The freezer is finally empty! (With the exception of -- and, come on, can it really be counted? -- one more box of Popsicles that I am trying to dig through, gummy as they are.)
And today I made a "creative" tuna noodle casserole using rice noodles, two cans of tuna and my last can of peas. It's pretty sticky, but I'm hoping it will taste good come dinnertime (and for the next, sigh, six dinners).
I also finally made oatmeal raisin cookies for my co-workers (I know, look at little Betty Crocker here!) and the kitchen cabinet is looking anemic.
And while that thrills me, I also am a little worried now.
My sister was telling me about a story she read where lots of people, fearing catastrophe (hurricane, apocalypse, the effects of an undesirable president getting elected) have been stocking up on canned goods and other nonperishables. One man has a basement filled with food. And here I am, carefee as can be, getting rid of every last morsel.
It's such a Catch-22, isn't it? You want to be prepared, but you don't want to stockpile so much food that it never gets eaten and you waste money. How much is enough of a stockpile? A week's worth? A month's? And at some point, should you EAT that stockpile (a la this experiment) and replace later?
Sigh.
I'll try not to worry yet. After this experiment ends, I'll get myself ready before hurricane season starts (but by "ready" I mean a few items; I now know how long they can last!). Aside from that, I'm only going to buy what I need for the week. If catastrophe strikes, I've got some co-workers I can mooch off of. I mean, come on, I made them oatmeal raisin cookies! They can spare a meal or two!