Shopping for the month instead of by the week.

Comments: 17

Ang, wandering aimlessly, G. Nov 23, 2008, 5:48pm EST

I wish I could help you out but I'm horrible at meal planning. I'm doing good if I can go to the grocery store and shop for a week at a time. I hope someone is able to help you though.

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Larry H. Nov 23, 2008, 5:52pm EST

We shop kinda by the week or when ever we need something

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Betty W. Nov 23, 2008, 5:58pm EST

I do the majority of my shopping once a month. And coupons are the greatest. I get the things that are staples (canned stuff, flour, corn meal, that kind of stuff, and cleaners). I usually go on a Monday, that way I have the Sunday sales flyer and lay out my grocery list on Sunday evening with my coupons. I put a C beside the item if I have a coupon and put the ones I know I will use in a ziplock bag. I do have to stop each week and get milk, bread, eggs, ice cream, fruits, snack cakes and some meat. I would just go once a month, but I like fresh bread and my son, mother inlaw, and brother inlaw (which we won't go into) eat everything that isn't nailed down. Thankfully my son is in training and on a protein diet and he doesn't eat the junk food, but we go through a bag of apples a week and a jug of milk every 2 days. That being said, my mother inlaw and brother inlaw inhale the snack cakes and junk food. I do have a meal plan and I stick to it for the most part. Sometimes I move things around during the week depending on how much prep time I need.

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Tricia C. Nov 23, 2008, 6:04pm EST

Maybe you should stop buying the cakes for them.. or lock them up...lol. make them buy them.. Have a donation jar for each snack eaten that is not healthy...lol

i will be getting wic as needed.. so yea milk is a weekly thing at least.. we can go through 2 gallons a week with 4 us in the house.. 3 of them kids... my kids have learned that once the snacks are gone.. they are gone for a long time... at leas a couple of weeks.. but now that its a month.. we will really have to be disciplined to not eat it all up at once.. but the kids and i never really had that problem.. it was my ex.. he could eat all snacks and not let kids even have a chance... it was horrible...

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Betty W. Nov 23, 2008, 6:09pm EST

Another thing that I like to do is keep a list on the fridge and when I'm cooking put the item on the list if I run out of it. My weekly mean plans stay pretty much the same, but sometimes we just fix hotdogs and wing it. I have a pretty set meal plan for the week, but stuff happens with alzheimers and teenagers. Find 6 recipes you really like, that you know everyone will eat some of, then pick 6 more for a change. Side dishes are easy, and once you get the hang of it your main dish will be a breeze too. Casseroles are a great change, crock pot meals are great for busy days, and one dish meals (like spagetti) are great. Some recipes allow you to fix ahead of time and freeze for later (lasagna, and some casseroles). When I worked full time freezer dinners were a life saver, now that I'm a fulltime caregiver and work 2 part time jobs and run after a teenager they still come in very handy. Good luck.

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Betty W. Nov 23, 2008, 6:14pm EST

My boys never got hooked on the junk food, we always ate healthy. My husband would rather have apples and fruit, or carrots and cucumbers, but my mother inlaw goes with something all the time. Thankfully she pays for half the groceries, and I make sure she eats a healthy breakfast, leave her healthy choice soup for lunch when I work, and a healthy dinner. But she'll eat all day long too. Snack stuff, sometimes healthy like fruit. Before I got remarried and my boys were small, WIC was a life saver!

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Tricia C. Nov 23, 2008, 6:18pm EST

Thanks for your ideas.. I will keep them all in mind.. and yea there are gonna be some things that will be on the list monthly.. just need to figure out how much of what i do need.. i will need...lol

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Janet "Jax" B. Nov 23, 2008, 6:24pm EST

I don't know...I shop about once a week or once every two weeks.....

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rainne chandler Nov 23, 2008, 6:31pm EST

we do are shopping once a month and always have yes it takes time to plan but it is easier for me i dont really have a menu in stone but kinda in my head and try to at least get 35 meals at a time just in case we live in michigan and you never know when a we will have a strom will stop us from going out again we eat alot of ground turkey and chicken and not alot of beef my man has type 2 and we limit are starches to i can alot of are vegies with no salt added and make alot of home made things to round out are meals and to keep his sugars down so i wish you alot of luck when you get to the shopping you will be ok

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Megan R. Nov 23, 2008, 6:40pm EST

Wow, I could never be that organized!
I wish you luck.

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Tricia C. Nov 23, 2008, 6:51pm EST

thanks megan and Rainne.. I am in michigan too.

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Ginny Miller Nov 23, 2008, 6:56pm EST

Trish,
I do most of our shopping for household goods in bulk but budget for them monthly so that when I have to buy them the money is there because it wasn't used before. What I have found with coupons is that I buy stuff I don't need/ won't use but hey I got a good deal on it.. One thing to consider I don't know where you do a majority of your shopping but the stores off the beaten path ie Save A Lot etc may really help in stretching the food dollar. You have to decide if there are some brands that you absolutely must have and if there are others that you are willing to compromise on. I try to do the can goods and dry goods once monthly or so but the meats is more often because I am a "bargain shopper" and will buy what is on sale and save it for whatever occasion I had in mind when I bought it. For example James is a steak eater and when I can get them reduced significantly I will stick them in the freezer and voila I have a nice steak dinner at a reduced rate.... I hope this helps some ... Have a great day !!!! ~HUGS~ Ginny

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Karen M. Nov 23, 2008, 7:04pm EST

We shop twice a week!

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Tricia C. Nov 23, 2008, 7:15pm EST

thanks ginny.

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Kim B. Nov 23, 2008, 8:24pm EST

sorry, i can barely make it through the week by myself! good luck

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Ginny Miller Nov 23, 2008, 11:26pm EST

Due to location do you do a lot of shopping at Walmart? I know that they can be quite comparable. However, you still want to watch for sales etc etc and if you are into bulk then Sam's Club might be something to consider. I wish we had one here however I do like our Costco... Anyways I hope that you get some ideas I was also thinking that planning meals ahead like one big day of cooking and maybe make enough for a few other meals and then stick it in the freezer if you have room. I personally think I have more cupboard room then freezer but it seems a good logic . You may have to actually set down and write out a menu of what you think you want a weeks worth at least and don't forget to add in anything special during that month. You might take a weeks worth and then times it by 4-5 or maybe make a few substitions for special events. I hope this helps.

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Carol V. Nov 24, 2008, 12:35am EST

There is no way I'd be able to shop once a month. People here have some great ideas. I do make a list of things as we run out of them and try to get that in one trip.

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Shopping for the month instead of by the week.

Comments: 17

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