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MommyD
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 3:56pm | IP Logged
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One of my summer resolutions is to get better at grocery shopping. I take too long in the store, I ALWAYS forget something critical and end up running into the store later with the kids, I need to get better at bargain shopping and I want to start keeping our pantry stocked. I do most of my shopping at Wal-Mart (do they have store maps available anywhere?) and I have to go on Saturday morning while DH watches the kids.
I know I need to work on my menu planning. I tend to plan bigger and fancier meals then we eat. I saw this coupon organizer online and it appeals to me for some reason (I don't use enough coupons to justify purchasing the system).
So, any thoughts? I've thought about making a 'master list' of groceries to buy every week and then menu plan from that. I really think I need to write a list based on grocery aisles to save time. I want to slowly create a small stockpile of things such as laundry detergent, Cascade, shampoo, toilet paper, kleenex. What foods should I stock up on? I do have a large freezer but it is full of beef from my parents  so nothing frozen can be stocked up on now.
Anyone have any great ideas?
Melissa
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ann@home
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 5:08pm | IP Logged
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I used to do so much better before we moved but here's what I used to do.
We tried to have about the same supper menu for every 2 weeks.
Example for 1 week:
spaghetti, bread, salad
chicken, rice, rolls
hamburgers, carrots, jello
stir fry (meat, vegs)
meatball subs, corn
homemade mac/cheese, salad
fish, potatoes
We'd usually have frsh fruit offered for each meal.
The next week would have a different menu then we'd just repeat the cycle. We'd sometimes have pizza, go out, or do something different but this at least gave a balance and it was easy to stock the pantry with rice, pasta, sauces, etc.
Breakfast was usually cereal or eggs weekdays and pancakes and bacon on weekends.
Lunch was sandwiches, pasta, soup, or we were big on different variations of crackers/cheese, fresh fruit, and muffins. These things were also easy to stock up on.
We had an Aldi's store (small discount chain in midwest) that always got it's fresh fruit/vegs on Tuesdays so every Tuesday I'd get fresh fruit fruit/vegs, milk, bread, and any other staples I needed. It was a small store and I would be in/out in 10 min usually. I always got about the same things there so I didn't need a list.
Then I'd shop every 2 weeks at the bigger store and would use my list for what we needed. If there was a sale or coupons then I'd stock up on that item.
I do use the coupon organizer things and always clip on Sundays. I don't buy name brand for alot but always compare prices and usually save $5-$10 in coupons.
Not sure if there's many new ideas here but hope something helps.
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Ann, Full-time Mama of a 10yr old Lego master, 7yr old DIVA, 4yr old King of the Mountain and one more in June '09!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 5:16pm | IP Logged
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Melissa,
Here's how I organize shopping days.
1. Weekly menus - they're essential to not overspending for me.
2. I have a list of those items we are always using with brands listed. I subdivide this list by category like canned goods, frozen, etc. I do order the list according to the order I would come across it in the store. I used Word to make 3 columns on a page and then bulleted it. You can choose options in bulleting and make your bullet a little square box that you can check off when you go through your pantry stocks to make your list. Makes list making for grocery shopping easier.
3. I use the coupons from the Sunday paper to offset the cost of some items. I HATE couponing, I'm just terrible at keeping up with it. But, it does save substantial money. Over the years I've tried a number of ways to do it. This is what I've been doing for the last year, and it has been working much better, and I'm juggling less paper. It was so stressful in the store trying to keep up with list, coupons I have, coupons I was using, pen, and the kids. A recipe for disaster. I got a large size envelope and taped my list to the outside of it. In the envelope I include only the coupons for the items on my list - this keeps me from spending extra on something just because I have a coupon for it. Then I either hand off to dd, or stuff into a pocket the coupon if I actually am going to use it. I put a little "c" next to something on my list if I have a coupon for it.
I only shop one week at a time. I buy some things in bulk from local co-ops and that helps too. HTH. I'm looking forward to hearing from others so I can make some improvements too.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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nicole-amdg
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| Posted: June 06 2007 at 5:51pm | IP Logged
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I definitely think the shopping-aisle master list is a good way to go. I adapted Flylady's grocery list to my favorite store and the specific items that my family uses a lot of. (Here's a pantry list too.)
I made a coupon organizer similar to the one at Mrs. A's out of an old business card organizer, but I stopped using coupons when I realized I either didn't use them or spent more money with them than without them. I buy enough name brands now, though, that I would like to clip coupons specifically for those things. I bet a coupon organizer could be made with a three-ring binder, some Avery dividers, and some baseball card sleeves.
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lilac hill
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 8:04am | IP Logged
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In the past I had a shopping aisle master list.
It included everything I purchased in the grocery store. It had multiple columns with spaces between sections so I had room to write in extra stuff.
I made several copies of this and posted it on the inside of the pantry door. As I ran out of stuff I would circle the needed items.
Before shopping I would go through the coupons , put a "c" next to the circled item that I had a coupon for.
I would also check out the weekly store circular and put a "s" next to the sale items I wanted to stock up on.
For produce we have a farm market.
To make the list, my DD's did the writing on their notepads as I called out the stuff we bought in each aisle.
Saving it as a workd document helped when they reorganized the store.
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Viv
Wife to Rick (7/83), Mom to dd#1(6/87), dd#2(1/90), and dd#3(6/94) in central PA.
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 9:05am | IP Logged
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Melissa,
This is so timely. I was bereaving the cost of groceries after a shopping trip last night. A fellow hs mom and I bumped into each other down an aisle and stood their groaning about the price of everything.
So much for postive thinking.
It's getting ridiculous.
Can we share how to change our shopping habits?
Simpler diets. Simpler meals?
My dh told me last night that I need to go back to meal planning and frugal shopping. From the voice of authority, I need to roll up my sleeves and get busy frugaling...or I may have to get a "real" job. 
Dh is serious about starting a family truck farm which means I'll have to can and freeze, etc. more than just the hobby-style I've done in the past.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
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Willa
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 9:22am | IP Logged
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About "frugaling" (LOL)
Shawna has a
meal planning post on her blog.
One thing she mentioned was having two vegetarian meals per week. That would help with costs.
When we were really counting our cents, we didn't buy any convenience foods. Preparing from scratch helps keep down costs.
Also, we would stock up when there were sales. It helps to have a pantry space in your house. Staples like rice, potatoes, onions, flour, pasta, beans, canned tomatoes -- relatively non-perishable and you can put a meal together even if you don't have anything else.
Substitute seasonal, available vegetables for the ones that the recipes call for.... fun and interesting.
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Willa
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Rachel May
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 9:30am | IP Logged
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WJFR wrote:
One thing she mentioned was having two vegetarian meals per week. That would help with costs. |
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We usually only plan 2 meat meals a week. The other nights are beans, tofu, or just no protein at dinner. We do a lot of one dish veggie meals--like stir fry--with a side of a piece of fruit.
I second (third?) the bean suggestion. If you cook all the beans at one, you can freeze (if you have space) them in 2 cup containers in their juice which is the same as having a can on beans on hand.
Last thought, after you make your menu, don't forget to check the recipes for all the ingredients (spices too) and then check the cupboards and cross off what you don't need. Bill does that and we are rarely missing a key ingredient.
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 9:44am | IP Logged
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These are great suggestion, ladies. Thank you. I'm going to copy and but in my cooking binder.
We've cut down on eating out. I really admire those of you who say they "never" eat out. Gosh! I'm just now putting on my rock climbing shoes to start scaling that pedastal to try and reach you.
I'm afraid my children have learned some very bad eating habits due to our eating out. "Frugaliing" will be very tough on them.
I'm thinking a bag of skinless, boneless chicken breasts (dh insists on buying due to his colestoral) could be cut in half for two meals.
Monday: spaghetti with shredded chicken
Tuesday: Taco Soup
Wednesday: Chicken Dish
I believe I can handle the suppers. It's the lunches for two working guys and the snacking that that kids do that's killing us.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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MommyD
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 11:09am | IP Logged
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Cay Gibson wrote:
| the snacking that that kids do that's killing us. |
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I have to add my husband to the snacking catagory. Every weekend he gets annoyed with the lack of snacks in the house and buys a couple bags or Doritos or something else. Anyone have inexpensive snacks (to make or buy) that will keep the kids and DH happy? Nothing chocolate; it won't last more then an hour in my presence .
Melissa
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msclavel
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| Posted: June 07 2007 at 2:19pm | IP Logged
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Oy, the snacking!
I'm just so fed up (sheesh, there's an unintended pun) over what it costs to feed our family! I think I'm a but unrealistic about what I *think* it should cost. After all there are 9 of us. Still, I'm always beating myself up and trying to spend WAY less. Not very successful so far.
Part of my difficulty is despite what he believes, dh can be very picky. So I get canned salmon on sale for salmon cakes, the kids LOVE them and he sits furiously through dinner because unknown to me this triggers some kind of terrible childhood memory of his mother's cooking.
Well, my plan right now is intense menu planning and sticking to the plan NO MATTER WHAT. Shopping just once a week (so hard). Cutting down portion sizes. This one comes after rethinking all our eating habits and realizing that one of the biggest problems in maintaining healthy weight is portion sizes have become huge. In our house that means that 1 boneless skinless chicken breast can really feed two people. There again though, the cheapest buy are whole chickens which I just love and so easy to roast one night and use for a few days, but dh complains about "the smell of the chicken cooking on the bone, and the chicken tastes different."
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Topic: ISO tips for organized grocery shopping
