As I'm sure you know, I live in Downtown Memphis. Because of that, the closest decent grocery store is over 20 miles away. Driving so far to pick up random items is completely unpractical, so I've tried to change my habits. I'm grocery shopping just one day a month and then I use the food the entire month. Typically, I get most of the food at Costco or Whole Foods. The Costco food is obviously in larger quantities than a normal store. I'm also growing a garden downtown, so there's a steady flow of fresh vegetables.
[For those of you who know downtown and would suggest that I shop at Miss Cordelia's or Frank's convenience stores... I have tried every downtown option and there are three primary reasons that I don't shop at these glorified convenience stores:
1. They are beyond expensive. With prices higher than Whole Foods, they are the highest priced game in town.
2. Their selection is extremely small.
3. Their food is often expired. OFTEN. If you shop at one of these stores, check the expiration dates on the items you buy. I would not so much mind paying a premium to not have to drive, if either store had fresh food. I have even found expired meat in one of these stores. And, now off my soap box...]
At some point during every month it seems that the food all reaches a point where I must make a decision. I can either stuff myself or let the food sit for another week and go bad.
Rather than go with one of these equally bad options, I've been trying a third option. I'm finding things that I can make with any ingredients, and then I freeze them. This helps to keep any food from going bad, and in the long run, it saves me time at the grocery. It also creates a situation where I have fast food that's healthy - and that I know the contents of.
This weekend was one of those weekends. These are the foods that I made:
Roasted red pepper soup
Red potato soup
Chocolate chip ice-cream
Yogurt
Pickled and canned okra
Blanched okra
Basil, tomato, & mozzarella pizza
120 Pumpkin ravioli
60 Goat cheese ravioli
Dried basil, rosemary, sage, and oregano
To be honest, I spent so much time cooking that it feels like the list should be a bit longer. Either way, I didn't throw away much food at all, and now I have pre-made options for a while.
The ridiculous news is that my freezer is now beyond full. I've been having similar cooking sessions for a good part of the summer. I'm not quite ready to give up, because it would mean more grocery trips and more spoiled food.
One of my tasks this week will be to look for a stand alone freezer. It's a bit strange to say. I clearly don't have much space for one. But, the freezer in my refrigerator is absolutely full. The question now is, do I go for a stand up freezer or a chest freezer? I have no idea yet which I will prefer....
Here are a few photos from the weekend--
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