I've been trying to not keep perishable foods longer than 7 days. That means pretty much everything in my refrigerator should be consumed within a week. I don't like the idea of eating 'old' food and the health nut's voice in my head says I'd be getting more nutrition from eating fresher foods. But this is really hard to do!

Let me explain. My husband's background is one of extreme thrift (he was raised in a poor family) so he doesn't like to waste anything. On top of it, before I met him he became apart of a particular religion that believes in always being prepared to the point of stockpiling a year or two of food. I come from a frugal point of view that says stockpiling is a really great idea because then I'm only buying foods when they are at their lowest price (using a price book, of course.) I've done stockpiling for years but those were years when we had a larger family, too. I knew the stock was going to get turned over. Someone was always eating in our house.

Now we're just down to the three of us and because hubby travels, most of the time it is just the two of us. DD doesn't eat that much and I shouldn't be. I'd like us to be eating fresher, nutrient rich foods that haven't been processed or preserved. I'd rather serve a salad than canned green beans. I'd rather grab a banana for a snack than a cookie. Yes, I'd like us to be eating more fresh produce, fresh organic dairy products, fewer baked goods, whole grains and a bit of meat.

Excuse my babbling. I'm fustrated that I still seem to be buying too much FOOD. I'm almost to the point where I'd love to throw everything out and start over. Oh help!

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

This is a constant struggle for me, too. Someone mentioned that in Europe the refrigerators tend to be smaller and can store less. That would help prevent overbuying and having foods get "lost". Also, having a separate freezer has been a disaster for me- talk about food getting lost in there- yikes! I'm trying to buy only what we need when we need it. I got great deals using a price book and stockpiling, but there was a large amount of waste involved. We just don't go through salad dressing at 3 bottles a month, even if I only paid 30 cents per bottle. I think I am truthfully spending less each week for food buying only what we need. Also- I'm doing a better job using stuff up before it goes bad.

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I don't believe in miracles; I depend on them

You don't need to throw it out! Do what I do! Donate any unopened bags/boxes/cans etc. to a food shelter! I had this EXACT same problem a few months ago. I decided to eliminate as much processed food as I could from our diet. I want to eat fresher, healthier, plus I decided to try my hand at canning. But, I had a huge stockpile. It seemed I could never 'catch up'. So when the Stamp Out Hunger day rolled around in May, I got bags and bags of food together. Please don't flame me for this, but I even added things they said not to add - I can't think of any 'for instances' but they were all unopened and nothing that would spoil - so I figured if they couldn't use them maybe the workers would be able to take them home if they were unopened. Heck if I worked there and they said, we can't use such and such item but they are unopened feel free to take them home, I would if I needed/wanted the item!

My pantry is now gleaming with my lack of food! No more processed baked beans - I have the ones I made myself in the freezer. Non-organic juice - sure it was okay but we prefer organic now - but I'm sure someone along the line is enjoying the stuff we previously bought! Applesauce? No thank you, I make my own now with organic apples and I know exactly what is in it!

Churches are great for this. Simply pile all the items you can't/don't want to use and take it to just about any church and ask them where the food donations go. Then go home to a clean pantry and you're on your way to fresher food!!

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I had to totally rethink my stockpiling plan. I had a bunch of food that I could never use before expiration. This was after giving bags and bags away to the church food pantry.

A few months ago when I decided I was slowly slipping into the processed food trap, I made a conscious effort to make more from scratch...like I used to. I did the same thing Stormy did. I went through my pantry and got rid of any convienence foods, processed foods, and anything with a lot of added preservatives, dyes, or high fructose corn syrup.

We haven't had a store bought cookie in the house in months. I recently purchased a bread machine and will make my own bread from now on. We eat a LOT of expensive raisin breads and other breakfast type breads so it will be a real money saver as well. I also got a yogurt maker. I can make organic yogurt for about 25% of the cost of buying it in the stores. It tastes great too!

These days, my stockpiling is limited to non-food items. Things like dishwasher detergent, soap, health and beauty items, paper towels, and the like. It is much less stressful than having a million jars of pickles hanging around waiting to be eaten!

This is what I finally realized as well. Say a jar of peanut butter is $1.99 regular price and $1.50 on sale every few weeks/months. Instead of buying one or two jars at $1.50 (total $3), I was buying 6 or 7 at 50 cents a jar...but still using only one or two jars before I was buying more at the next great deal. I was still spending the same amount...if not more on groceries.

I also noticed that since it was only 50 cents a jar, I was more likely to be wasteful with it, let it go bad, etc.

Wish me luck! Today I'm going to go to the grocery store with the mantra of "only buy ONE". I'll also be concentrating on only buying what is on the list. My fingers are crossed.

I think I'll also do what Stormy said, I'm donating. There are items I bought in my pantry as 'back-ups' that are doing nothing but taking up room. The rest is going into the garbage (like the double-stuffed Oreos - now opened - that hubby brought home just before going on a month-long business trip - Ugh!)

He also bought some apples and peaches that aren't very good. I'm surprised. Hubby is so much better at picking out fruit than that. So now, I've found myself not buying fruit because I have it at home but not eating what is at home because it is unappetitizing. What to do?

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

Well Cookie...how did it go?

How refreshing to stumble across this thread. I don't stockpile, it's a new thing to me, and I never had the space to. I love the idea of living simply and buying what we need when we need it.

I have had this argument before with hardcore couponers/stockpilers -- I just will not use the quantities that these addicts buy! It is actually cheaper for me (this is the stance I maintain) for me to buy fresh on a weekly basis than to buy canned/prepackaged and risk wasting food or harming my health.

There are some food items I am willing to stockpile, but I'm not sure I will be able to find rock-bottom prices: oats, brown rice, couscous... those kinds of things.

Kitchen composting! I try not to waste, but in the event something is past it's prime I compost it if possible. At least I'm giving back to the earth!

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I cleaned out almost all the kitchen of food that has to go to the church food bank. It isn't a lot, just stuff that was bugging me. You know, the stuff that tends to fall out of the cabinet when you open the door.

I identified a lot of items that can go into the garden to compost. I'll toss it onto the planting beds and hubby will turn them before the snow flies. Some items simply got thrown away. You know, like mayo isn't supposed to be THAT color even if it is unused.

As for the peaches and granny smith apples, I'm thinking of making them into a 'crisp'. Maybe they will taste better cooked. If they don't, I'm just out a little bit of flour.

And I did very well while grocery shopping. Since I had just cleaned out the pantry, I knew what I had on hand. I realized some of the stuff on my list I really didn't need. So I bought even LESS than I planned.

I just have to clean out the cabinet that holds the baking supplies. It never has been well organized and it is time to do something with it.

The rest of the day didn't follow suit in terms of my self discipline. I went by Dillards to pay off the credit card there (long story) and that is definately dangerous territory! I ended up buying a slip for DD and a pair of Spanx undies for me - thanks to another thread on this board that made me think of them! The DD talked me into eating at the food court. I had a McD's Southwest salad which is pretty good. Then DD wanted to go to the bookstore - another very dangerous trip! I did well, considering - an inexpensive story book, a kid's magazine, and a workbook to brush up her skills for 1st grade. I could have bought a ton more!

Okay, back to food. I've really got to use up what is in the frig and freezer and ONLY buy what is absolutely necessary for a while.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."