The Empty the Storecupboard challenge
Time for a completely new challenge, and this time it’s designed to work on a weak spot that many thrifty people suffer from. I’m calling it the ’empty the store cupboard’ challenge.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have a well stocked store cupboard. It makes home cooking a lot easier, and bulk buys can save you a lot of money.
However, an overfilled cupboard can also be more of a psychological security blanket than you might realise. Dried, canned and bottled goods can and will all eventually go off, and when that happens the food is wasted – unless you use it up first.
So the empty the store cupboard challenge now exists. The idea is to move the older stock to the front of the shelves and use it up while it’s still in good condition.
What’s happening here
I’ve gone through all my stock, and there’s way more in there than I realised. I’m regularly given free samples to test, or items to use in recipe development, and sometimes I have store credit that I add to the stockpile with, and it’s building up and building up…
So I’ve challenged myself to do three things:
- Make a list of my older food stocks
- Move the older food to the front of the shelves
- Use it up – in at least three main meals each week
Please join in! I really want to see how much crazy stuff builds up in cupboards and pantries around the UK, and maybe even further afield. Plus it would be very interesting to see how creatively these foodstuffs can be cooked up and served.
If you’d like to join in, please let me know. We could have an #EmptyTheSC hashtag for your recipes, and so on.
My store cupboard list of old stock
Here’s what needs to be used up, hopefully sooner rather than later…I’ll cross things out as they’re used up.
7642 sachets chicken-style veggie roast mix1 sachet turkey-style soya mixCan of butter beansCan of cannellini beansCan of chick peas500g bag of soup & broth mix (peas, lentils, barley)531 packets South Indian lentil sauce mix
600gÂ500g400g300g brown basmati rice250g125g arborio risotto rice500gÂ400g300g200g100g wholewheat spaghetti750g650g550g500g400g300g200g100g penne pasta642 portions macaroni cheese mix642 portions spinach pasta with mushrooms mix700gÂ550gÂ450g300g150g cous cous400g300g150g giant cous cous40g quinoa21 sachets instant mash
21&1/2Â1/2 packets of crispy crumb mix21 boxes garlic & herb stuffing mix3Â2 & 2/3Â2 & 1/321 & 2/312/31/3 box coconut milk powder21 & 3/41 & 1/213/41/4 x 480g tubs of just-add-water batter mixHalf packet of bread sauce mix100g80g70gÂ45g tagine spice mix54321 sachets of paella seasoning11/2 sachet of BBQ marinade mix21 pots of paprika sauce2Â1 & 2/31 & 1/312/31/3 jar of Kashmiri masala paste
900gÂ800g700g600g500g400g300g200g chocolate mousse mixGlace-fruit-topped Christmas pudding30g instant custard powder12/31/31/4 jar of fig jam
That’s a pretty strange mixture of stuff right there. Will get back to you later about how I’m planning on using it up…
Bet you can come up with an even stranger collection of old store cupboard stock yourself, can’t you?
Hi, there, we are dying to have some news about your challenge….how is it going ?
Hi Patricia, I’m thinking about weekly updates so expect one soon. Thanks for taking an interest!
I’m finding cannelloni beans popping up in soups, salads, and sides all over food blogs. I see you have some on your list. Interesting choices of sauce and seasoning packets-I could have fun with your cupboard.
Hi Sam, I must have a look at some of those for recipe inspiration! There is so much weird stuff here, it should be interesting…