Today I thought I would share some meal planning and grocery shopping tips that work for me. I know that since the Covid 19 pandemic began, I’ve certainly been cooking a LOT more. "Remember that time is money", another quote from Benjamin Franklin, the old adage still rings true. Ready to get some tips on saving both? Here’s how I do it….
I keep a notepad in my kitchen to jot down items I’m running low on, as I’m sure most do, but I place the item on the pad in order of the layout of the store. For example, the two stores that I frequent have produce leading into deli and meat items so I keep those at the top of my list with frozen at the bottom and I add additional items roughly in the isle layout. I keep a list for HEB and a list for Whole Foods, I shop at HEB around every 5 days and Whole Foods once a week. Because we’re a small family without a ton of storage, I’m not a big Costco shopper, although I love Costco!
I don’t LOVE grocery shopping, so I rarely browse or deviate from what I have on my list. The point is efficiency here, right? I typically meal plan late Saturday, noting what I have on hand, and which meals have the most perishable items. I’ll make those meals on Sunday and Monday nights, and so on. A little advance planning saves time during the week, I know what I’ll be cooking so there are no unnecessary grocery runs. There are definitely nights when I’m tired or uninspired - hello Door Dash or frozen pizza!
This is certainly not groundbreaking but it definitely saves me time and money, a win-win. I hope that some of you may find a takeaway that can work for you and your family! Are you a meal planner? How do you manage your shopping list?