We’d never been faced with a situation like this before: COVID was raging, winter storms were dumping so much snow it blocked the highway, trucks that normally ran up from Toronto full of food were stranded.
Not many groceries were getting through and store shelves started emptying out.
At that time, masks were required and long lines formed as the government ordered limits on the number of shoppers in the stores at one time. Going food shopping became a struggle.
Once it was our turn to get in the store we would be lucky to find the nutritious foods we were used to eating available to purchase.
We wanted to feel healthy and energetic and eating a nutrient rich diet is a must for us. We were often not able to access the wholesome fresh food we’d become so accustomed to eating and our own pantry shelves stared emptying, with no guarantee of when we could purchase again.
Going without is not fun!
This experience made us realize we had to figure out how to stockpile enough food to carry us through challenging times.
Once COVID passed and times became normal again we started working on a way to stock up a pantry, but still adhere to our budget by filling those shelves with nutrient rich healthy foods.
Keep reading! I’d like to share with you how we managed to do it.
Our weekly food budget is $62 for two active adults. We allocated half the budget or $31 per week and started working on getting our pantry shelves full.
The plan was to purchase enough of the foods we enjoyed to last 12 months.
First we made a list of our favourite foods. These were the foods we regularly purchase. Then we took a guess at how many of each of these foods we’d use in a year.
For an example, canned beans. We both enjoy them and agreed we needed two cans per week. To cover 52 weeks of the year we would need to purchase 104 cans. But how do we purchase that many cans and stay on our budget?
By paying attention to prices.
I’ve seen beans priced between $2.79 and $0.99 At 2.79, I’d need $280 to fill my pantry. At 99 cents, I’d only need $103.
The trick is to wait and purchase at the lowest price. Purchasing cans of beans at 99 cents each would mean we would be keeping $105 of our hard earned money in our own pockets.
Grocery stores sales run on cycles approximately every three months.
When we see the beans advertised for 99 cents we would spend half our weekly budget and purchase 31 cans.
That would give us plenty to get us through to the next sale cycle of three months.
As soon as the price drops again, we’d use half of that week’s budget to add 31 more cans to our pantry.
When we make large pantry purchases that take half our budget we use the other half of to purchase meat and fresh food.
If you use this method to purchase food at the lowest price you’ll soon build up an inventory.
Once the pantry is full of foods you love to eat, you’ll have no trouble making quick and delicious meals while you wait until the lowest price is offered again.
Homestead chili
This week’s recipe uses pantry items to create a delicious and nourishing rich meal.
Each item in this chili was purchased using the method described above.
Ingredients
You can used mixed beans, black beans or any type you like.
1 can of chili beans, baked beans or as shown chic peas
1 tablespoon of chili seasoning
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
Optional, but good if you have them: Chopped onion, jalapeño peppers and frozen peppers.
Method
Open all the cans and combine them in a large frying pan.
Stir and heat mixture to boiling.
Add chili seasoning, garlic and onion powder.
Turn down heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Yield
Six bowls at 83 cents each.
Ideas for serving
- Serve chili with sides of taco chips. Top with cheese and sour cream.
- Use the chili as a burrito filling. Toast the burritos in a hot cast-iron pan. Serve with salsa and chips.
- Egg omelette wraps. Fill wraps with omelettes or scrambled eggs, and chili. Add cheese if available.
