Spending Freeze

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I generally stick to a pretty strict budget. After all, my husband works in the field of education where the rewards are rarely monetary. However, during the holidays we spent a little more than normal on food and gas. We enjoyed some really delicious food (our Christmas Eve rib roast was perfectly medium rare--I did buy it on sale) and we traveled much more than usual to visit our loved ones. We wouldn't change a thing about our holiday celebrations but now, in January, our waistlines and our finances are recovering.
 
To help with the budget recovery and to rotate the food storage, we decided not to buy anything at the grocery store except for milk, eggs and bread (I don't bake bread) for two weeks. I did buy fresh fruits and vegetables from Bountiful Baskets. Essentially, we had a major spending freeze.
 
It wasn't as horrible as it sounds. My pantry and freezer are well stocked. I even had several things of cream cheese in the fridge (as if I could cook without it). We enjoyed meals like chicken enchiladas, chili and corn bread, pork chops and roasted potatoes, and homemade pizza. We did have a few nights where we ate meals like tuna fish sandwiches and soup.
 
Even though it wasn't that bad, I am glad to be back on track with my budget and I'm ready to head back to the grocery store and we're all excited to try some new meals. In fact, this week I cannot wait to make the Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca recipe from the Cooking Light magazine that just arrived in my mailbox.