Eating from the Pantry...Anybody Else Pining for Feb. 1?

Whew...now January 19, this Eat from the Pantry Challenge is a lot like when you're 2/3 of the way through a hard workout; you're stretching yourself, a bit worn out, but the end is in sight.

Just twelve more days, but I'm already dreaming up a list of all the groceries I'm going to be "allowed" to buy come February 1 (decaf coffee, especially, in my case). I suppose that kind of negates the point of the challenge, doesn't it? Then again, becoming aware that you can make it several weeks without so-called "essentials" it not a bad little exercise in self-denial, especially in the face of the tragedy in Haiti - where essentials are lacking in the truest, most terrible sense.

On the upside, my pantry and freezer are definitely getting emptier than they've been in months! Glad that those staples and couponed items are finally getting a bit used up. And, our grocery spending for the month is (for us) pretty low indeed - details to come at our end-of-month challenge evaluation post.

Anybody else trying to muster the gusto to make it over that 2/3-through hump to the end of January?

Anybody else have strategies to prevent a February 1 grocery-buying binge? 0;-)
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