So, here's how we saved this past week:
- Continued to cook all meals at home including black beans and rice, black bean chili and brown rice, crock pot Asian chicken with carrots and quinoa, roasted veggies, salads, steamed salmon, fried eggs, carrot pancakes (shredded carrot added to Bisquick), and homemade pizza.
- Gleaned from the food pantry, which received over 300 pounds of fresh produce that wouldn't all keep until clients come on Wednesdays. We received plain yogurt, smoothie juice, spinach, basil, lemon grass, kiwi, berries, green onions, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, apples, oranges, lemons, sweet potatoes, eggplant, zucchini and summer squash, and butternut squash.
- Used many veggies for roasted veggies
- Will process basil for pesto
- Using fruit in smoothies and just to eat
- Plan to zest citrus to dry peel and juice some for freezing
- This has all really helped toward my goal of having four servings of veggies at each meal (seems like a lot, but really making me feel much better!)
- Struck a deal with friends who have a dozen chickens that we'll check on the hens twice a week, feed, water, etc. in exchange for eggs. We'll also take care of them when they travel, making the arrangement beneficial to both of us. We're enjoying about two dozen fresh eggs each week now, and the boys are learning how to care for chickens and take some responsibility!
- Spent only $8 at the grocery store for almond milk, cilantro, and some produce to use in Thai chicken soup later this week.
- Made a new batch of home fermented cabbage and carrots. Tried using dill seed, since I was low on garlic.
- Had a shared meal with mom this week, saving us both some time and energy in the kitchen. We were able to help her take down her Christmas tree, which was a big help to her.
- Composted all possible scraps.
- Saved veggie scraps for stock in a gallon freezer bag. Once the bag is full, dump into the crock pot and cook all day. I sometimes add plain gelatin too, for health benefits.
- Tried to reuse tea bags two or three times to stretch things. I love hot tea, especially this time of year, but they can get expensive. I'm working on drying orange zest, turmeric, ginger, and using frozen lemon balm and mint from the garden when I'm home to make tea. (This is not as easy when I am at school, so I use tea bags there.)
- Saved cereal bags to reuse for bread or produce storage. (We don't generally buy dry cereal, but we had some from cleaning out at my grandmother's.)
- Used rinsed yogurt carton water for smoothies rather than washing down the sink.
- Recycled all possible items and saved produce rubber bands for future use.
- Continued with cloth diaper use, washing at home and drying on drying racks indoors.
- Washed all possible laundry on cold and hung to dry.
- Continued with progress toward the goal of getting rid of 400 things. Getting close to the 100 mark already and don't feel like we're missing anything! Wow... so much stuff we collect.
- Emailed birthday invitations for little man rather than paper, saving paper and postage.
- Saved some gifted items to regift. They are really nice items and ones we're sure will be enjoyed by the recipients, but are just extra beyond our needs.
- Made sure the ceiling fans were turning in the proper direction for winter to keep heat down, rather than at ceiling level.
- Reused plastic grocery sacks for trash and paper ones for collecting items to donate to Goodwill.
- Vacuumed out dryer vent to make it a little more efficient.
- Continued to try to prep the house for possible sale, doing maintenance things that need to be done anyway, though our land possibilities are dwindling. The two lots we were hopeful about haven't worked out (one was essentially sold out from under us through the good ol' boy network, the other is asking an unrealistic amount--pre-2008 level--and unwilling to budge). I continue to hope that something will work out, as it is a great neighborhood for raising a family with lots of kids and supportive neighbors, but also know that we are comfortable where we are, though the neighborhood is less than ideal.
- Reread books at home instead of making a trip to the library, saving gas.
- Used cardboard boxes to decorate like cars and push the boys around when they started to need a new activity. Used existing blocks and balls to set up a make-shift bowling game for them.
- Kept heat at 62 during the day and 58 at night. We use blankets and co-sleep, so we don't worry about the boys getting cold.
What did you do to live and save green this week? I'd love to hear from you!
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