One way to save $ is by using what you have on hand. Saturday morning I was inspired to do an inventory of everything we have on hand. It starts with a list. I started my inventory then decided I should clean and organize my cabinets. I stayed with my spices. I took everything out cleaned and then alphabetically put my spices back. After I took inventory I uploaded it into ChatGPT to create a 7 day menu for breakfast lunch and dinner. It worked well. I’ll have to change a few things on the list but I have 21 meals and won’t have to buy anything.

I brought home the turkey carcass from our daughters last night. It’s pretty big and I put it on to cook this morning for broth. Anyone else making broth today? And why is broth always called Bone Broth now? I thought all meat broths started with bones.

Have you ever looked at your pantry and say…I don’t want to go to the store…..What can I make with what I have. There are many websites (I bet you known this) that when you put in what you have then provide you with a couple meal ideas to choose from. It comes in handy when you are doing a no buy week or just want the eat from the pantry and save a little money. I’m new here so this might have already been mentioned but I have used it a couple times and will continue to use it. Happy pantry shopping !

. Serves: 4 Cost: Very low Cook time: 35 minutes Method: Stovetop or slow cooker Ingredients - 1 cup dried red or brown lentils (rinsed) - 1 onion, diced - 2 carrots, chopped - 2 potatoes, cubed - 2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder) - 1 tsp paprika - 1 tsp mixed herbs or thyme - 1–2 tbsp tomato paste (optional but great for flavour) - 4 cups vegetable stock (or water + 2 tsp stock powder) - Salt & pepper - Splash of oil or knob of butter - Optional cheap add-ins: Method 1. Sauté onion, garlic, and carrots in a little oil or butter until soft. 2. Add potatoes, lentils, paprika, herbs, and tomato paste. Stir well. 3. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. 4. Reduce to a gentle simmer for 25–30 minutes until lentils and potatoes are soft. 5. Season well with salt & pepper. 6. Stir in any optional veggies in the last 5 minutes. Frugal Tips - Add a scoop of oats to thicken if your stew needs it — it’s a budget-friendly trick. - Use leftover roast vegetables instead of potatoes or carrots. - Swap lentils for split peas for an even cheaper version. - Serve with toast ends, homemade flatbread, or a dollop of yoghurt if you have it.

I found an air fryer video on how to make Salmon bites, incredible. Cut Salmon into bite size pieces. Put in a bowl, add 3 T olive oil, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and smoked paprika. Toss. Air fryer 15 minutes, 350 F. Shake 1/2 way. I don’t do Salmon any other way now. Sweet Potatoes Clean, cut end. Slice about 3/4 way down. Add a bit olive oil and a dash of salt. Bake in oven 45 minutes. Air fryer about 1/2 the time. Serve with butter, salt, and pepper. November challenge