2024 NO SPEND Pantry Challenge #1 - Stay Home, Save Money, Cook Meals!

[@JessicaWanders]

I can't believe it's 2024! I'm back at it, staying home, saving money and cooking food from my pantry! It was a slow start after the holidays but I'm excited to see what meals we can come up with in the following weeks! I'm continuing to use up food from the freezer and found quite a few things to try and use up from my larger pantry as well. I love this quiet time of the year full of sitting by the fireplace and watching the birds🔥🐦 Let me know in the comments if you are doing a Pantry Challenge this year too! 🧡

[@caroljane75]

I’m having home made scalloped potatoes with ham. I’ve made it with cooked hamburger too. Can add a can of drained peas or beans to it too. Also works with those box scalloped potatoe mixes in the oven. I usually add more liquid to help it from getting too dry. There are several recipes that involve chicken and boxed stuffing mixes for the crock pot. Beans and lentils would probably make great soups…maybe even crock pot soups. I have a lot of those ingredients. Can’t wait to see what you do so I can copy it. Im in a rut. Chicken Alfredo looked so yummy! 💙❤️🧡🩷💚🦋🦋🦋

[@MelanieW-kr3tg]

Thanks for the inspiration! I am trying my best to spend January and February (at least) eating down all of my food (pantry/fridge/freezer), and only buying absolutely necessary perishables (like cream and eggs), and fresh produce. But I’m also trying hard to not over-buy produce, because I have a tendency to do that and then it’s very difficult for one person (me) to use up and not waste. My New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, cook more, and not waste food! That turkey soup looked AMAZING! Happy New Year Jessica!

[@JessicaWanders]

Hi Melanie! I am going to try to push through February as well eating from the pantry and freezers! I think that cream might be a difficulty but I still have some yogurt and canned milk. I notice that we are over GROWING produce the last couple of years without the kids around! We still have potatoes and carrots from the garden and some other produce from grocery hauls last year. Those sound like great resolutions for the New Year!

[@adriennej8730]

For the Stove Top stuffing....I've used it as the bread crumbs in meatloaf. Not sure if that sounds good to you, but it works (packs flavor)! Happy New Year!

[@JessicaWanders]

And a Happy New Year to you as well! I think it's been suggested before but I'm not sure I've tried it yet! Thanks for the reminder :) It would add a ton of flavour to a meatloaf!

[@GardeningWarrior]

I do this too and my kids like when I mix the corn bread type in their meatballs. I usually get quite a few bags donated to my family during the holidays and I will only make 1 bag or box then make stuffing meat and veggie bites with them the next day.

[@smokey7718]

Makes great fish cakes

[@lisadurant883]

The Greek dressing would be great marinade on a sheet pan dinner with chicken onion potato and green pepper…. The garlic tomato paste and rotel can both be used in chili. With your frozen garlic and onions

[@JessicaWanders]

Great ideas Lisa :) Sheet pan dinners are so great! I could throw in some frozen squash cubes too haha! I've done it with Italian dressing but I don't think I've tried Greek before! Sounds yummy :D

[@muttersmenu2422]

The chicken and broccoli pasta with salad looked good😊 Enjoyed the video 👍

[@JessicaWanders]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! :D

[@codependentk2888]

Yay! No spend pantry challenge time! I'm so excited, I love watching these so I can get ideas. I'm planning to re-read Living Well Spending Zero, so I can get ideas to help me have a low spend year. I have so much stuff, and food that is just sitting around and needs to be used up, that book is an amazing way to get inspiration.

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! It's a great time of year to refocus on budgets and controlling excess spending! I also have so much still to use up in the freezers and lots of things in the pantry that needs to be cycled through! The book sounds great, thanks for the tip :D

[@shazzump]

we sell that where i work and it tastes awesome. i use to work with a guy that was from the same area that makes it and it made him a little homesick

[@karenm7433]

Yay Pantry Challenge! I love these videos

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! Great to have you watching Karen :D

[@chloepritzl5538]

Canned chicken- i love in chicken soup, or i love using it for "pot pie poppibles" Tomato paste- i make tomato soup with. Fill can up 3 times water, i can milk. Add a tsp of sugar and some oregano, basil, thyme. Both so so good! Just some ideas for you ❤

[@JessicaWanders]

Sounds great! I like the idea of small pot pies! I've done that tomato soup with the tomato paste. It's so quick and easy and good that I can't figure out why I'm still buying tomato soup! lol Great ideas :D

[@jinga2535]

I use coconut powder as creamer in my coffee. You might save that for after you’re out of dairy milk.

[@JessicaWanders]

Yum! I do have a fair amount of canned evaporated milk in the regular pantry that I can use too but other "milk" substitutes are always handy to have on hand!

[@elizabethrauf9407]

I don’t like fish, but could you use the canned salmon for salmon cakes? I would think the condiments would cover up the “canned” flavor. Also that canned chicken could be used in the Mexican lasagne I previously suggested.

[@JessicaWanders]

Great suggestions! Mexican lasagna comes up a lot! Maybe this time it'll happen! lol

[@robinswan5831]

Can't wait to see what you put in the use it up pantry!

[@JessicaWanders]

I didn't prepare at all for this Pantry Challenge but I did find quite a few things! I think I'll be able to find some more things as we go to add as well! :D

[@CleopatraSelene2]

Beautiful snow I live in Australia 🇦🇺 Western Australia to be exact so no snow here. Heat is hammering us at the moment.☀️🥵🔥

[@JessicaWanders]

Hello Western Australia from Western Canada! Is it hotter than last year? I'm so worried about our upcoming fire season with the higher than normal temps already this year :( We get Australian firefighters here in the summer. Do Canadians show up there for your fire season ever? Stay cool down there!

[@anaerikajacobo1068]

Hi Jessica, loved you video as always.. I saw you have salmon can in your pantry.. Use that for sandwiches.. what I do is that I add Mayo and Panko mix to it, add salt to your taste, i make sandwiches adding lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avocado (optional) and bacon (optional) and cheese.. My family loves it, they don't even know is salmon, they think is Tuna.😊

[@JessicaWanders]

You recipe sounds really good! I’ve never tried panko crumbs in the mix! Great idea 👍🏼🙂

[@CarFreeKC]

I love that fig spread! I found a teeny tiny little jar perfect for a lunchbox. I love a little mid-day toast snack with a little fig spread. I just put a new little blob in and toss it in my bag over and over. so great!

[@JessicaWanders]

I really enjoyed it too! I wonder if there is a canning recipe for something similar...hmm?

[@CarFreeKC]

@@JessicaWanders oooh that would be worth looking into! I also thought it was like fig newtons. It's quite expensive in the states but if i found a good deal on figs I'd maybe think about trying to make fit newtons!

[@dragonsgrrrl]

We always used pancake mix to make finger steaks, especially while camping, using beer instead of water to mix it, then a shallow fry... I'm sure you could use it to make any other battered and fried meat tasty too 😊

[@JessicaWanders]

Interesting! I've never tried finger steaks! Thanks for the suggestion! :D

[@dragonsgrrrl]

@@JessicaWanders you can also make finger steaks with the traditional wet/dry/wet/dry coating of fried chicken or chicken fried steaks, just using steak strips instead of chicken pieces or cubed/tenderized steaks. The steak strips cook a lot faster, key to feeding 6 hungry campers 🤣 We always took a bag of Krustez buttermilk pancake mix camping with us to make both finger steaks and regular pancakes.

[@shaunamiller3235]

Good luck with your challenge! May you stay creative and inspired!

[@JessicaWanders]

Thank you!

[@AndreaRuralMN]

I bought a lot of the Shan seasoning boxes and one of them had whole spices because it was supposed to be a marinade and discarded. I'm not sure but it might have been the Biryani! Since then I cut the packet and squeeze it to feel if there's any whole spices. I use them like you used the butter chicken, shake some into a dish as seasoning, not a marinade...

[@JessicaWanders]

Interesting! Thanks for the info Andrea. I’ll have to check the package!

[@justnina8023]

I am doing a no buy in January. I am loving using stuff up. New friend

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! It’s the best time of year to do it! It’s great to have you here watching 🙂🧡

[@lisaolson1345]

Happy new year! I'm doing low spend January and probably February too. I've given myself a budget of $200.00 for the month ,so far spent $57.00,that's not so bad. I've used up so much stuff already including a jar of mystery dried fruit.

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy New Year to you too Lisa! :D I'm hoping to make it through February as well but I'm very low on dairy! it might have to be a "low spend" February lol Mystery Fruit! How intriguing... ;)

[@lisaolson1345]

It turned out to be tart cherries,put them in cake,it was delicious and almost gone.

[@JessicaWanders]

Nice!

[@lindabader-acosta7808]

I just love your KZbin channel. You inspired me with your turkey soup. I don’t have turkey since we did ham but I can do a ham version. I really don’t do resolutions, we call them solutions that we’ve found that may work better. I’ve been doing pantry/freezer challenge for the last year minus dairy & produce since I live in an apartment & our weather in Az is horrible to grow things on a balcony.

[@JessicaWanders]

I’m so glad you’re enjoying the channel! The ham would be quite a bit saltier but ham soup is great too! Ya, I haven’t had too much luck growing in containers in really hot weather. It’s so hard to keep things watered!

[@laurieanncarter8726]

You could use the canned salmon/chicken and the stuffing mix to make crispy pan fried patties. (You could also make it in a loaf pan or muffin tin)

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks for the suggestion! Muffin tin might be fun and easy :D

[@rhondaakey9166]

Happy New Year, Jessica! I had a busy holiday this year. My work contract ended, and I moved back home. We combined 2 pantries into one, but it's a total mish mash of stuff. I'm going to do a pantry challenge of sorts, but I may need to buy some groceries as needed. As for my New Years resolution, I need to find a job, preferably a permanent full-time position where I can really settle into one place. I really hope this happens early in the year!

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy new year Rhonda!! All my best wishes for a great new job!! I didn't stock up groceries very well at all this year so I think two months is really going to be a challenge! More challenge means more interesting recipes though LOL

[@anetzband1383]

Jessica, we love teriyaki sauce, especially since we lived in Asia for many years.. It's very easy to cube some chicken or pork, dump some sauce on it, and wait. After it marinates for a bit, fry up some onion and then dump in the meat. Use that as a jumping off foundation to then add some cut up veggies, or just eat it like that over plain or fried rice. It gives lots of flavor and makes a fast stir fry. As to the batch of pancake mix, I ended up with a huge bag and then wondered what in the world I was going to do with it, and why in the world I had bought it. I did a lot of research on pancake mix hacks and discovered all kinds of things that could be made. Best of all, most of my Impossible Pie Bisquick recipes work fine with the pancake mix, and I've made a chicken pot pie two times that Hubby has really liked! I'm sure you will find some good ways to use it. Plus, someone gave us a nifty little waffle maker, and it has worked wonderfully for that. We've only had ONE pancakes, though, with the whole Large bag! LOL.

[@JessicaWanders]

Teriyaki stir fry is always a popular choice and so versatile with the veggies! Great tip to use the pancake mix in place of biscuit mix! I wouldn’t have tried that! I have a bisquick quiche I do too…might have to try that! Maybe I’ll have new reasons to buy that instant pancake mix!😂

[@anetzband1383]

@@JessicaWanders YES, I've made several quiche with it.

[@ka6148]

The garlic & garlic and herb tomato paste we would use a our pizza sauce** perfection for authentic pizza flavour**

[@JessicaWanders]

I think it’s just garlic but I could add some Italian seasoning and it would be perfect!

[@allysond727]

Christmas was great, we had baby's first Christmas with #4. Always special. I don't do a pantry or no spend challenge really, but I do try to be midnful to use the older stuff first this time of year. If I didn't hstve so many people in my house, I would probably be more likely to eat down the inventory more. I don't like things to get too bare with 4 kids in the house.

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy holidays! Baby's first Christmas is fun

[@jackiephillips9042]

Like others I do love watching a pantry challenge. I am doing an abbreviated one. I will still head out shopping for dairy and produce cause our garden did not produce very well. I hope to have a better harvest next year. Providing we are not in the midst of a drought.

[@JessicaWanders]

I love watching Pantry Challenges too! There are so many this year :D I think that dairy will be hard not to buy but I have some evaporated milk and a giant container of coffee mate that we never use lol Yes! The garden is always "weather permitting" especially these days! I'm keen to get some seeds started inside soon but we'll see how things go...

[@gemmamurray9817]

Happy New year! I'm doing a low spend pantry clear out this month. Only spending money on fresh veg and clearing out everything in the cupboard and freezer! Completely inspired by watching your videos!

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy new year!! I love it! Good for you! :D It's great to have you here watching Gemma!

[@slample6608]

This is a great challenge. We've gone a week w/o a grocery run. Have heaps of ideas for the food we have. Thank for your video.

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! I live staying home and saving money after Christmas 👍🏼😀

[@muskokaoma7470]

All im going to be purchasing is milk and fresh produce like salad things and some fruit. My freezer is full of frozen veg. Any freezer burned meat will get cooked up for the dogs. I think ill be able to make it till the end of january not getting meat. Between the stuff in my freezer and the home canned stuff i have left over i doubt i will have any problems doing a no/low spend january

[@JessicaWanders]

I think I can make January pretty easily, maybe a couple of litres of cream to keep my yogurt going. I also have freezer veggies and a fairly good supple of meat! Good luck to you in your no/low spend! 👍🏼🧡

[@sherlynpatterson4304]

Going to try various budgeting and menu planning from various KZbin channels to create my pantry challenge for January 2024. Will try the fig spread.

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! Great to have you here Sherlyn! :D

[@TimeLapsePlants]

That fig jam is made in Croatia! How cool. I'm living in Croatia now -- though I'm from the US originally. :)

[@JessicaWanders]

Right?! I thought that was cool too! I’ve always wanted to visit Croatia. Dubrovnik, maybe a sailing tour to some islands and see Plitvice Lakes Park!

[@ArstyImogenSky]

Found you after your pantry challenge last year and watched them all. Excited to see these in real time. Fellow Canadian here, but on the other side of the country for me. Liked some of your ideas already.

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! Always great to see fellow Canadians! It was a short start to the challenge this week but I'm excited to try out some great new ideas in the weeks to come!

[@PatmosIV]

Nice video! and some great recipes to try out myself! specially the Turkey Soup! Enjoyed watching this! Thank you! And your channel is growing quite large! Keep up the good work!

[@JessicaWanders]

Thank you Patmos! The turkey soup is one of my favourite parts of Christmas meals! 🦃 I hope you had a wonderful holiday season 🥂

[@ashleighrudman]

Joining you in the challenge! Also no prep and I decided half way through Jan haha. This evening I decided to use lentils from the pantry and I have a lentil Loaf in the oven. Crossing fingers it turns out well!

[@JessicaWanders]

Awesome! Great to have you in on the challenge :D Lentil loaf sounds interesting!

[@PerilousRainbow]

I decided to not really set any resolutions except ‘do more baking and actual cooking at home’ cause I enjoy it and wanna use up pantry stuff but I was single at the time so not sure how I’d use it faster. Then I somehow end up with a boyfriend at the start of January when I hadn’t been looking for a relationship so now I can make stuff for him too 😂 funny how that worked out

[@JessicaWanders]

Aha! Cooking for two 😀🧡 That’ll get things used up faster!

[@wendoxia]

Salmon Patties! There’s a casserole I keep seeing made of canned chicken and stuffing with gravy on top I don’t know I keep thinking I’m gonna try it but I know that you can make crabcakes with this box of stuffing mix ( the recipe was on the box)so I was thinking maybe you could make salmon cakes as well I was thinking of trying that

[@JessicaWanders]

Sounds like a great idea! I’ll have to check it out 👍🏼🙂

[@cherylsklar6640]

Looking forward to more of the challenge. I use canned salmon to make salmon patties. Cornflake crums seem to give them the best flavor and structure. I have no idea why.

[@JessicaWanders]

Sounds great! I've never tried them with corn flake crumbs! Thanks for the tip :D

[@sharenread8677]

I would mix the coconut milk with water and use it up with oatmeal,or cereal. Sharen

[@JessicaWanders]

Mmm coconut in oatmeal is a great idea 👍🏼🙂

[@davewall6383]

Depending on the spice profile of the eggplant dip it could be doctored up to be a side to the south Asian dishes such as the biryani. They have a pickle called Brinjal pickle which is made from eggplant.

[@JessicaWanders]

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to open it up and see what it tastes like! :)

[@NattyHomeMaker]

That turkey fried rice looks good. I cant wait to see what you'll come up with this month

[@JessicaWanders]

It was great to have something to make with the turkey that was less traditional for us. It was an awesome change! It's so great to have you here watching :D

[@chelsiedrysdale7341]

Happy New Year! Can't wait it see this videos again!

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy New Year Chelsie! It’s so great to have you here watching! 😀

[@bellamommareads5086]

Use the lentils as a thickener in your chili. You won’t really know they are there but it’ll make it super hardy. Just 1/4 to 1/2 cup in a big pot of chili. Love watching your videos!!!

[@JessicaWanders]

Hey! That's a fabulous idea! A great way to pack the nutrients in there! :D

[@banana1975]

Mix the cornbread stuffing, an egg and the canned salmon and make salmon cakes.

[@JessicaWanders]

Oh well...there's a great idea! Use up a couple of things at once! :D I bet that stuffing mix would go nicely! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@kathytaylor446]

Happy New Year Jessica & family, love watching your video's keep them coming 🍋🍋from Kathy in Spain xx

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy New Year Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoy the videos! Hello from Canada!🍁 🍁

[@peredhillover1]

I do hope you put together a "use it up" pantry like you have done in the past with the no spend challenge because it is fun to see how much of it you can get through during the month.

[@JessicaWanders]

You bet! At the end of the video I put together a very modest one but I will definitely find more to add to it if I want to go the entire two months! It's great see you here again peredhillover1!

[@peredhillover1]

@@JessicaWanders I always keenly watch your videos. I don't always comment though. 🙂

[@sharenread8677]

Same in Prince Albert,Saskatchewan. El Niño. Sharen

[@JessicaWanders]

Yes, El Niño! The temperature is supposed to drop right off this week though! ❄️

[@stasiaverret6692]

I like your content, great ideas! I like to use canned salmon to make salmon patties. Comes out yummy 😁

[@JessicaWanders]

I’m so glad you’re enjoying the channel! I think I’ll have to give the salmon patties a try! 👍🏼

[@Zombiemomification]

I bet the artichoke hearts and eggplant would be good on a pizza or in a pasta salad

[@JessicaWanders]

Great idea! I think I'm going to have to try this :D

[@LindaASJ]

I’m doing the pantry challenge December, January and February. Putting some money in the bank

[@JessicaWanders]

It’s a great time of year to be doing it! Good for you! 👍🏼🙂

[@jodie19831]

Jessica happy new year. We use canned chicken to make chicken nuggets. Cheese, egg, s&p and the chicken... shape n fry in oil. Poor the teriyaki on a pork roast nom nom in crock pot

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy Nee Year Jodie! Chicken nuggets sound fun 😀 Mmm teriyaki slow cooker pork roast you say? Sounds yummy!

[@smokey7718]

What is s&p

[@jodie19831]

@@smokey7718 salt and pepper

[@behniwal08]

I feel like that eggplant may be good on nachos possibly? Also my favourite Indian dish is yellow dal so that could be a good way to use up the yellow split peas

[@JessicaWanders]

It could be! I think I'm going to have to open it up and see what it's all about before I try it! Ohh Indian food is a favourite. I'll have to look up your suggestion! Something other than split pea soup (not that I don't LOVE split pea soup...but new things are always more fun!) would be a welcome change! ;)

[@Fatnabeladel]

You could try to make Moroccan zealous. It is an eggplant side dish so you could use the jar of spicy eggplant for that. We eat it with bread again as a side dish

[@Fatnabeladel]

Zaalouk that is

[@JessicaWanders]

Ohhh I'll check it out! Thanks for the suggestion :D

[@delaharper366]

Jessica you can do some really yummy salmon patties with that salmon.

[@JessicaWanders]

I think I'll have to try this! Canned salmon isn't my favourite but I imagine salmon patties would just be like small salmon loaves, which aren't half bad! Maybe some kind of sauce on top...

[@delaharper366]

if you spice them up with season salts, garlic, onion, and fry them thin not rounded up. Also, they are really good when you need some protein, and cold out of fridge. @@JessicaWanders

[@simplysusan87]

I am doing no spend January fun times.

[@JessicaWanders]

At least it requires the least amount of going out!! Haha

[@samanthadodd8112]

Odd, but I had to look for ur video today. KZbin did not tell me u had one today.

[@JessicaWanders]

Ughhh :( KZbin has been acting all kinds of weird lately! Glad you checked in :D

[@GardeningWarrior]

I am co-joining the threeriverschallenge with the suttons daze pantry challenge. I LOVE fig newtons

[@JessicaWanders]

Perfect combo challenge! Fig spread on toast is a close second to fig newtons lol

[@neverwares]

Happy New Year!

[@JessicaWanders]

Happy new year! I hope you had a great holiday season neverwares! :D

[@nancyculp6968]

Have you tasted the spicy eggplant ? Is it sweet and spicy or like a relish? I thought that might be interesting with the fig spread on a pizza and top it with some prosciutto, cooked bacon( it makes anything taste good), or some ham off your hambone sprinkled all over it with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. 😊

[@JessicaWanders]

Not yet! I'll have to crack it open to see what it would go well with. Thanks for the suggestions Nancy! Great seeing you here for the challenge

[@katv1195]

The spicy eggplant might also be nice used in place of pesto. A bit of the eggplant stirred through pasta or 2 minute noodles might make a nice light lunch

[@SimplyManda]

I had an unintentional pantry challenge this week because an ice storm took out the power for several days

[@JessicaWanders]

Ack! We have had days of snow this week but luckily the power has stayed on so far! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[@jenniferwaffle6920]

make salmon patties, aka fish cakes. yum

[@JessicaWanders]

Great idea!!

[@ashalacarte]

I am doing a pantry challenge on my channel. I am hoping to make it through February but I can buy dairy and fresh produce of needed.

[@JessicaWanders]

That's awesome! I still have a fair amount of frozen fruits and veggies that might carry me through but I might break down for dairy...eventually!

[@jessicasteele2726]

You could use the canned chicken, tomato products, broth, corn and beans for chicken tortilla soup. This is the first year that I am doing a low spend January. Digging deep in the freezer and pantry!

[@JessicaWanders]

I've heard of this tortilla soup before I think! Might have to give it a try :D Thanks for the suggestion Jessica!

[@zormier2002]

I will do a pantry challenge but make an allowance for dairy & produce

[@JessicaWanders]

Those are popular exceptions! Good luck with it Tara!

[@helenswanson1403]

With grocery prices the way they are its good to not have to go to the store and then save that money to catch sales.

[@JessicaWanders]

I agree Helen! There isn't too much on sale here at this time of the year anyway!

[@Nins-niche67]

Make Chicken quesadillas with the canned chicken

[@JessicaWanders]

Good idea! That would be really fast and easy :D

[@DeterminedDIYer]

I don't like salmon at all lol. i had a flilet in the freezer though and i finally cooked it a few weeks ago. I much prefer tuna and cod. I was proud of myself for finally pulling it out. it was meh. but we ate it and now i know never to buy salmon ever again.

[@JessicaWanders]

Ya…I don’t know why I ever buy it. It’s only ever something that I can tolerate lol I always prefer a white fish! 🐟

[@dlmelotte5340]

Salmon patties???

[@JessicaWanders]

Yum!