Today after I returned from the supermarket for “just a few things” I found myself trying to stuff things in the freezer before a landslide would occur. I do not relish the thought of picking up frozen food from the floor making my endeavor even harder. Frozen food packaging is so difficult to put into a freezer because everything we buy is shaped differently and has different sizes. Sometimes I find myself removing items from their original packaging, only to find out that the directions for cooking them went along with the original package.
Naturally when you think nobody is looking at your antics; they are. Then my hubby yelled something to the tune of ‘˜stop buying all that crap.’ I naturally replied that ‘˜you are what you eat’ and we both started laughing.
But this was really serious. We have a refrigerator in the basement that was supposed to hold the extra stuff when things were on sale. The fact that my hubby practically lives in his bachelor pad in the basement, we jokingly consider that refrigerator to be his. After all, we do keep soda and beer in it because he has a bar downstairs. But after the near landslide it was time to put my foot down before something hard fell out and broke my toe.
So hubby and I did an inventory of just the freezers and here are the results:
Downstairs Refrigerator/Freezer
1 large loaf of white bread
3 packages Furlani Texas Toast
2 packages Ellio’s Pizza
6 packages Steamfresh Veggies (different varieties)
5 packages Steamfresh Rice (both brown and white)
7 steaks
1 package (4-pack) Just for One Vegetables Broccoli with Cheese Sauce
2 packages Stew Meat
2 boxes of Weight Watchers Frozen Novelties
2 packages Chopped meat
Upstairs Refrigerator/Freezer
1 giant bag Alexia Onion Rings
1 box frozen hamburgers (24 patties)
2 London Broils
10 individually wrapped steaks
1 package chicken parts
6 Steamfresh frozen veggies
3 boxes Lindy’s Homemade Italian Ices
So now my vow is to cook nearly everything we found in both refrigerators before we buy another item except for milk and a few necessary staples for salads like fresh vegetables. It was long overdue to keep track of the forgotten items that go to the refrigerator to die. I did not mention that I did throw out quite a few things that could have been eaten months ago but consensus of opinion voted them into the trash can. But time has come to eat the food that is paid for. I have complained that I do not know where the money goes and I think I got an inkling today.
I have been examining all the bills to see where we can cut corners but have not closely examined the food bill. I try to buy things that are on sale and always use manufacturers coupons which my supermarket will double under ninety-nine cents in value. As for coupons, both my sister and niece along with myself swap the Sunday circular coupons because we all use different stuff, I have a coupon pouch that comes with me to every shopping excursion. In addition, I use the supermarket frequent buyer card to get additional savings. So here I sit after all this work, to just buy stuff and throw it in the garbage.
Next will be the cupboards, we have canned goods in the basement across from the refrigerator so they are not subject to the heat that comes from the refrigerator compressor. Two weeks ago we found a can of soup that expired in the last millennium and a jar of relish on the refrigerator door that I think we bought on our honeymoon forty-five years ago. This insanity has to stop!
