Summer Series 2026: Building a Pantry with $5 a Week ... #5

Summer Series 2026: Building a Pantry with $5 a week ... #5

I hope everyone is reading the comments; each week's are so inspiring.  Thank you to everyone who is participating and commenting!  I don't have time to comment right now with G & G camp going on, but I do read every one!  You all are inspiring me to no end!

            With each week's entry, we'll start out reviewing the rules ...

Total must be $5 or less each week not including taxes.

Must be a separate purchase ... in other words it cannot be hand-picked items from our weekly grocery haul that totals $5 or less.

All items must come from a grocery store, farmers market, etc.  In other words they must be purchased.  No running out to the garden and putting a grocery store price on items harvested or shared with us.  This challenge is meant to stretch us in utilizing a small amount of money to help build up and or restock our pantry.

Must be items we regularly use.  This will keep us from seeing a good deal on something 'we might like' and spending our 'challenge money' only to never get around to trying it or finding out we don't like it at all.  This challenge is for our tried and true pantry building basics.  Think mid - long term pantry stocking.

This challenge includes all things in our pantry:  food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.

One more guideline ... no rolling money over from week to week.  We have to spend it or lose it!

This challenge will end on September 21st, the last day of summer.  

Here's what I added to my pantry for the sum total of $5 before taxes ...

My granddaughter and I made a trip to a local Dollar General store and purchased these for the stationary part of my pantry.  (I am enjoying being with my grandchildren immensely.  They are keeping us hopping!)  

I'll use these sticky notepads in note taking, sending notes, making lists and things of that nature.

Okay, now it's your turn ... what did you spend your $5 on this week and if it's a food, how do you plan on using it?

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

 

2026 Summer Series: Building a Pantry with $5 a Week: #4

Summer Series 2026: Building a Pantry with $5 a week ... #4

I hope everyone is reading the comments each week.  They are so inspiring.  Thank you to everyone who is taking the time to share your selections!

            With each week's entry, we'll start out reviewing the rules ...

Total must be $5 or less each week not including taxes.

Must be a separate purchase ... in other words it cannot be hand-picked items from our weekly grocery haul that totals $5 or less.

All items must come from a grocery store, farmers market, etc.  In other words they must be purchased.  No running out to the garden and putting a grocery store price on items harvested or shared with us.  This challenge is meant to stretch us in utilizing a small amount of money to help build up and or restock our pantry.

Must be items we regularly use.  This will keep us from seeing a good deal on something 'we might like' and spending our 'challenge money' only to never get around to trying it or finding out we don't like it at all.  This challenge is for our tried and true pantry building basics.  Think mid - long term pantry stocking.

This challenge includes all things in our pantry:  food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.

One more guideline ... no rolling money over from week to week.  We have to spend it or lose it!

This challenge will end on September 21st, the last day of summer.  

Here's what I added to my pantry for the sum total of $4.95 before tax.

Mushrooms are a staple in our pantry and the last time I used a can, I made note that I needed to start watching for a sale on them, as we were getting low.  I found that sale this week!  The regular price for each can was $1.79.  The sale price was $.99 each!  That's a pretty good savings, so I used my 'challenge' money for this week to restock shelf stable mushrooms!

Can you see how maintaining a well-stocked pantry saves money?  Because we had the option of waiting for a sale instead of paying full price, we saved, in this instance, $4.

We use mushrooms in soups, casseroles, omelets, and as an ingredient in side dishes (sauteed green beans, onions and mushroom are delicious!).

Okay, now it's your turn ... what did you spend your $5 on this week and if it's a food, how do you plan on using it?

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

Summer Series 2026: Building a Pantry with $5 a Week ... #3

Week #3 ...

Let me just start this post off by saying that I hope everyone is reading the comments.  Last week's were so inspiring!  Thank you to all who participated ... I highly recommend you go back and read the comments ... HERE.

            With each week's entry, we'll start out reviewing the rules ...

Total must be $5 or less each week not including taxes.

Must be a separate purchase ... in other words it cannot be hand-picked items from our weekly grocery haul that totals $5 or less.

All items must come from a grocery store, farmers market, etc.  In other words they must be purchased.  No running out to the garden and putting a grocery store price on items harvested or shared with us.  This challenge is meant to stretch us in utilizing a small amount of money to help build up and or restock our pantry.

Must be items we regularly use.  This will keep us from seeing a good deal on something 'we might like' and spending our 'challenge money' only to never get around to trying it or finding out we don't like it at all.  This challenge is for our tried and true pantry building basics.  Think mid - long term pantry stocking.

This challenge includes all things in our pantry:  food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.

One more guideline ... no rolling money over from week to week.  We have to spend it or lose it!

This challenge will end on September 21st, the last day of summer.  

Here's what I added to my pantry for the sum total of  $3.38 (before tax) ...

In checking my pantry for items I was getting low on, I noticed that I needed to restock breadcrumbs.  So, I checked at the grocery store the next time I was there and noticed that the pictured bread was on sale for $1.69/loaf.  We don't eat much bread so I don't keep it on hand anymore.  If we have a meal that specifically calls for bread such as burgers or hot dogs, then we purchase enough for that meal.  Hence, the reason I purchased bread to make breadcrumbs.  I was hoping to find some marked down for quick sale bread, but that was not to be, so I just shopped for what was on sale.

Once I got it home, I cut it into chunks and started letting it air dry.  Because of time constraints, I finished the drying process in the dehydrator, then I ran the dried chunks through a food processor and turned them into breadcrumbs.  This will be enough to last us for several months.

I'll use these bread crumbs in the making of meatloaves, meatballs, casseroles, etc.

Okay, now it's your turn ... what did you spend your $5 on this week and if it's a food, how do you plan on using it?

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

From My Home to Yours: 7/17/26

           From My Home to Yours

7/17/26

~  Getting Ready for G & G Camp! ~

What is G & G camp?  It's grandma and grandpa camp!  It's our first and we are working hard to get ready to spend some time with two of our grands, just us and them for several days while their dad goes out of town.

If you've ever done a G & G camp, I would love to hear some of the things you planned and did.  Our main focus is just to go with the flow and spend one on one time with them, but we'd also like to throw in a few 'out of the ordinary' activities as well.  They are pre-teens!

Aside from preparing for G & G camp, it has been another week of 100 degree days with high humidity.  The weather here is brutal and dangerous with 'feel like' temperatures of up to 111 degrees.   What's left of our summer garden is just baking and shriveling up.

The apples are holding on ... look at how full this one branch is!

I'm still in book 7 in the Bregdan Chronicles, Glimmers of Change, by Ginny Dye.  I have much more listening time than reading time right now.  I can listen to audio books while I work, but alas, I haven't found a way to read from a book while working.  I'm still listening to The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen.   (All the audio books I listen to come from Libby the library app.)

I'll be taking a blogging break so I/we can give our grands our full attention and enjoy some family time.  I will continue to do our $5 Pantry Challenge each week as I think I can manage that easily.  Otherwise, I'll meet you back here towards the end of August!

That's it for this week, I hope you've found something in my ramblings that will help and or encourage you in the upcoming week.

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!

 

Summer Series 2026: Building a Pantry with $5 a week ... #2

 Here we are at our first full week of our pantry challenge!   However, before I share what I added to my pantry and how I plan to use it, let's go over the rules again (I don't know about you, but sometimes I need reminders!) ...

Total must be $5 or less each week not including taxes.

Must be a separate purchase ... in other words it cannot be hand-picked items from our weekly grocery haul that totals $5 or less.

All items must come from a grocery store, farmers market, etc.  In other words they must be purchased.  No running out to the garden and putting a grocery store price on items harvested or shared with us.  This challenge is meant to stretch us in utilizing a small amount of money to help build up and or restock our pantry.

Must be items we regularly use.  This will keep us from seeing a good deal on something 'we might like' and spending our 'challenge money' only to never get around to trying it or finding out we don't like it at all.  This challenge is for our tried and true pantry building basics.  Think mid - long term pantry stocking.

This challenge includes all things in our pantry:  food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc.

One more guideline ... no rolling money over from week to week.  We have to spend it or lose it!

This challenge will end on September 21st, the last day of summer.  

Here's what I added to my pantry for the exact amount of $5 (before tax) ...

Shoepeg corn was on sale 3 for $5 this week at a local regional grocery store chain.  Regular price was $1.99 per can.  I use this corn in salads, as a side and even in casseroles sometimes.  It's crunchiness, just adds something to the 'salads in a jar' that I've been making, which is my favorite way to use it.  I was totally out so, I was happy to see this sale!

Okay, now it's your turn ... what did you spend your $5 on this week and if it's a food, how do you plan on using it?

Until the next time ...  

mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry  

~ quietly holding the home front ~

She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27 

Other Places You Can Find Me ...

Grandma's Got a Sewing Machine 

From This Heart of Mine  

Mrs. Patsi on Instagram

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links.  This means that if you click on the link and place an order, etc I earn a small fee at no increased cost to you. Thank you for your support through these means. 

Thank you for using my Amazon affiliate link when placing your Amazon orders. I earn a small percentage that doesn't increase what you pay.

If you are encouraged by what you read here, please consider supporting my work via one of the following ways. Your expressions of appreciation help me keep my pantry well-stocked and me motivated to keep on keeping on with my attempts to inspire and encourage you (Titus 2:3-5) through my writings!