Menu, Plan, Running List

I feel a little redundant making this a post for advice on how to save money when it comes to your food. Any women's magazine will tell you the same things I am about to. But it is so true and really good habits to get into.

Do not go grocery shopping without a list! Even if you are just running in to grab a few things, have them written down and stick to it. Being realistic of course and remembering to stay in your budget, even if you stray from the list slightly.

I always keep certain staples on hand, like broths, onions and peppers, brown rice, instant taters, black olives, etc. They are a ton, I won't list them all, but they are things my family really likes and I can add to many recipes to make them family favorites. When I open my last can or use my last serving in the box/bag or whatever, I get down to the bottom of said item, I write it down on the running list I keep going on my fridge. This way I am not scrambling around the kitchen hunting through cabinets and pantries to see if I am out of anything before I go shopping. It also cuts down on the wandering through the store wondering if I am out of biscuit mix. And, it decreases the chances of coming home with a bottle of ketchup only to find there is an unopened bottle in the pantry.

Of course, I am still human and very forgiving of myself since I do still make mistakes. I in no way strive to be perfect, just better. :D

In fact, just last month I bought a huge bottle of white vinegar since I use it so much in the laundry as well as the kitchen. Then a week or so later I found a little bottle completely unopened in the pantry! It happens. When you make mistakes, and you will, don't get down on yourself and frustrated. Just keep on going.

The running list on the fridge is also a place for your family to write special requests. Now you aren't promising all requests will be filled, but it means they don't have to try and remember what they are craving on the day you are making out the list!

When you are getting low on dinner ingredients in your home you know it is time to shop. So who does one go about rounding out the running list?

Well, start with a menu. Be forgiving again. My mom always used to plan a menu for a full month, each day breakfast lunch and dinner. Then we'd do a month's worth of shopping at a time. I am no where near that organized! And my family (husband especially) is picky. He is moody about food and I need to have a few options of what I can fix for dinner for him. If I get too pigeon holed into a particular meal for each night, we will end up spending extra cash eating out because he is not in the mood for what I had planned. If I can plan a way to have options for dinner then we will not go out because I will find something I can fix that he will eat! I imagine this is what it is like cooking for young children. Kids' taste buds are just getting used to all this food business. It is important to introduce new and exciting foods, but if they won't eat it, it is nice to have a back up plan.

So I make my menus as more of a list of possible dinners I can create. I do about 2 weeks worth and then throw in some extra ingredients like that horseshoe sausage or hotdogs that I can fix up easy when I am not making a full planned menu item.

I really enjoy doing this step! I love food. I love cooking. So for me to sit and go through recipe books and pick out meals I can make is a good time. If it isn't your thing, I highly suggest you take the time to get a repertoire of things you like to make and family likes to eat. A large grouping of things you know how to fix well. That way you can just pull from your own list of meals. I will sit with several cook books and magazines and search out all kinds of things! Woohoo, it's a party! ;)

Then you make your list from your menu. You can either add it to the running list on the fridge or add the things on the running list to your menu list. Whatever works, I do both. I also try to really organize my list by the area of the store I'll be in for groups of items. This way I am not hunting all over my list for each thing for every isle and then still back tracking as I realize something that I missed. Though, believe me, it still happens!

I have more to suggest about your grocery shopping, but I am going to make that into another post. For now just remember these things:

- Keep a running list of items you run out of that you keep on hand all the time.

- Make a menu that works for you, either strict and specific or a list of possible dinners.

- Make your list from your menu and your running list and organize it by your store layout.

Then stick to the list with forgiveness. We are all human and it is OK to stray if you see the need at the time. I like being able to tell my husband to go ahead and pick something out he wants from a certain group, cereals, frozen dinners for lunches, canned fruits, whatever. These are things you can budget for. And it'll help keep your family involved in the foods you eat and not just being served by you. Unless that's what you want! And that's fine too.