WIS, WWA | plus a cat photo
What I Spent
Actually, let's start out with a picture of Zoe and one of our rescue cat friends. 😉
I got a $25 Hungry Harvest, I spent $39 at Panda Express, and I spent $90 on groceries.
So: $154 for this week.
I'm on budget, so I obviously am not doing any serious stocking up.
Two reasons:
- I don't really anticipate this turning into a nightmarish situation here in the U.S., particularly for people who are otherwise healthy (which is the situation here at my house).
- Even if it does turn out worse than I think it will, we will be fine without stocking up. I always have lots of food at my house, between my pantry shelves and my chest freezer. It would take a long time for us to starve.
What We Ate
Saturday
We ate chicken sausages on toasted buns, plus sweet potato fries (just frozen ones that I baked), and some fresh fruit.
Sunday
Panda Express, and sadly I didn't have my coupon with me!
Monday
Baked ziti, garlic breadsticks, and salad
Tuesday
Mr. FG and I went out together; I ordered chili, he got a grilled sandwich. 🙂 The girls had a rather snacky dinner, which pleased them just fine.
Wednesday
I made chicken and asparagus ramen bowls, which we ate with some fresh fruit.
Thursday
I grilled burgers and asparagus, and on the side we had cucumbers and grapefruit halves.
Friday
I haven't decided for sure yet. Sonia and Zoe might be going to visit a friend, so I won't really know what to make until I know who I'm feeding!
We live very close to the coronavirus hot spot here in Germany (currently 324 infected, but mostly very mild cases, no deads), but most people stay calm. I also didn‘t stock up.
We had a quite social weekend, do we didn‘t cook at home. On Saturday we met friends for a museum visit and had burger afterwards. For my sister‘s birthday, we had lunch at an Italian restaurant. The osso bucco was delicious!
Monday: I made a creamy mushroom sauce for store-bought gnocchi.
Tuesday: Bread with cheese, cold cuts and tomatoes, carrots and cucumber
Wednesday: We made Asian noodles with bok choi and broccholi with soja and hot sauce.
Thursday: molten cheese with bread
Friday: As I read an articles today about the climate impact of non-seasonal food, I decided to make delicious roasted root vegetables that are in season here.
Do you happen to have a link to the article? It sounds interesting.
Every shopping trip for me is kind of like stocking up for an extended quarantine. We're not due for another Outside World trip for another week, though, so we were low on fresh vegetables this week. We still have elk, though. 🙂
Saturday: Elk stir-fry, rice. My children went back for seconds of the meat, and even the elk-disliking child said it was really good, so I WIN ELK COOKING.
Sunday: Elk goulash, garlic bread, green salad (my husband took a trip a couple of weeks ago near a small grocery store and got me romaine, which lasts forever), root beer float popsicles made with flat root beer one son brought home from school, some heavy cream, and vanilla frozen in an ice cube tray, Toothpicks for popsicle sticks. They weren't bad, and my kids loved the novelty.
Monday: Leftovers, and bread and butter
Tuesday: A pasta bake made with a breakfast sausage tomato sauce, cheddar cheese, and a little milk and cream. Plus green peas.
Wednesday: Bunless cheeseburgers, roasted potatoes made from some potatoes I had par-roasted and then frozen, fried onions, green salad
Thursday: Leftover hamburgers diced and warmed up with leftover goulash sauce, mashed potatoes, green peas, and I ate the last of the sausage tomato sauce with some frozen vegetables and cheese.
Tonight: Due to a confluence of events, I have six dozen eggs in my refrigerator, and it's meatless Friday,. Eggs it is. I have a lot of leftover mashed potatoes, too, so I'll make some potato patties, and my MiL arrived last night with a bunch of fresh produce that she picked up when she flew into Albuquerque, so I have many vegetable options. Hooray!
Flat soda popsicles - such a GREAT idea!!!
Crazy soccer times are on us now! it gets a bit crazy! (need to plan better!)
Saturday- we were in Delaware for a soccer tournament- whole team staying in the same hotel. We took over the lobby, and order in! Chicken parm, ziti, salad, sandwiches. It was great just to sit and enjoy everyone company. and for the boys, they all live in different towns, and never really get to just "hang out!" So they got that done! *and a lot less expensive then if we all would have gone out.
Sunday- Stopped for burgers on the way home from said Tournament!
Monday- didn't feel like cooking after work and the grocery store, did fast food, before DD practice.
Tuesday- DS had practice, he and dh grabbled something after. DD and I did French toast, and pork roll.
Wednesday- Chicken cutlet, butter noodles, corn before DD practice.
Thursday- My bday, went out for seafood.
Friday- dh working, so the kids and I will either do breakfast or fish sticks and mac and cheese. (not a big religious person, but do try and do the no meat on Fridays)
I was off this week! Very exciting...
Monday - Crockpot Beef Stew, corn muffins
Tuesday - Fish Tacos, coleslaw, avocado and tomato
Wednesday - Pulled Pork in the crockpot, leftover coleslaw, low salt chips
Thursday - Grilled Chicken, Chickpea Tomato Salad, kale
Friday - Enchiladas, crock pot pinto beans, lime cilantro rice
Saturday - I will use up the odds and ends of my Imperfect Foods produce
Sunday - Probably tuna salad on toast!
Not a food comment, but rather a question about volunteering at an animal rescue. I've checked locally in hopes that some of my younger ones (12, 14, 16) would be able to help out, but it's all 18 and older. Is there a way to participate with younger teenagers?
My children started volunteering at animal shelter when they were 12 and 14. The shelter was fun by a small, private non-profit that had more lenient age requirements.
Our farm share started again this week. I can’t tell you how excited I am. We pick it up on Wednesdays and I tend to grocery shop on Fridays, so meal planning is a bit different now, but in a good way.
Monday - rice, baked bbq tofu, green beans
Tuesday - pasta with tomato sauce, roasted cauliflower
Wednesday - chick pea soup with fresh spinach, leftover rice
Thursday - pasta with creamy goat cheese and basil, roasted butternut squash, kale
Tonight - homemade bread, soup with carrots and spinach and beans, cheese
My house is split - two vegetarians and two omnivores. My younger daughter especially needs to eat meat, because she has some food issues. Last weekend I also grilled chicken and then I added it to her soup one night and gave it to her as a little side dish one night.
I stocked up very selectively, in the event we couldn’t get out of the house for a couple weeks. So some asceptic milk cartons for our babe and an extra bag of coffee. Priorities. Otherwise, I really think we could live out of the freezer for three months. As I told my daughter, we would just have to go with weird combinations at some point.
Our freezer is chock full of beef from my dad's farm. We probably have a year's worth of beef roast. It would get old, but we'd survive!
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday- beef stew
Thursday and Friday- vegetarian burritos
We did really well with our grocery shopping bill this week- $48
You are lucky in regards to the virus. It’s most certainly in our community in Washington state and my county, both of which have declared states of emergency. Companies are having people work from home is they can, schools are closing and there’s a general sense of panic around here.
We’re not stocking up but the shelves are empty at the grocery stores and tp sells out at Costco within minutes of opening. Whether there’s a risk or not, we are being forced to take it very seriously around here 🙁
That is frustrating! I'm so sorry to hear it. It's like, ok, you might not be worried about stocking up. But because everyone else is worried about it, you have to be concerned that there will be no stock for you when you do just need a regular toilet paper run.
The one thing I slightly panicked on was diapers but my son is almost 2.5 now so IF we’re quarantined, I’d probably just potty train
Good backup plan! If you're stuck at home, might as well bite the bullet and potty train. 🙂
I laughed at your toilet paper comment. I was out of some of my normal cleaning supplies; vinegar, bon ami, laundry & dish soap, garbage bags, baby wipes & yes, toilet paper. I did a big online, pickup order at Target. I'm single but for these things once or twice a year I just buy the big, giant size of these things and it lasts me a long time. The Target lady probably thought I was stocking up cleaning supplies but, no, just my usual once or twice a year stock up for cleaning. I don't anticipate being locked in my house for any length of time but, I too, could live for quite a while on my pantry and freezer. It might even be a good idea to embark on a pantry, freezer clean out challenge while I'm thinking about it. Have a great weekend. The weather here in SE WI is supposed to be beautiful so I'm looking forward to opening some windows and airing out the place. And the best part, we are changing the clocks! Yeah. Enjoy your blog so much. Thanks for all of your great ideas.
As I was going through my pantry to find items to donate to a local food shelf I decided our house would be fine for a few weeks if worse came to worse. I did go an pick up some toilet paper, tissues and some extra cleaning supplies since they will sit on my shelves in the basement and will get used but nothing over the top. I live in Minnesota and for the past two years we had major snow storms in April so I'm thinking more about being prepared for that to happen than anything else.
Monday - I was still battling a cold and I didn't want to cook so my son and I had Wendy's while my SO had a work dinner.
Tuesday - Cajun Chicken Pasta
Wednesday - leftovers
Thursday - my SO and I went to Fogo de Chao since we had a gift certificate. I'm still full and not sure I will eat much today (Ha!)
Friday - I'm planning on Chicken Enchiladas
Saturday - I'm planning on Chili
Sunday - It's going to be in the 60s so I'm sure we will grill something!
I found the book Secondhand at the library and put it on hold.
Kristin is our elk winner this week - and every week! 🙂
I haven't stocked up for the virus, because I actually have plenty of toilet paper and we have a gazillion still uneaten delivered meals in our freezer that my husband is slowly, slowly working down. We have food, the pets have food, so we are good. Having said that, I am slowly working on stocking up for the hurricane season. I am starting with freeze dried foods, for us and the pets. Our generator needs work, so we wouldn't have power should we have a power outage in the near future. Depending on the cost of repairs or replacement, we might or might not have a generator for the summer.
What we ate:
Saturday was my birthday and my daughter cooked dinner.
Sunday, I think, we had steak and salad
Monday we had a chicken/garlic/mushroom/shallot dish with green beans as the side. I loved it, my husband did not. He is not a fan of chicken.
Tuesday I served him one of his meals along with leftover green beans and some freshly made rosemary carrots, because I had the lamb that was on sale, and he won't eat lamb.
Wednesday, I made bacon, peas, and cassava flour biscuits, because I was craving biscuits. He loves bacon, as don't we all.
Thursday we had burgers with homemade sweet 'tater oven fries. I used a leftover biscuit as my bun, and it worked fine, although it was a bit small. I normally cut my biscuits with a little can that held Hershey's syrup in a boxed brownie mix, decades ago. That can has moved houses twice with me.
Tonight is up in the air.
I kept my grocery totals lower these last two weeks, so I'm going to try to keep my streak going.
I started stocking up due to Hurricane Season coming. I'm hoping for a chest freezer soon. Made free calamondin refrigerator jelly from my tree. I just pulled out your french bread from the oven (Yum). I always turn it into so many things Thank You. Baked Pasta Dish this weekend. We are still getting 30's in the South so maybe some soup. Every Friday is homemade pizza. Looking to start more seeds for the garden and planting trees soon. Have a Great weekend.
Same her e. I bought several cans of black beans and chick peas at Aldi. I figure I'll buy a few cans every week or two til hurricane season.
I had to google calamondin; I'd never heard of it before!
Here in KY, as of a couple of days ago, 4 out of 5 people tested were negative for the Coronavirus (according to a news report). So personally I’m not worried. However when I went to my local Kroger store, there were signs posted in the cleaning aisle that disinfectant products were limited to purchases of 5 maximum - sprays, wipes, etc. I bought 1 can of spray, since I had used up mine at home last week after hubby’s flu illness. (He had the flu shot btw).
Meals this week have been fairly simple -
Monday - braised pork chops, rice, sautéed mushrooms & asparagus, cheddar garlic biscuits
Tuesday - roast beef sandwiches with mashed potatoes, & gravy over all
Wednesday - sushi for hubs, chili bun with cheese for me
Thursday - leftover beef with onion gravy over noodles, sautéed mushrooms
Friday - probably pizza, half cheese only for me
It's my view that ALL Americans should be prepared for some kind of disruption from this virus. Here's a good checklist from the CDC I think everyone should read: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/home/get-your-household-ready-for-COVID-19.html This doesn't mean we should be panic buying cases of toilet paper (lol) or freaking out, but we should all be washing our hands regularly and properly, and I do think it's smart to have two weeks of food, medication and supplies on hand. I like this practical list about what supplies households should have on hand: https://www.buzzfeed.com/emmalord9/coronavirus-news-preparedness-kit-china-symptoms?origin=shp
Yep, totally agree about hand washing and having food on hand. I kinda think those things should be in place most of the time; every time is a good time to wash your hands, and I keep food/toiletries/meds on hand all year round anyway (mainly because I hate running out of things! But it's also helpful at times like these.)
I live in Los Angeles and we have Corona virus here, including UCLA which is just 4 miles away from us (and my husband teaches there.) I have stocked up, more because my college student is flying home today. So, I had to buy mac-n'cheese, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and frozen pizza for him. We also tend to eat out a lot while my son is home. I'm not sure if I am comfortable eating out in restaurants with this virus going around. I am immune compromised & would rather eat at home....we'll see how that goes.
Immune compromised makes a big difference! Totally understandable that you would be more nervous about this.
Have fun with your son while he visits!
I stocked up on everything for the same reason that I tell my son when he doesn't want to bring his coat; it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Mon-Ham and bean soup
Tues-leftover soup
Wed-Chinese food
Thurs-Chicken and biscuit
Fri-not sure yet
The best way to prepare for Coronavirus is to find the button on your television set that says OFF. Ditto with news sites and the like. It's all a scam!
Anyway, this week has been interesting to say the least, food wise.
Saturday: Out with family
Sunday: Homemade calzones
Monday: Leftovers and cleaned out the fridge
Tuesday: Wife and I had our first date night since October!
Wednesday: My daughter was sick with a stomach bug (or just too much junk food from her grandmother) so we kept it basic. Baked potatoes and salads.
Thursday: BBQ chicken, rice and vegetables.
Friday: Umm, I haven't decided yet. I may do frozen fish or clams as it's what my daughter likes but but we'll see.
That's so cute that she's a seafood eater. <3
Seriously! When she got home and found out we were having fish she was so excited!
A Scam???
I've been trying real hard to keep track of what we've been eating & spending and I'm doing way better than I ever did....
Sunday: We made mashed potato bowls and ate them with our firemen friends
Monday: Chicken quesadillas with salsa and sour cream
Tuesday: roast beef, bowtie noodles with beef gravy, green beans
Wednesday: takeout pizza and wings since my new oven was being installed that evening
Thursday: Spaghetti with meat sauce and homemade bread and cheese tortellini for the daughter who doesn't like spaghetti noodles. Homemade peanut butter cookies for dessert
Friday: probably a local fish fry in the neighboring area
I love that you said you don't know what you'll make until you know who you are feeding! True at my house this evening too. It seems like we could just make the same food but more or less of it depending on numbers, however, I like to know who it will be as it's nice to provide for likes/ dislikes when there are only a few of us! Oh the joy of feeding a big family 🙂 .
Yes, it totally depends! If someone with an allergy or a certain dislike is going to be gone, then I will make something that I would not make if they were eating here.
I’m not stocking up either but while at Costco yesterday I decided I might as well get another package of toilet paper and they were OUT! Completely gone. Plenty of water and other “first to go” items which I don’t need but seriously. No TP. Thank goodness I still have plenty at home. Hopefully enough to ride out the fear frenzy.
I live in the greater Seattle area and it has gone bonkers here. Unfortunately I was already low on everything once the panic hit. We were trying to eat mostly out of our pantry for Lent, but once everything starting flying off the shelves, I thought I better get some food. I'm more afraid someone is going to put me on quarantine if I sneeze than afraid of the virus. I want normal life back!
I live just north of Seattle where patient zero was hospitalized. My son, who works for a major company, has been asked to work from home remotely indefinitely. Some schools around us have been closed, from elementary to colleges. While we continue to live our lives, this is unprecedented and a somewhat unnerving. We are currently vacationing in So Cal and for the last week have been a bit alarmed with the escalation in our home area. We fly back this coming week. The airline has sent emails telling us how they will keep us safe. Yikes! I seriously ijust want to read what people are cooking for dinner and how they are saving money. I will also be glad when things go back to normal!
This is generally the time of year when I allow the pantry and freezer to "cook down" since winter is coming to an end. However..... I don't have a problem with a bit of stocking up. Having made it thru the Blizzard of '77 in Western New York, I usually keep a well stocked pantry. The Amish believe in keeping a years supply of needed items, so if there is a financial need, or illness, or bad weather, there is no temptation to do something you shouldn't. I find comfort in knowing, what ever the need, we have it covered. My son and daughter are first responders and law enforcement, and since they live close by, I know we can come together if there is a need.
Monday....chili
Tuesday......left over pot roast
Wednesday..... baked potato and broccoli
Thursday..... ham steaks, tomatoes and broccoli
Tonight...... leftover chili
Saturday: A friend is in town for a week so we spent part of the day making fresh pasta. For dinner we had mounds of fresh pasta adorned only with butter and parm cheese. And salad.
Sunday: Home made pizza and sliced cukes
Monday: Husband made crepes filled with a mushroom cream sauce. Sliced cukes.
Tuesday: Fowl soup, made with turkey/chicken home made broth, with ptarmagin (a game bird that changes color so that in the winter it is white and in the summer it turns sort of brown, so hard for hunters to spot amidst the colors of the tundra) that has been residing in the freezer for months since being gifted to us by a hunting friend. Used up another bag of the carrots from last summers garden.
Wednesday: Tuna melts and salad.
Thursday: Husband makes the best burgers, but only rarely because we tend to eat too much meat.
Friday: Filet of fish!
Two things we can count on around here: Kristin from Going Country will be cooking elk, and you will be eating a filet o fish sandwich!
I love, love, love the cat pictures. Seeing such beautiful creatures receiving love and affection makes me so happy and lifts me up every. single. time. Thanks for volunteering, you guys!
I did a quick stop this week and the only thing extra I picked up was toilet paper. So I laughed at your comment! Gotta have the necessities. Lol
The corona virus has certainly caused mayhem. Tonight on the news they showed footage of three women have a physical fight over a pack of toilet paper. I had made the decision to eat down and use upisomeof our stores as we wasting stuff. However we have ample toilet paper, several boxes as I buy them at Costco. But we had used the last of the bleach and vinegar last weekend and I had trouble obtaining those. I don't have hand gels but have many cakes of soap and lots of towels if we need paper towel. The pantry holds two masks bought during our horrible bushfire season.
This week I made braised lamb shanks and that served us three dinners each. I made a chicken pasta bake. We have had pizza. Last night was a picky dinner. We have eaten a lot of fruit this week and I still have plenty left.
Please let Zoe know her jacket is beyond fabulous!!
I sure will!
We cloth diaper, so I figure we're all set should the country run out of toilet paper!
I live in Santa Clara County, where there are 24 cases of COVID-19 and the first "community-circulating" one was treated at the hospital next to the Y where I usually work out. My kids' field trips were just canceled for the month of March "out of an abundance of caution," though I'm not sure how canceling field trips but not school is going to help. I think they'd all be better off visiting the farm as planned than packed together in a classroom! And I'm not worried in either case.
I've bought a few extra cans of food this week, and restocked toilet paper at my usual frequency. My brother might not be able to come visit in a few weeks because his employer is asking anyone who travels to CA or WA to self-isolate for two weeks.
This week, I made large batches of French dip sandwiches and chicken stir-fry, which my kids love. We also had kielbasa and cabbage, and ate dinner with our community group Wednesday night. The kids and I went out for a Costco pizza lunch, so I skipped making Friday pizzas, which I've otherwise been doing recently. Leftovers tonight, I think.
I always enjoy the pictures of your "rescue cat friends!" We have 3 cats at present (our all-time high was four until a couple of years ago), and all our fur babies have been rescues.
We, too, are not prepping for the coronavirus, because like you, we have plenty of food laid by in the pantry and freezer. I've always kept a couple of months worth of food in the house. That way you always have something to eat and don't need to rush out and buy milk, eggs, and bread when a storm is forecast!
Corona virus prepping has caused all kinds of ridiculousness over here, including stabbing sin the toilet paper aisle, and Costco staff being swarmed for it too. People are also buying ridiculous quantities of pasta and rice.
For myself, thanks to my habit of buying 45 pack paper, and buying the next pack when there’s a sale, I have no shortage on that front.
I’ve also got a full fridge, freezer, and pantry, and loads of pet food, so we won’t starve.
That said, I’ve done one tiny bit of prepping, but only due to the fact that I have both a connective tissue condition, and a bunch of autoimmune issues, all of which tend to get worse if I get sick. Because of that, I’ve made sure I have a minimum of 2 months worth of all my medications, so that if cases crop up near me I can quarantine myself as a preventative option.
I started stocking up the house back in December because the home supplies were getting low. I like to keep a certain level of supply on hand and had time off from work so off to ALDI. Ever since super storm Sandy I have always wanted supplies in the home.
When the situation emerged in early Jan, I stocked up even more. My mother, by profession, was a bacteriologist. So incubation period, number of diagnosed cases versus actual number of cases, containment, quarantine procedures etc was dinner table talk. I believe I have most of what I need for what comes next given I live between NYC and Philadelphia.
I say prayers every night for our collective American health.