Food Hoarder!

I am guilty.  I go food shopping when I am hungry.  I don't use lists all the time.  I buy stuff because it looks pretty, interesting or it because it has polka dots.  I just like shopping.  To me it's easier to justify an overstock of food than say...shoes but I have been known to have an overstock of those as well.

Cabinets are much too full!

I am out of space in my cabinets, as you can see above.  I am out of space in my fridge.  My counter tops are cluttered. My pantry is full of all of my "I'll use these sometime" kitchen gadgets.  I need more space.  I need some organization.  I don't like being out of control.  It makes me anxious.

Here is my plan for my food collection.  I think I better call it a challenge.  I will use all of this stuff, someway, somehow, in our daily life until it is gone.  I will not buy any new meals or plan any new food projects until all of this stuff is used.  What I can buy is "accessories" to what I already have, proteins, produce, and of course my weekly CSA vegetables that have already been paid for.

Challenge:  Use up gigantic pile  of previously acquired food.

Gigantic pile of previously acquired food

Contestants:  Lauren, Matt & Avery

• Lauren.  A 31 year old food hoarder.  She'll talk you into her "ideas" and you'll be eating forever.
• Matt.  A 33 year old victim of a food hoarding wife.  Finds himself eating unfamiliar vegetables on a regular basis.  Refers to anything that he doesn't like as "bok choy."
• Avery.  A wordy 3.5 year old and Lauren's biggest critic.  Would rather eat mac & cheese, chicken nuggets, carrots, and "wet" broccoli than anything else everrrr.  Recently he has accepted turkey sandwiches into his repertoire along with yogurt covered raisins. Refuses to eat soup because "the vegetables are too soupy!" 

Timeline:  Umm, let's be realistic - I'll try to finish before Thanksgiving.

I have reassembled the cabinets in some sort of organizational fashion.  I imagine this project will be easy in the beginning as I use up all the good stuff that we have.  I really hope I do finish.

Let's do this - READY SET EAT!