Prison Food and Pasta Jars.

Near the top of the list for being more frugal is to reduce spending on groceries. Really, this is a perpetual goal and, as we all know, is always easier said than done.

I tried making us eat bulk-purchased oatmeal everyday, mixing up the routine with brown sugar, syrup, or -- and this was sure a treat -- almost expired jam, but Husband felt like he was in prison, asking if we could please just have cold cereal a few days a week.
Sure we can. So I bought mongo bags of generic cereal and made milk from powder and after a while, he confessed that, that's not exactly what he was thinking either...

And while I can tell you we saved an enormous amount on groceries during the Prison Food Phase and that we did manage to pay off a nagging credit card bill, I can also tell you that we'd never been so freakin' cranky in our entire life.

We learned a lot during the Prison Food Phase: that we really could save a lot of money by shopping and cooking in an orchestrated and organized manner and that having one specific financial goal -- not just "to save money" worked for us. Rather, eating bulk oatmeal while saying "Bite me, MBNA!!" was a much better motivator for us.

We also learned where to buy bread super cheap, mastered double bagging and reusing baggies, figured out a system that works for us for freezer cooking and learned how menu planning can keep the peace in our house. We learned that it did pay to shop at different stores, that sometimes coupons are a good deal and many times not. And most of all, we grew to simply appreciate what we did have and certainly to never, ever, waste food. Wasting food was practically crime-worthy -- worthy of more time in the slammer eating Prison Food.

And so the other day, fresh into our Latest Frugal (but not quite Prison) Food Phase, Husband was on duty while I was out and asked for suggestions as to what to make Twin A and Twin B for supper. I encouraged spaghetti -- again. It's cheap, they love it, and that way we'd use up the open jar of sauce in the fridge.

Or at least that's what I thoughtI said. Because, apparently, the jar of pasta sauce failed to sprout legs, move the cottage cheese to the side and do a little song and dance before leaping into the arms of Husband and shouting "TA-DA!!"

And so the next morning, grabbing milk for Twin A and Twin B, I notice a full jar of pasta sauce right in front. I study it. Hmmm, no crud forming under the lid -- that's odd. I look to the back of the refrigerator, behind the cottage cheese, and sure enough, an open jar of pasta sauce, the date marked in Sharpie when it was opened -- early January.

Something snaps in me. I remain calm on the outside for the benefit of Twin A and Twin B, who could care less, but for whatever reason I just FREAK about Husband opening a new jar.

Husband thinks I'm mad about the pasta sauce, but it's really not about the sauce at all. We have big financial goals and New Plan that we're trying to stick to, and in the meantime, we need to slash our spending to better live within our means, which means cutting costs and reducing spending on food. And to reduce spending on food means to use what we have. And to use what we have means actually LOOKING for might already exist!

Big sigh.

And really, it's not big deal -- but for me it was symbolic of how we differ. I would always look in the refrigerator -- and even move some things around -- before opening a new jar. And Husband just opens a new jar, without thinking too much about it. I tried to explain my view and he explained his: it was nutzo in the house, Twin A and Twin B were hungry, there was an emergency with a neighbor and he really, truly didn't see the open jar in the chaos of two kids hanging on his legs while he tried to make dinner.

Besides, Husband reminded me that starting and growing a garden this summer was part of The Plan. He successfully steered the conversation toward something far more positive than me reminding him of all the times he "truly didn't see" something practically staring him in the face. He agreed to start figuring out the best place for the garden, and I agreed to start planning what would be the easiest and most cost-effective for us to grow, items for pasta sauce a given.

We both acknowledge that this will be a great learning experience for us and agree that we want Twin A and Twin B to understand where food really comes from. We want them to appreciate the work that goes into the planning, the growing, the caring for and the canning of food. We want them to enjoy the simple pleasure and satisfaction of eating something they helped grow.

And we both agreed, that, if all goes according to plan, after all the work that will go into making and canning a gazillion containers of pasta sauce we'll both look twice before simply opening another jar.