Pantry Challenge week 2

Week 2 is not looking so much like a pantry challenge when it comes to dinners.  There were some great items hidden in the freezer and then we have a birthday.  We make a big deal out of meals for the birthday child; this child chose German food.  I don't keep those things in the pantry. :)

I spent more this week (last week I spent $0).  I placed an Azure (co-op) order; this can only be done once a month and I needed to order our coconut milk, raw cashews (which didn't ship), and pregnancy tea.  Total was $39.  I also ordered raw local honey; this is a group order that only happens once every couple/few months so I have to take advantage of it when it happens $33.

I had to go to Costco to pick up some items for a friend's dinner (she'd had surgery) and I picked up a couple of staples there for us too.  Onions (making it easier to make some flavorful meals), salad, eggs, string cheese (the toddler's favorite snack. This is not an exercise in torture; the whole family will be thankful she has it), GF pizza (because we have regular pizza in the freezer and I'm gonna be gone Friday night leaving Daddy and most kids to cook).  I think the total for our part was about $45.

I needed to go to the commissary to pick up pork chops for making schnitzel for the birthday dinner.  While there I picked up bananas and pears as well as some Larabars for me to snack on.  I'm starting to gather some baby items, so I picked up Newborn diapers and some wipes.  My total was $32

So, what's actually on the menu for the week?

Breakfast
Baked Oatmeal using frozen fruit from the freezer
Waffles (wheat free) and sausage- this is the birthday breakfast
Instant Oatmeal since we still have a surplus
Dutch babies/German pancakes (wheat and dairy free)
Banana Pancakes

Lunch
Dried fruit and nuts, crackers, nutella/PB, carrots, string cheese (this is a packed lunch)
PB&J sandwiches, carrots- this is the requested birthday lunch
Baked Potatoes
Left over stew

Dinner
Pot Roast- roast was hanging out in the back of the freezer
Schnitzel and spaetzle w/gravy, salad and cookies- this is the birthday dinner
coconut soup
frozen pizza- I'll be at a retreat with my oldest, dinner needs to be EASY that night

I don't have every meal for this week planned yet.  If we end up with a bunch of leftovers I'll want to use those up instead of cooking whole meals.

From Last Week's plans we had some great success with the Teriyaki Salmon and rice; this was made from canned salmon and I really thought most of my family would turn their noses up at it.  Instead there were requests for seconds and everyone finished theirs.  The oxtail stew smelled great as it cooked all day and was a wonderful comfort meal on our cold day.  That one was also a great success.

What about you?  How's your pantry challenge going?  What have you had to purchase?  What successes have you had?