Living On What We Have OREOS from Alexandra!
When the Coronavirus hit everyone had to make many changes. Since my granddaughter won’t allow hubby and me to go to the stores she is constantly checking with us to see what we need in groceries. I learned that we can actually get by on very little. I’ve always kept our freezer and pantry stocked so we are living on what we have there.
Alexandra makes sure we have fruit, bread, eggs and milk and OREOS!! Did I tell you she is one super, caring and loving granddaughter?
The other day I posted I was craving oreos and wouldn’t you know it, the next day Alex get me a PARTY SIZE package of DOUBLE STUFFED oreos!
As for our freezer and pantry meals, some of the meals I’ve prepared are pasta with sauce (which was a great hit with Lia), steak, chicken, and chili.
I love tuna and egg salad sandwiches but instead of bread I serve them with crackers. I won a contest from Milton’s Craft Bakers and received 12 bags of different flavored baked crackers plus a $50.00 Whole Foods gift certificate and are these crackers delicious! It doesn’t look like a big meal but it was filling!
Lia helped me make a big macaroni salad with tuna and hard boiled eggs that lasted three days! She did a taste test and from her smile it passed inspection! I still have a good supply of frozen food left including a few meals of salmon, some frozen cabbage and riced cauliflower plus some meats. I even have a turkey that I can prepare for our no Easter dinner.
Salads are a great filling meal and I also like to have breakfast for dinner so omelettes or even pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse make a filling meal!
One of my meals this past week was really creative. Of course it’s great that hubby goes along with whatever I put on his plate. The other day I cooked up a delicious frozen Chicken Alfredo pizza from Aldi’s. It was as good if not better than any takeout pizza. They only thing I did was add some bacon pieces over the chicken and was that a filling meal. BUT this was my meal, hubby isn’t a fan of cheese…….so I made him some gourmet Ball Park franks and Bush baked beans.
Since there was leftover pizza and beans, I planned to use them the following day. My pizza was a no brainer but I had to come up with something to go with the beans for hubby since I didn’t want to open a new package of franks. So I rummaged around the freezer and found a partial package of breakfast sausage that had four links left. I fried up the sausage and while looking through the refrigerator I found a container of sliced onions. I tossed the onion in with the sausage and cooked them up together. I became creative with hubby’s dinner of sausage with grilled onions sandwich with a side of left over Bush beans. I didn’t tell him what I was whipping up but when he saw it, he loved it!
I really out did my meal yesterday and it was as good as a restaurant meal!🤗🤗 I made Rich bbq ribs, baked potato (I took his skin 🤣) and garden fresh peas from the freezer. I had delicious wild caught sockeye salmon (wish I caught it) with lemon/butter sauce, riced cauliflower faux potatoes and sliced beets. This is a meal I wish I had leftovers! I think this is the first mega meal we’ve had since living on what we have in the freezer. I’m so glad I riced up and froze cauliflower and cabbage a few months ago.
Our meals have been a bit different from steak, chicken, pork chops or fish every day but it’s taught me that we can survive on what we already have. From what I still have in the freezer and pantry, we’re good on dinner meals for at least another few weeks. If we have to stretch things longer, we will.
What have you been doing about meals, are you still going to the grocery store as much as you had been or are you limiting you outings?
I don’t know how much longer we will be living the way we are but most of us are finding ways to adapt and since I’m always up for a challenge I just look at these as another challenge that I will be able to complete. Meanwhile I hope and pray we can get back to some sort of normalcy when this nightmare is over.
So many positive lessons we are learning in this difficult situation!
We are definitely learning a new way of doing things Carrie. I’m praying this will be over soon.
Martha…
I enjoyed your post today and now I’m hungry! Everything looks very tasty. My mouth even watered as I was reading.
We are also for the most part making do with what we have in the freezer and pantry.
I haven’t been to the stores either since the 28th of February. If we need a grocery run, my husband goes. (I don’t like that much because he always ‘tends’ to pick up things that aren’t on the list. LOL
Since it’s Saturday, we are going to make a cheese ball using chopped ham, scallions, a shredded cheese mix of some kind and cream cheese. We’ll munch on that with a variety of crackers. Hubs put out a package of hot dogs (I’m NOT big on them) but I’ll eat one. We haven’t decided yet what’s on the menu for supper. TBD
I hope you and your family have an amazing weekend!!!
Oh wow, that cheese ball sounds delicious Nancy! I think I may have to make one myself! Don’t forget to rest up!
Ok, as I mentioned before I am usually not a fan of kids, oh my! But Alexandra made it into my blog post today…just wish I had an image to share of her to include! Now talking about living on what you have…..my Dad who we sadly lost two years ago April 13th…..called it, he said something like this was going to happen, so he made my Mom order Wise dehydrated foods- unfortunately it’s not vegan so if I go over there when or if she needs to break into them, I will have to make a decision to starve or give in to this!! Anyway, my Dad actually thought it would be a military action with them taking over and all- I still think it’s China’s germ warfare but I was only an intel analyst from years ago! LOL!. So yeah Mom is stocked up! Love to Alexandra!!
I saw she made your blog! Thank you for the shoutout Pamela! I actually went back and edited my blog and added a picture of Alex with her daughter! So glad your mom is stocked up, we will get through this.
Loved the post martha. lockdown is definitely teaching us a big lesson to manage in available resources. Now we value every small thing we have and people are indeed getting creative with stuff. I don’t eat meat..but yours is a creative treat to eyes . Love for you and your family. Stay safe
We go through a lot of eggs and vegetables Shrilekha. But yes we are learning a big lesson and I love being creative. Love to you and your family also.
Your meals look similar to what we’ve been doing and I’m definitely using ingredients all up and being creative as well.
My brother still works outside the house and has been getting groceries when we need them or I buy things online. Next week I’m considering ordering from a local restaurant but haven’t decided yet.
We have a well stocked freezer and pantry as well. Over the last few months when items have been on sale I’ve been buying a few instead of just one.
Living in a hurricane zone, we have always kept a full freezer for “just in case”, I never thought we would be using it for something like this. Glad you are well stocked also April.
My freezer and pantry are stocked. But we go to the grocery store on Thursday morning for Milk, Bread Ceral6. With a Pre- teen food goes fast. For Easter I have a Ham I bought on sa look e a while ago and I even had one I Blessed the neighbor with.
Thankfully I had a turkey in the freezer so we will have that instead of ham. With any luck, maybe ham for mother’s day. Blessings to you and your family Glenda.
Those meals look delicious!! We are still going but much less often. And I try to go t non-peak times whenever possible. I love that your granddaughter won’t let you go to the store. Makes me feel good to know she is keeping you guys safe.
I call Alexandra my mother, LOL She is the most caring granddaughter and always looks out for us. I’m actually having fun making meals from the freezer Jeanine.
I pray for normalcy and nightmare to be over too.Cooking ,baking and limiting outings are what we are doing too.Take care Martha
During this “nightmare” I’m also finding we can do more exciting things with the family, Lia enjoys baking so much! Hugs to you and your family Dr.Amrita.
Yummy post.
I might have to go to Weight Watchers when this is over Kat! LOL
I love how you are using your resources. Grandpa and I have still been to the store to pick up a few things. Sometimes we get a take out meal. I love my grandpa’s cooking though. Yesterday he made pork tenderloin, mixed vegetables and egg salad. It was tasty.
How yummy grandpa’s meal sounds Amanda! I love pork tenderloin and just saw an online recipe for it with a brown sugar glaze! Hugs to you and your grandpa.
Martha great job with using the pantry I am trying to do the same. I doubt it will be empty prior to this ending, but it is good to use what we have!
I’m always stock up and some laugh when they see my pantry. Guess who’s laughing now! Mine probably won’t be empty either but it’s a good way to re-organize it Cindy!
I usually do this every January but sometimes I have to do it more often Cindy!
I love your attitude and the fabulous photos!!
I figure we can complain and be negative or come up with ways to bring the positive out. I prefer the later Diana. Thanks for visiting.
I will need to share all these things too soon.. it is fun to see how each of us is dealing with being home
I am enjoying cooking more meals at home Vidya. It’s so easy to run for take out or go to a restaurant under normal times, but I’m loving getting back to eating more healthy foods. Plus Lia is getting lots of baking time in!