Meal planning/Grocery shopping

How do you do it? I have been planning a weekly menu and doing my grocery shopping on Monday mornings. It's worked well but I'm still spending more of my monthly budget on groceries than I'd like...so I switched things up a bit. This Monday I planned a menu and did my grocery shopping for an entire month. I'm hoping that the fewer trips to the grocery store the less I will spend
I'm planning on my husband picking up a gallon of milk on the way home from work when we need it and getting all my produce at a local food co-op (bountifulbaskets.org If you live in an area where you could get a bountiful basket you should...I LOVE it!)bountifulbaskets.org

So how do you do your menu planning/groc shopping. I'd love to hear your suggestions

I really don't do menu planning (I know I should but I have to wait & see what I'm in the mood to eat, what the weather is like, etc.) I'm really impressed, Becki, that you're so organized. I have been thinking about trying one new recipe per week to mix it up a bit. I'm REALLY BORED with our usual fare. The ironic thing is that I collect cookbooks but don't refer to them enough.


Your co-op sounds great, I'm not sure if we have anything like that here during the winter months.

I'm with Sherry.....I am not organized when it comes to meal planning. I just go shopping and buy groceries, then come home and make it all work. I know the staples that I need and buy all the time so I just go with that. If I want to try something new, then I'll make a trip to get what I need. Not the most organized way to shop, I know.....Now ask me about scrapbook shopping....

Sherry C wrote:

I really don't do menu planning (I know I should but I have to wait & see what I'm in the mood to eat, what the weather is like, etc.) I'm really impressed, Becki, that you're so organized. I have been thinking about trying one new recipe per week to mix it up a bit. I'm REALLY BORED with our usual fare. The ironic thing is that I collect cookbooks but don't refer to them enough.


Your co-op sounds great, I'm not sure if we have anything like that here during the winter months.

LOL, I'm not sure that I'm organized. I just made a list of 30 meals (I only cook in the evening. Cereal for breakfast and sack lunches or left-overs for lunches). I don't plan what I'm going to fix each day for weeks in advance I just have the list of meals so that I know what meals I have all the ingredients for...does that make sense?
Collecting cookbooks...how fun! I love to read cookbooks, I don't have a lot of them but I do check them out from the library all the time!

I know.....Now ask me about scrapbook shopping....

This made me laugh, Sheri! You're right; SB shopping is a totally different beast!

Becki, You ARE organized if you have 30 meals listed. I don't even have 30 meals in my repertoire (well, maybe if I count take out & restaurant meals!) lol I love your concept. You've just inspired me to go crack my dusty cookbooks open! Thanks.

Sherry C wrote:

I don't even have 30 meals in my repertoire (well, maybe if I count take out & restaurant meals!) lol I love your concept. You've just inspired me to go crack my dusty cookbooks open! Thanks.

LOL, I don't think I do either! Maybe we should start a recipe sharing thread here on the site so we can share some recipes! I know my family would probably appreciate it!

Sheri Twing wrote:

Sherry C wrote:

I don't even have 30 meals in my repertoire (well, maybe if I count take out & restaurant meals!) lol I love your concept. You've just inspired me to go crack my dusty cookbooks open! Thanks.

LOL, I don't think I do either! Maybe we should start a recipe sharing thread here on the site so we can share some recipes! I know my family would probably appreciate it!

There is one on the weight loss forum but I think it would be nice to have one on the main board too.
Just a place to share fabulous recipes regardless of the calories! lol We can ask Norma.

A recipe thread would be fun! I have a delicious Sesame Chicken recipe that I made for dinner tonight

Sherry C wrote:

I know.....Now ask me about scrapbook shopping....

This made me laugh, Sheri! You're right; SB shopping is a totally different beast!

Becki, You ARE organized if you have 30 meals listed. I don't even have 30 meals in my repertoire (well, maybe if I count take out & restaurant meals!) lol I love your concept. You've just inspired me to go crack my dusty cookbooks open! Thanks.

Hey, I'm a scrapbook shopping-a-holic....lets just say that's where I should be focusing on budgeting LOL

I'm glad I inspired you Let me know if you find any good recipes, I may start my list for next month
BTW...I did duplicate a few favorite recipes. I don't have 30 different recipes in my repertoire either

We buy meats when they are on sale and then just get the fresh stuff as needed. I can't shop that far ahead or stuff goes back before it's gone.

Oh, Becki, I want to be like you! I wish I could be that organized, but I fail miserably! I've been struck dumb lately when it comes to making meals. Sometimes I feel like I work so hard at it and all the kids do is pick at it. I would love some fresh ideas, I'm in such a rut!

I make a good sized grocery run every couple weeks but still end up at the store for at least once, sometimes twice, for groceries.

I would love a recipe forum and add me to the list of recipe book collectors, dusty ones!

I'd love to see a sample of the dinners you have planned. I suppose once you have a concrete list, you could use it over and over again and just switch it up every once and awhile. I'll have to noodle over this and start a list of my own.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Put me in the club with the rest of you ladies! I am NOT organized on my meal planning except I know that each week it's tacos, chicken and rice, cereal and then winging it. LOL

so pitiful. I know I spend more on groceries than whats necessary. I'm definitely going to have to find a system and a budget.

we kinda fly by the seat too. we do shopping - our meat and some stuff at sam's, mostly publix and somedays (because i wanna ride my bike to the store more than anything else) i just buy stuff for a supper then. also every couple of days i need to stock up on salad stuff. i eat a salad everyday. soooo.....and mostly dh does the cooking, all that's necessary is to get it out in the a.m. to thaw. (snort) however neither one of really do mornings so................

I am with the rest of you, I only plan out the week meals on Monday and that usually doesn't stick. I end up making what I am in the mood for than what I planned.

This Winter I have cut a big chunk out of my grocery spending. First off I don't shop at Walmart for groceries. I only go once a month for staple stuff that I need and I shop with a list. I have also started spreading my meals out, like Chili, we eat it one night then another night I use it to make chili pies or Chili dogs. I also have one night that we do can soup and grilled cheese or salads and sandwichs. We also do Pizza on Monday becuse they are 5.00 dolors at Pizza Hut or Wings on Wednesday for 20 cents a peice. I could not cook a meal for this price! My meat I have started buying in bulk what is on sale and freezing it. Like this week ground beef was on sale so I bought three instead of one.

Not shopping for groceries at walmart...Amen!!! That was the first thing I did when trimming my grocery budget. I've found that even the smaller "hometown" grocery stores are often cheaper and MUCH better quality!