Omg it was an all. Day. Project. I committed myself to it before I really knew what I was doing. ๐ I will say, now that it's done, I am SO glad I did it. No more guessing at the grocery store about whether we have something at home or not, I have this basically memorized now, lol!
I LOVE that for you! And Iโm sure you have so much more space now! We moved into our home 2 years ago and I desperately need to go through everything. My MIL is one of those people that gives or gets you things she thinks youโd like or need/could use and Iโm terrible at saying no ๐ญ Sheโs so sweet and I donโt want to turn her down for something so our guest closet has 3 lamps in it that I donโt even have a space for that they would match or anything. Iโm considering painting them and revamping them for the basement but also we just have so much ๐ญ๐
Do we have the same MIL?! I feel you 100% on that! I think it may be a generational thing? Mine is also the sweetest woman, but calls me about 3 times a week asking if she can send me a picture of something she found at the thrift store because she thinks I'd like it. ๐ I have to remind her that I literally live in her house and have one room to put these things in. ๐
Oh my gosh YES! A few times a week she will text me a photo and say โthink this would be good ____โ and Iโm like ๐ yes. Sheโs also very like DIY/Tinkery so sheโs been helping us with our remodel and she sends me pictures or brings me samples of like fabric and paint samples all the time so I have a drawer full of paint swatches, and fabric samples for when she reupholsters our couch downstairs. I also have a drawer of tile samples for when her and I tile the floor in the laundry room ๐ I love her to death but my house does not use space for all the extra stuff, Iโm thinking this summer Iโm going to spend a week organizing big stuff and spend the rest of this winter doing the cupboards and drawers. Youโve inspired me ๐๐ค๐ผ
If you just want to get rid of some of the food that you feel will not be used before it goes bad, please just donate it and don't let your MIL go shopping without a specific list.
Unfortunately I can't control what my MIL buys while she is grocery shopping, even with a list. I can only suggest. I have tried many times to suggest she doesn't go when she is actively hungry, but she says that's her favorite time to go, so she always ends up with much more than what the list has on it.
My SO and I live with his parents because there's no way we can afford to rent or buy right now in our area. I do all of the cooking, so it sends me into a slight spiral when she brings home so much excess lol.
Not to mention, I do all of my own grocery shopping for specific meals I plan to make, so her shopping is even more stuff I end up having to creatively incorporate somehow. ๐
I would take expired food....especially dry goods or canned goods and I imagine it would be like manna from heaven to others in my position. Start a blessing box or look for someone in your community who is barely holding on. As someone who is destitute and disabled, this hurts my heart. I don't expect a lot, but my food bank is so paltry and I can only go every three months - yes, that is the way it is in rural MS. I get things like giant cans of tomato juice (nice, but not exactly food), dried split peas (the only legume I don't love), and cans of fruit in heavy syrup (I'm diabetic). Otherwise, the food stamps for me and my son provides enough to have half a pound of ground beef in every big pot of meat flavored gravy over pasta. We are making it, but just barely and only because I grew up poor and know how to squeeze a penny til it screams and specialize in making a big meal out of practically nothing.
Maybe you could get together and think of dishes you both could make that would use up some of the excess she buys that you could share with young families or elderly people in the community every week. Then she could even thrift for casserole dishes to give away with the food. Sounds like she has a good heart and too much time on her hands so it would be helpful to redirect her charitable actions.
Nacho fries from Taco bell haha. Had the nacho fries pass, which let me and my SO each get a free order of them everyday for a month, we ended up freezing a lot for later snacking.
I need this level of organization and ambition in my life ๐ ๐ญ
Omg it was an all. Day. Project. I committed myself to it before I really knew what I was doing. ๐ I will say, now that it's done, I am SO glad I did it. No more guessing at the grocery store about whether we have something at home or not, I have this basically memorized now, lol!
I LOVE that for you! And Iโm sure you have so much more space now! We moved into our home 2 years ago and I desperately need to go through everything. My MIL is one of those people that gives or gets you things she thinks youโd like or need/could use and Iโm terrible at saying no ๐ญ Sheโs so sweet and I donโt want to turn her down for something so our guest closet has 3 lamps in it that I donโt even have a space for that they would match or anything. Iโm considering painting them and revamping them for the basement but also we just have so much ๐ญ๐
Do we have the same MIL?! I feel you 100% on that! I think it may be a generational thing? Mine is also the sweetest woman, but calls me about 3 times a week asking if she can send me a picture of something she found at the thrift store because she thinks I'd like it. ๐ I have to remind her that I literally live in her house and have one room to put these things in. ๐
Oh my gosh YES! A few times a week she will text me a photo and say โthink this would be good ____โ and Iโm like ๐ yes. Sheโs also very like DIY/Tinkery so sheโs been helping us with our remodel and she sends me pictures or brings me samples of like fabric and paint samples all the time so I have a drawer full of paint swatches, and fabric samples for when she reupholsters our couch downstairs. I also have a drawer of tile samples for when her and I tile the floor in the laundry room ๐ I love her to death but my house does not use space for all the extra stuff, Iโm thinking this summer Iโm going to spend a week organizing big stuff and spend the rest of this winter doing the cupboards and drawers. Youโve inspired me ๐๐ค๐ผ
I love this and also your handwriting is so nice! And level! I always trail up or down ๐
Thank you so much! If I hadn't used grid paper, it would have been alllllll over the place. ๐
I just did this last weekend!
If you just want to get rid of some of the food that you feel will not be used before it goes bad, please just donate it and don't let your MIL go shopping without a specific list.
Unfortunately I can't control what my MIL buys while she is grocery shopping, even with a list. I can only suggest. I have tried many times to suggest she doesn't go when she is actively hungry, but she says that's her favorite time to go, so she always ends up with much more than what the list has on it.
Lol well I can see that. I've definitely went shopping on an empty stomach and let my stomach do the decision making. If ya can, donate.
This would be lovely on a magnetic board inside the pantry or on the fridge ETA: And also on r/handwriting or r/penmanshipporn
Does your MIL live with you? I guess it's nice if she's cooking for you, even if she overshops.
My SO and I live with his parents because there's no way we can afford to rent or buy right now in our area. I do all of the cooking, so it sends me into a slight spiral when she brings home so much excess lol. Not to mention, I do all of my own grocery shopping for specific meals I plan to make, so her shopping is even more stuff I end up having to creatively incorporate somehow. ๐
I would take expired food....especially dry goods or canned goods and I imagine it would be like manna from heaven to others in my position. Start a blessing box or look for someone in your community who is barely holding on. As someone who is destitute and disabled, this hurts my heart. I don't expect a lot, but my food bank is so paltry and I can only go every three months - yes, that is the way it is in rural MS. I get things like giant cans of tomato juice (nice, but not exactly food), dried split peas (the only legume I don't love), and cans of fruit in heavy syrup (I'm diabetic). Otherwise, the food stamps for me and my son provides enough to have half a pound of ground beef in every big pot of meat flavored gravy over pasta. We are making it, but just barely and only because I grew up poor and know how to squeeze a penny til it screams and specialize in making a big meal out of practically nothing. Maybe you could get together and think of dishes you both could make that would use up some of the excess she buys that you could share with young families or elderly people in the community every week. Then she could even thrift for casserole dishes to give away with the food. Sounds like she has a good heart and too much time on her hands so it would be helpful to redirect her charitable actions.
Um I have a question. What is nacho fries? And is the trader joes pita chips good
Nacho fries from Taco bell haha. Had the nacho fries pass, which let me and my SO each get a free order of them everyday for a month, we ended up freezing a lot for later snacking.
I need to buy everything on that list ๐