The pantry challenge is a popular way to save money. But how much do they really save? Learn why you can save so much more by skipping it.
Have you ever tried a pantry challenge?
If so, then you know the “fun” of creating a meal from a can of tuna, a bottle of mustard, and a wayward jar of jalapenos.
If not, you might be wondering What is a pantry challenge?
A pantry challenge is when you choose not to buy groceries for a set time. Â (Often a month or so.)
Instead, you use up the food in your house until there isn’t much left to eat.
It’s a chance to dig out those foods in the back of the pantry.
The stuff lost in the pit of your deep freezer.
The leftovers that have lingered in the back of the fridge for far longer than they should have.
Pantry challenges can be a great way to encourage your family to appreciate food and discourage wasteful habits.  And many times, a pantry challenge can save you a decent chunk of money.
(For a little while, anyway…)
Yes, pantry challenges can be great. Â Many frugal bloggers enjoy them.
But not me. Â My pantry challenge days are over.
Should You Try the Pantry Challenge?
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Mandatory Grocery Shopping Trip
Do you grocery shop regularly? Â It’s not a fun chore, and most people put it off as long as possible.
But maybe you shouldn’t.
If you go on a regular basis, you’ll find that it actually saves you more money.
I try to shop every two weeks.
Now, once I decided to get really intentional about using up leftovers and cooking from scratch as often as possible, I began to notice something.
We’d hit the end of the two weeks, but there was still food in the house!
After doing this for a while, I had plenty of food.
Ah, a chance to skip grocery shopping. Right??
Nah.
I continued to shop every 2 weeks.
Here’s why:
- Who likes to shop when you’re out of everything? Â This usually puts you in a rush, which causes you to overbuy food.
- You can time things like milk, which means you’ll run out less often. Â (Because how often do you really only get milk?)
- No more missing out on the best sales cycles!  If you have a routine, you’ll notice how often chicken goes on sale (for instance).
- If you line up your shopping trips with the frequency of your paychecks, you can budget better than ever.
Make sure you download the Fetch Rewards app for all those grocery store receipts! Click this link, use referral code PEWR4, and you can start with 2,000 points right off the bat!
Where the Pantry Challenge Gets You
If you choose to skip grocery shopping for, say, a month (the most common pantry challenge time period), it’s true that you’ll use up some of those foods that have been sitting around for a while.
But you’ll also use up most of the stash you’d spent time building up, too.
The pile of pasta you found for 49 cents is a goner.
So is the extra pack of chicken you found for less than $1.99 a pound.
And while you’d pocket the money you would have spent at the grocery store, imagine what your grocery bill will look like when you go back. Â Because now you have to restock everything!
Even worse, imagine draining your pantry only to find yourself too sick to shop, stormed in without food, or with some other emergency.
No, thank you.
Want To Save On Groceries? Find A New Way to Shop (Every Time)
If you’re considering doing a pantry challenge, I’ll bet what you really want is to save more money more often.
Right?
If you could just find a way to lower your grocery budget month after month, that would be amazing.
There are 8 people in our family, and to me, finding a way to spend less on groceries and have food in the house is a must.
You never know when an emergency will keep you from the grocery store (a winter storm, a pay cut, an injury, or anything else).
And my grocery budget has thanked me ever since.
Believe it or not, this method has not failed me through diet changes, price hikes, having more babies, or anything else life throws at me.
It’s not something I could describe in a blog post. That’s why I built an extremely affordable course and workbook that will help you slash your grocery budget in no time.
Get the Benefits Without the Drain
Hey, pantry challenges aren’t all bad. Â But you can get the good parts of a pantry challenge without emptying your pantry!
Do a mini-pantry challenge every week. Â Use up leftovers throughout the week before they go bad.
Keep up with those bits of food that tend to get lost in the back of the pantry and the bottom of the freezer. Â Make it a point to clean those places out once a month.
If you find 5 cans of olives that expire next month, check Pinterest for ways to use them up.
If you find bags of half empty produce in your freezer, make a soup or smoothies.
And if you find things that you know no one will eat, get rid of them!
Even if you don’t do the pantry challenge anymore, your grocery budget can be stronger than ever.
P.S. Your family never liked that tuna, mustard, jalapeno casserole, anyway.
Don’t leave without grabbing this simple meal planning tool that will make the job simpler than ever before. It’s a freebie for subscribers:
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What’s your opinion of the pantry challenge? Â Has it saved you some big money, or do you prefer to keep a stocked pantry?
100% agreed! I love the idea of not *having* to go shopping, but in practice, you’re just dwindling your resources. If you’ve spent so much time making sure you have food in case you *can’t* go to the store, what’s the point in clearing it all out?!
Plus, by the time you do go to the store again (a month later!) there’s no way you’ll be able to find everything you need on sale, when you could have been buying it on sale during the previous month.
I like being on top of what we have to eat (instead of letting things languish forever), but that’s not an issue in this apartment – food is either in the fridge/freezer or on a shelf that’s in plain view. Nothing is hiding. If anything, I’m liable to over-estimate how much we have of things, not underestimate. If someone is having the issue of losing track of how much they have, I’d suggest not hiding it away behind a door so that you can, well, lose track of it 😉
Exactly! I don’t want to run out of my 49 cent pasta and have to buy replenishments at regular price (which is always at least double that).
Great post! I agree! Using up your pantry on purpose is like using up your savings account on purpose.
Great comparison! I totally agree.
Great thoughts here, Jamie! I just started doing a “meatless” meal this week. I also am working on only buying what I need for recipes instead of buying everything that’s on sale and then forgetting about it later…maybe I will save money that way!
I have to talk myself out of great deals all the time (for that same reason)! Good luck, hopefully you’ll save big.
Great ideas! I did a modified freezer cleanout/challenge in January, but I am with you on not wanting to do a strict no-buy challenge. Frequent organizing generally helps me not lose food.
Hey, that’s nice! I always thought it’s a great help to do the challenge. You got better at budgeting. Thanks for sharing your ideas. 🙂
I did one once, and got a lot out of it. But I needed to do it. I’m not a meal planner, and it showed me some bad buying and storage habits that I’ve worked to correct. I will probably do it again to see how well I’ve incorporated the new habits.
That said, I can see that if you are regularly applying what you learned and you know you are, there’s no need to do one and it can get in the way of what you are trying to accomplish. It’s like my daughter’s training wheels. Right now she needs them to ride her bike, even though it can make it difficult to ride it on uneven ground. As her balance and familiarity with the bike gets better, we’ll take them off. She may fall a few times, but soon enough she’ll be scooting around on 2 wheels and will be able to ride it with ease in the places she currently gets stuck.
I agree with you. You can definitely learn a lot from doing the challenge once. But after that, it’s important to make adjustments on a regular basis so you can keep the savings rolling.
Ahahaha this post made me laugh! “A can of tuna, a bottle of mustard, and that jar of jalapenos you bought ages ago” *makes a funny face* I agree, if you’re smart with stocking and using your pantry, there’s no reason to do a challenge like that!
haha! Glad I could give you a laugh. I bet someone could come up with an edible idea from those ingredients. (But it’s not me.)
I just don’t think this sounds very healthy. The foods that store well in a pantry or a freezer are generally foods that aren’t very nutritious. Fresh vegetables and so on are really essential — you won’t find those in the back of a pantry! I agree with you on this — don’t do a pantry challenge! 🙂
Rice, dry beans, oats, wheat, honey, coconut oil, frozen meat, frozen fruit, frozen vegetables all store very well. They may not be fresh fruits and veggies but they are very good for you. That being said, I don’t do pantry challenges either 😉
To that I would add that many fruits and veggies are frozen at their freshest state, so they still carry plenty of nutrition. I do try to keep fresh produce on hand, but my method is everything in moderation. Thanks for reading!
Most people I have read about who do pantry challenges don’t eliminate all grocery shopping, but continue to purchase fresh produce and dairy each week/as needed.
Interesting. In nearly all the pantry challenges I’ve heard of, the goal is to avoid the store for the entire period of time. Maybe we read blogs from different circles!
Totally agree – I start my meal planning with what I have on hand – I have a pork tenderloin and sirloin steak that I picked up on sale in the freezer. The first 2 meals I plan include those. Next I look at the sales – chicken breast are on sale this week, so I will stock up & make a couple of meals with those. I see the pantry challenge as resulting in some meals my family wouldn’t like and the food would go to waste. I so prefer what you are doing. Good post.
My family would never go for a pantry challenge so I haven’t tried one! I do what you do and try to grocery shop really well, plan to use up what I have, etc. It works for me! 🙂
Yes! I did a no-spend challenge last year and ended up spending more than usual the next month to restock my freezer and pantry. I agree with using what you have and not buying unnecessary things, but if you constantly rotate your items (I always put new items to the back, like a grocery store, and have dedicated shelves/locations for each item) and keep track of what you have, it makes sense to stock up when the sales are good!!!
I try to put my new items in the back, too! But sometimes I overlook things, so I do still need to dig around in the back every so often. I think these challenges can be great at encouraging you to get creative, but if you can get the lesson without depleting your pantry then all the better.
This is such a great post. I like that you’re still able to save money while just focusing on what’s on sale instead of trying to do a complete pantry fill-up at one time. Thanks for sharing at the FFBH 🙂
You have provided the inspiration for me to be more intentional in my meal shopping and preparation. I had not heard of a pantry challenge, but I appreciate your views on it. Thank you. #fridayfrivolity
I am in a pantry challenge right now (going on 4 months) because we found we had SO much food (buying and stock piling) that we just kept adding to it versus subtracting it. As of right now, we have only eaten out 4 times and only been to the grocery store for the basics (eggs, milk) etc. Right now, it is benefitting us but in the long term, I think we will shop from a grocery list and sick to it versus looking at sales and great buys.
Wow, 4 months! You must have quite the stockpile going. Sounds like the challenge is a great fit for you right now. Glad you are finding things that work to help you in your financial journey.
Pantry challanges are gimmicks; if they work, great; if they don’t, then don’t.
At first I thought the Pantry Challenge was a great idea. Now, I just think it would deplete all of my hard work and I’d be starting at zero again!
I do like the creativity aspect of the Pantry Challenge. Like you said though, there’s no need to completely obliterate your stock to flex your culinary muscles.
I would definitely consider a Pantry Challenge if, like Kelly said, I had a total surplus. Or, if I was planning a move.
You’re right, moving would be a great reason to use the challenge. But I agree, I’d hate to put in the hard work of stocking up on deals only to get rid of all of them.
I’ve done them sometimes as no spend weeks and don’t really mind them – although by the last day the meals have usually gotten VERY odd. However, since it’s just me, it’s not a big deal.
I think having some room in your budget to stockpile great buys is terrific, especially with a big family to feed. A pantry challenge could really help a family just starting out to save up a little to get that extra wiggle room out of their budget, but a lot of thrifty tricks really do have a time and a place in your life – and then you move on past it – to a new trick.
Great post, Jamie! I’m more on the don’t stock up side, but I hadn’t thought about some of the things you’ve mentioned… and I always love being challenged to look at things differently! Thanks for linking up at Frugal Fridays! 🙂
I’m trying to get my stockpile going and making my shopping better have a teenager who eats a lot also working on freezer meals thanks for the inspiration have a great week
Great article. Will have to create a meal plan and try out your system. Thanks for the idea.
I don’t do them, either. Because, like you, we buy things on sale (or by the case, to get a discount) and going through 28 cans of tomato paste just because it’s a rule seems silly to me. I do try to eat up what’s in the fridge before heading out on a longer-than-a-weekend vacation, though, and I’ll often challenge myself to find something in the freezer that’s been there a while and use it to make dinner. This was a great post and I’m so glad you linked it up with #FridayFrivolity!
Definitely! Many times we’ll pack up the things that will spoil and take them with us on vacation. We eat a lot of picnic lunches. Then again, we usually do road trips rather than plane rides. I’m sure that would change things!
P.S. I’ve picked you for my feature again! 😉
Awesome! Thanks. 🙂
I’ve never done a complete pantry challenge. I have put myself on reduced grocery budgets, though, for a short time period, especially lately because I needed to bring the stockpile down a bit. It was too large. I do stockpile, though, and it has benefitted me to the point that I’m almost always doing what others would call a pantry challenge–just buying produce and milk, etc. I do buy lots of cheese, for instance, when it is the lowest price and other things if we run out. It is a lot of work, though, to keep it organized and rotated so it doesn’t go bad.
I do buy by the case at low prices, can my own fruits and vegetables that I grow in the garden or u-pick or scrounge from family and friends, and have several freezers full of meat that we have raised or purchased in bulk (i.e. 1/2 beef).
So, now, because we have our house up for sale, I am trying to bring the stockpile down, while striking that perfect balance of not letting it go down too far and not having enough of a stockpile when we move. Sure, it will be more work to move a lot of food, but I don’t want to spend a ton of money right after we move to re-stock, because we all know how expensive moving is. I won’t get it perfect, but will do the best I can to strike that balance.
Excellent points Jamie – I never really thought about it but your right – draining your pantry (while it has value at times) as an overall strategy seems like it would cost more to re-stock everything each time you empty it to the bone.
We keep our pantry and misc. supplies (like toilet paper etc.) stocked and I may bulk purchase when something is a really good price.
Like you I find there is more room in my budget when I approach shopping this way.
Loved this – I’ll be sharing it over on the Simplified Life.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate your kind words and the share. 🙂
My thoughts on a pantry challenge, and what I’ve read from most bloggers, is that it’s not a use-up-everything-you-have deal, but rather a way to get creative with food items that you’ve been putting off using for one reason or another. For instance, someone who decided they wanted to try dry beans instead of canned but haven’t gotten around to cooking them up. In my family, when one person moves, the others get all the half-opened items and a pantry challenge is helpful to use those types of things up.
I’ve actually never heard of anyone doing a pantry challenge in the manner you mentioned, where they use up a stockpile that they had created on purpose…
In my opinion, though, there really aren’t exact “rules” for a pantry challenge – it is what you make it!
There are mini pantry challenges that are more like what you describe. But every full blown month long pantry challenge I’ve read about involves using up your food until you don’t have much left. And I think that is counter intuitive.
I have to disagree- it all depends on HOW you do a pantry challenge. For example, we have a 6 month supply of food on hand at all times (this includes our pantry, freezer, fridge, and it includes all of our home canned and preserved foods from our homestead garden); however, I go through our stock once a month and pull the oldest of everything to the front (I also do this when we replenish our stock to rotate foods). I either write down those items that need to be used this month (or in the next few months) or I put them in a special place in the pantry, fridge, or freezer. I do pantry challenges once a week or more, and I am able to pull together delicious, nutritious meals with a little creativity. Last night we had brown rice with chicken stir fry, using a frozen chicken breast, half a bag of frozen green beans from the garden, mushrooms that were ridiculously cheap that I had saved but needed to be used this week, frozen bell peppers, and broccoli that was frozen fresh. All of those things (except the rice) needed to be used in the next month or so, and I pulled it all together to make a delicious meal. Total cost: $1.25 per person with leftovers! And it was incredibly filling. Because I stocked up or preserved when it was cheap or in season from the garden, I reduced the cost of each meal by at least half, and by keeping track of what I had, I didn’t actually spend any money on the meal this week because I already had it available. I don’t deplete my resources though- ever. Unless there’s an emergency (job loss, storm, etc), I simply rotate. I guess you could say it’s not technically a pantry challenge in that way. Haha