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Now that the holidays are over, it’s time for the Three Rivers Challenge! This is my third year participating in the annual pantry challenge. Each year, we set our own goals & rules for the two-month pantry challenge. Everyone who participates approaches things a bit differently, and I enjoy following along on Instagram and YouTube to see what other families are doing. I find that it really sparks my creativity in the kitchen.
Our 2026 Pantry Challenge Goals & Rules
My main goal this year is to finish all of the canning projects that are waiting for me in the freezers. We have so many tomatoes, grapes, and other fruits sitting in the freezer waiting to be processed because I just didn’t have the time during the harvest season. Over the next several weeks, I want to tackle each and every one of those projects and get the freezer truly cleaned out.
In the past, we have gotten our side of beef and a huge meat and pantry stock up in December. This year, we have opted not to do that. After Christmas, my husband and I placed our Azure Standard order, which will be picked up on Monday, and went to Lancaster to pick up fresh citrus, but that’s really it. No big stock-up trips.
That means this year, we are actually going to have to grocery shop a little during the challenge, but I’m sticking to fresh foods like milk, cheese, and produce instead of packaged items. Ideally, we will not need to purchase any meat or poultry until February.
Our Pantry Challenge Rules for January
- Start on Monday, January 5
- Limit of $50 each week for milk, cheese, and fresh produce
- We can still shop for non-food items as needed
- No more than one trip to a store each week, so that there are fewer impulse buys
- Pick up our Azure Standard order on January 5
- Create a weekly menu plan using up the proteins that we currently have in the freezers
- Try one new recipe every week – can be anything, doesn’t have to be a full meal
We will also be taking time over the month to develop a plan for February since we will need to purchase meat and poultry by then. Steve and I have been purchasing a side of beef each year for almost 16 years. Currently, beef prices have jumped up and our annual purchase has gone from under $1500 to over $2800! We are taking this month to weigh out the options, contact other butchers and ranchers, and get a better idea on the pricing before we make any big investments.
By participating in the pantry challenge right now, we should be able to cut our grocery budget for the month significantly, but still not enough to cover the $1300 difference on beef (and that’s just beef – not all of the other proteins I still purchase separately).
Join the Challenge!
Join us for this year’s Three Rivers Challenge. Comment below with your goals for the challenge, and don’t forget to follow along on Instagram!
New Year Homeschool and Homemaking Goals for 2026
Sounds like a fun challenge! I’ve been trying to use what we have more, however the holidays were an exception. Getting back on track in January once we get home from vacation!
Goals:
– eat thru what we have in the freezer as much as possible
– make as much homemade or semi-homemade items as possible
– try a new recipe weekly(per your challenge rules)
– cut our food waste down by a lot
Good luck!
January is a great time to reset after the holidays. It sounds like a great plan for the month. Might I recommend chickens for cutting down on food waste? They’d love your yard, although January isn’t the time to get chicks nor have them outside if they aren’t already used to the weather.