Eating from the Pantry check-in

Happy Monday! Here's my update:

Wednesday: Made pizza and citrus spinach salad for dinner.

Thursday: Packed breakfast and lunch for hubs & me. Made burritos, refried beans & corn for dinner.

Friday: Packed breakfast and lunch for hubs. I had nachos with leftover ingredients from the burritos for lunch when I got home from work (I leave work early on Fridays). For dinner we went out to eat as was planned. It is a very long and complicated story involving how a "restaurant" turned into a "bar" and thus no longer has a kitchen to make food in. So couldn't use a restaurant.com gift certificate. We went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday because I had a coupon for $5.00 off (it was one from the buy a gift card get a coupon promotion they were running at Christmas). Then in the paper yesterday there were buy one get one free coupons for Ruby Tuesday. Hubs and I both thought that was funny that such a good coupon would come out two days after we ate there. Anyways, moving on...

Saturday: Packed lunch & breakfast for hubs. I was home so ate breakfast and lunch there. For dinner made Mandarin Orange Chicken from Trader Joes and Steamfresh Rice both from our freezer. I told hubs that we're going to Trader Joe's next week and I'm buying case loads of that Mandarin Chicken. So good! Also, I was really impressed with the Steamfresh rice, especially since it was free thanks to the powers of couponing. Oh and we also had pineapple.

Sunday: BFF came over to hang out and brought lunch for us (hubs was at work). After hubs got home in the middle of the afternoon he was feeling snacky so I made homemade popcorn. Oh golly is that good! For dinner I made Falling Off The Bone Chicken Wings, Brown Rice Pilaf, steamed carrots and pineapple again. What can I say, I love pineapple!

I packed both of us breakfast and lunch today. Hubs is working late so not sure yet what I'll do about dinner but I might go ahead and make the hot dogs and chili anyways. Later in the week I have leftover nights scheduled. I don't have any leftovers so I might roast a chicken or make the balsamic chicken that I haven't made yet.

I know I'm not exactly following my meal plan but I like having flexibility when I need it. For example, hubs loves Hamburger Helper so I make it for him every once in a while and had that planned for dinner last night. When I knew that my BFF was coming over I changed the plans to wings (which really are awesome y'all) 'cause I ain't 'bout to be serving no company no Hamburger Helper. I'm jus' sayin'.

How have y'all been doing with your challenge?