, family, neighbors, and maybe even a few strangers. However, you still just can’t seem to get rid of it. Now what? We take a lesson from the Food Network show Chopped! We use our logical thinking skills and creativity to make use of the product at hand. Perhaps the okra can be freeze-dried or dehydrated then turned into a powder that can be used as a seasoning? Or try your hand at perfecting a delicious Caruru recipe!
Check out my recent YouTube Short for some Pantry Challenge recipe ideas, and don't forget to subscribe for more!
Let’s Get Started!
The best way to get started with a pantry challenge is to know exactly what you have on hand. Using an inventory sheet can help with this. We are offering our Free Pantry Inventory Booklet in our February newsletter. This booklet offers over 20 pages, with over a hundred different items listed, so that you can make sure every nook and cranny of your pantry is accounted for.
Even if you aren’t a gardener or homesteader, there are inventory sheets just for you! We also recommend doing a second inventory at the end of your pantry challenge. Compare the two lists and see how you did. Sometimes if I feel we still have a lot to get through, I will extend the pantry challenge through March. It’s ok to start and stop when you decide. Remember you make the rules! If you would like to learn more about the Three Rivers Pantry Challenge you can find Jessica on YouTube and on Instagram.
Our Free Pantry Inventory Booklet is only for our newsletter subscribers and will be available for a limited time only. So, make sure you download yours today! Our newsletter features some of our favorite recipes and free printables that are only available to our subscribers! And don’t worry, we hate spam mail and value your time. You’ll receive an initial thank you email, and our newsletter is delivered monthly. You can help our small family business by sharing us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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