Pantry Challenge 2025: How Long Can We Survive Without Grocery Shopping?

[@ChrisCalmtheCrazy]

For beets, my aunt always canned them in large chucks with a hot pepper. My FAVORITE! Also, I grew up on harvard beets with sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, water, and butter. YUM! You know kids can do some gross things with food. I HATED canned peas, so I put my beets on my peas and made them tolerable. 🤣🤣🤣

[@sandyrees490]

Love this. Please keep sharing your meal ideas

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

Thanks! We'll definitely share some of the more creative ideas. It will get more interesting as we start running out of certain things. It's a learning experience.

[@Susan-n3o3e]

Another good video. The food looked delicious. Thank you for sharing.❤

[@VillageofVolyn]

Wow, very beautiful farm !!!❤😊

[@BouncySlim1]

Yahhh!!!!!! Glad you are doing this challenge!!!!!❤

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

It will be interesting to see how long we can go.

[@jackiewolfe299]

Excited for your LIVE. ❤ 😊 As usual, another wonderful video.

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

We're excited for the LIVE too. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@beadwright]

I am attempting the pantry challenge too for the first time. After throwing away everything in the freezer twice this year due to hurricanes and power outages, I am determined to use up that which I have stocked up on this time! I just harvested 50+ green tomatoes before the freeze. They are ripening nicely. Salsa, salads, and pasta sauce are on the menu. Good luck with your challenge.

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

Let us know how you do. I'm anxious to see how long we can make it. Yes, you will be having a lot of tomato meals. We don't have any fresh ones left....just lots of canned things.

[@nancyseery2213]

We might make it for a month, but there would be some really weird meals! We usually purchase a steer every January, but have not made our purchase this year. No fruit or dairy here either, except some canned peaches and a large bag of frozen blackberries. God bless y'all and keep growing.

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

We should be able to go farily long, but there could be some weird meals in there. 😄

[@tonimendive566]

Makes for great creativity!!

[@ChrisCalmtheCrazy]

I am going to try this challenge. I am trying to list those things like BBQ sauce, ketchup, and mayo that I depend on the grocery store so I can concentrate on recipes and making those for taste tests, etc. Dairy including butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and other cheeses are our problem if we have to stay in. We have some cows, so getting milk could work out with milking a cow (UGH!) and I do have some dry milk and canned milk in the pantry that I use in a few recipes so I could use those to drink (UGH more!). We did milk one of our cows recently and I successfully made buttermilk and butter three different ways. The cream cheese was tolerable. Sour cream, mozzarella and other cheeses are next. I have grown to TRULY miss my grandmothers and grandfathers, and can't believe the level of knowledge that they took with them. I miss them so much and it hurts that they cannot be beside me in churning butter, and apple butter, smoked bacon and country hams, beef jerky, and the list goes on and on. It has been a very slow process to learn how to do these things because I wasn't paying attention back then.

[@cindyruder2444]

I have recently discovered your channel and have wondered how you acquired all the knowledge for food preserving. Are there books you can recommend? Did your mother and grandmother teach you? Im looking forward to seeing your new videos. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@EhlersDanlosZebra]

I can't wait to see you live this weekend! 😁

[@BouncySlim1]

Hi there. Just wanted to send some love your way and pray for good pain free days!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@EhlersDanlosZebra]

​@@BouncySlim1 Thanks! Not a lot of people know about EDS!

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

We're very excited!

[@NanaTrece9444]

For greens try growing sprouts or microgreens.

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

I haven't tried sprouts yet, (other than making fodder for my chickens) but I should really get in to them for us. I know they are packed with nutrition. I'll give them a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@trinagriffin5808]

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LIVE.... I WOULD SUGGEST HAVING A FEW MODERATORS ON YOU CHANNEL AS TROLLS WILL COME IN AND BE A PAIN AND MAKE IT SO YOU SHUT DOWN.... IT HAPPEND TO OTHER HOMESTEADERS.... JUST A HEADS UP FOR YOU. I AM A MODERATOR FOR OTHER LIVESTREAMERS IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO HELP.

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

Thanks for the offer....we have no idea what to expect. Our daughter and son-in-law will be here and I made her a moderator. If it's more than she can handle or she doesn't want to do it, I will definitely keep you in mind. Thanks again.

[@GStacy-x5p]

Where did you find your red apron? I have been looking for one in that style but they all seem so flimsy. Yours looks sturdy and comfortable.

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

Here's a link to the apron. It's not super thick like canvas or duck, but it's not flimsy, either. I'm happy with it. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Y6BN9DQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[@patriciadewitt3591]

Do you have your own harvest chickens and pork? My pantry challenge would be scary. I better plan to fish every day! 😜

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

No, we only harvest our own beef. We have a lot of chicken in the freezer as well as fish. Toward the end we will be eating a lot of beef. 😬

[@patriciadewitt3591]

@@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764 We have fresh eggs, dairy, only deer harvested, and garden fresh veggies preserved. I would like to have a longer pantry challenge, I can only eat so much deer. 😳

[@patriciadewitt3591]

Oh, I thought a pantry challenge was only items you grown, all meat harvested, etc, not store bought items in the pantry?

[@waardenburgfamilyfarm4764]

Basically every person makes their own rules. Some channels don't grow their own food and a lot of channels 'stock up' before starting the challenge. We pretty much always have a lot of food on hand so it will be interesting to see how we do.

[@BouncySlim1]

@@patriciadewitt3591 I've been doing the pantry challenge for a few years now and I'm in the city. I have a small garden (not enough for preservation)...... I do buy stuff on sale and preserve it, but my pantry shelf is full of store bought cans. I have a $40 monthly budget for produce and dairy (I make homemade kefir). I have to eat through all the fresh produce I have in hand before buying additional produce. In just two weeks, I'm making good progress eating through my pantry shelf and freezer! Even those of us who do not farm/garden, there's benefit in using what's available on hand. Also, give us a chance to use some of the goods before expiring!. Feel free to join at any time!!!!!. Jessica at Three Rivers does two months ......I've typically done one, but will be trying for two months this year! I've only spent $6.99 for a gallon of milk thus far (and I did not do a stock up trip in December).