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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 21, 2023 20:53:33 GMT
I went on Twitter today and I saw this tweet retweeting this other tweet. I will post both below... From what I can tell of the tweeters, the quoted tweet poster is big into urban living and lives in NYC. The retweeter is mens fashion guy who also supports urban living. Now Jeremy and I have been discussing our shopping habits for a very long time. Only recently have we been incorporating discussions regarding changes to our plans due to our potential plan to sell our suburban home and move to the city center. I don't mind smaller markets. I don't mind smaller grocery runs. But I have anxiety in the superstores. Jeremy's preference is Meijer and I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack every time I step foot in there. I have time to cook and often am in a pretty decent cooking mood and then I will make something time consuming (maybe even many ingredients) but I hate planning. Especially when I have to do it a week out. I can see the food waste as I have it here too. And Lord really knows I should do something with that bottle of gravy that's been sitting on my downstairs shelves since 2001 (kidding, but pantry items go there to die). And also sometimes I just flat out am not in the mood to cook and then the asparagus planned for Thursday night gets pushed out to Saturday and suddenly it's rotten. So I've been dealing with all these confounding factors trying to find a way forward with groceries/cooking that minimizes waste. The waste bothers me far more than the cost. And the grocery store anxiety kicks my ass (mostly Jeremy shops). And my executive functioning about long range meal planning isn't good, especially considering that I need a wide variety of food to satisfy my craving for novelty. I proposed an experiment to Jeremy today, something that might help us minimize waste and maximize my mood and brain power. I'll share down the thread as we go. I'm not necessarily looking for solutions to my issues (though I am open to feedback) but moreso, what's your process in relation to meal planning/shopping/cooking. And are you concerned with waste, either food waste or money waste?   |
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Post by dewryce on Nov 21, 2023 21:20:43 GMT
I’m a planner, so my preference is to plan, order and shop for one week. When we don’t plan is when we end up having crap for dinner because we didn’t take out the protein to thaw or don’t want to make the decision what to fix. I’m concerned with both food and money waste. But if, at the end of the week you look and see what didn’t get used for whatever reason and plan meals for the beginning of the next week with those foods you can avoid having to throw much away. I’ve also seen where people keep items that need to be used ASAP in a bin in the fridge or pantry.
For several years now we’ve been revamping the food we eat, our meal planning, recipes storage, everything. One of my goals from the beginning was to have about 6 weeks worth of well balanced menus and their associated shopping lists ready to go. Then make substitutions when we felt like it. Since then I’ve decided that’s not the best plan for us since I do like to get produce when it’s on sale, and things just change so much. Instead what I do is use the list function on our grocery store’s website. I have lists for things like breakfast, lunch and snacks, household items because those don’t change much for us. Easy to add what we need to the cart. Other than those the lists I use the most frequently are for specific meals. It makes placing the order super quick. When I can’t or don’t feel like taking the time to meal plan it’s super easy to select a however many meals and add all to cart. When I’m doing well we can quickly check to see if maybe we have some of those items, but if no there is no thinking involved for me whatsoever.
That amount of wasted food seems like a LOT. Meal planning helps us avoid most of it.
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Post by wordyphotogbabe on Nov 21, 2023 21:44:15 GMT
This is the #1 issue/stress in my marriage, funnily enough. My husband eats very different food than my kids and I do, has some minor GI issues, and since losing much of his sense of taste after a surgery 3 years ago, doesn't find most food flavorful or tasty. However, he used to be a chef so he enjoys the process and prefers to make things from scratch and take his time while he does it. I, on the other hand, cook things that usually start with or involve mixes/packages/cans, prefer specific tastes and textures, and don't want to make dinner for longer than an hour.  Neither of us enjoys meal planning but it makes the most sense if I do it. I don't usually plan a week at a time but more like 3-4 days at a time depending on whether we'll have the kids or not. The hardest part for me, actually, is feeling badly that I'm planning meals that I know he doesn't care for but he doesn't mind and supplements with his preferred sides/snacks/small meals as needed. He does most of the grocery shopping and all of the cooking on the weekends when he has more time to really cook or bake. The weeknights flip back & forth between us depending on what's going on. I will do the grocery runs in and around the holidays as the crowds don't bother me. We have two small grocery runs a week with a supplemental run to Dollar General (only by him -- it's not my favorite store by far) here & there. We also go to Trader Joe's once every 4-6 weeks as that is where he buys most of his "safe" foods. Eating out is an even bigger struggle than eating at home so we don't eat out often unless he is picking me up a sandwich while he's out running errands. I would say we throw away leftovers every week -- partly because we have 5 nights in a row every other week where we don't have the kids, partly because my husband doesn't like leftovers and I'm on Ozempic, and partly because my husband loves to make things ahead of time "just in case" and I like them much better fresh/just cooked. |
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Post by Linda on Nov 21, 2023 21:46:11 GMT
I'm also a planner BUT need flexibility
I plan 7 dinners each week but while they are nominally assigned to days...that's not carved in stone and I'll move them around as needed - I have a time-consuming meal planned and it's not a good day for that - I'll switch it out for something quicker. I also always have the makings for several super quick meals on hand - Barber stuffed chicken breasts, hot dogs/baked beans, tomato soup...stuff like that which can be subbed in.
My biggest challenge is I'm only cooking for 3 people not 6 and we're eating smaller portions and I'm having to adapt to that
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Post by ~summer~ on Nov 21, 2023 22:08:10 GMT
I live in an urban environment now - walking distance to all the stores.
I agree with the second post - I rarely do large trips.
I’m not too concerned with waste honestly.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 21, 2023 22:11:26 GMT
dewryce your system sounds good. But I'm nervous it's above my ability to think. Lol! How do you account for the times when you don't have the energy to cook according to plan?
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Post by leannec on Nov 21, 2023 22:16:17 GMT
My situation is different ... I am single and I love grocery shopping ... I'm also not a planner AT ALL! The closest thing to planning I do is choose my three meals per week from Hello Fresh ... I don't know which recipe will be on which day of the week though ... I supplement that delivery with at least three visits to my fav grocery store (a 10 minute drive away) per week. I need to buy drinks, fruit and snacks ... oh, and ice ... don't get me started about the fact that I buy ice.  I don't have a lot of food waste when my mum eats with me because she takes the leftovers ... now that she is in a retirement residence things have changed ... she still eats with me a couple of times a week but doesn't take the leftovers ... so there is waste. |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 21, 2023 22:17:40 GMT
Linda I am definitely not good at planning out easy meals. I have a tendency to go all out or do nothing and insist on takeout. That really should be something I think about more often.
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anaterra
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Post by anaterra on Nov 21, 2023 22:39:55 GMT
We used to have a whole lot of people living with us... i worked night shift so when i got off id stop and get what we were having for the day... write it on the fridge and somebody would make it...
I found if i shopped for the week ALL the protein would be cooked 1st or 2nd day and we would have nothing left... i would have to shop again... it was a lot of money... so day by day was easiest...
Now it is just me n dh and we live way rural... i shop for 4 days... basically 2 meals... and then 2 more the next 4 days... its easier to keep waste down if i only have 2 things to make...
Its also easier to plan... because i do kinda like a protein by days... so 1st is beef and chicken... then pork and ground turkey... then beef and chicken... thrn i just have to figure out what beef n chicken i want for this rotation...
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Post by kristalina on Nov 21, 2023 22:42:03 GMT
Kids living at home - sports practice 3 nights/week, two different kids/sports. Full time work for both myself and husband: I had 6 weekly menus. I purchased and prepped the food for the week on Sundays and could move the meals around when I felt like it: I had 3 big meals where I used the left overs for a different meal the next day like this: Sunday tri-tip, Monday French Dips, Tues roast chicken, wed chicken soup or tacos, Thurs fried fish, Friday fish tacos, etc Every time I made a rice dish I'd make double/triple and package to pull out as needed. I allowed one night for take-out or eat-out. I absolutely loved knowing what the heck I was doing and because of our schedule, I needed it. Now with no kids - I'm sick of cooking. I buy meat on sale and eat out of our freezer for meat, on weekends I shop for veggies and will usually still do the two nights/one entree thing with a different veg and salad each night. I still work full time and now have a side/business that takes up weekends but having the kids gone relieves my need to always have dinners ready. i'm pretty good at getting home from work at 6:00 and pulling dinner together by 6:30. We also eat a lot of Trader Joes frozen sides and dishes now.  |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 21, 2023 22:58:53 GMT
anaterra are you a meat, veggie, starch all separate kind of cook?
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Post by epeanymous on Nov 21, 2023 23:01:13 GMT
When I lived half-time by myself a few years ago, that post was exactly right. I didn't have a car, so I shopped at close, small markets frequently. I didn't waste--I was by myself and always knew exactly what I had.
In my normal house with my family, we shop for about three dinners at a time, so we're at the grocery about twice a week; I also pass through the store on the way out of my gym every morning, so fill in things we're out of or pick up a chicken to roast if we need dinner and don't have any.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 21, 2023 23:18:44 GMT
I am a planner. I love to plan.
When I sit down to make the meal plans for the week, I look at the upcoming week and see if there are any days where I will need an easy dinner or would like to have left overs.
I then write out a week's worth if meals.
From there I write the grocery list based on each day. I also include breakfast and lunch.
After that, I go through my pantry and freezer and mark off items I have or write in items needed. This also includes spices/herbs.
Then I write my grocery list in order of the store.
I always have easy meals on hand for the nights where I am just not feeling it or something comes up.
If there is produce left, I make sure to turn that into a meal. Winter that usually means soup or stir fry all year.
I love to prep for the week and it helps me when lunch and dinner hit. I don't feel overwhelmed by having to prep and cook.
This has really helped with food waste. And saving money.
Oh and certain produce will go into a freezer bag that I label stock. Once full, I will make vegetable stock. This also cuts down on food waste.
I also save ends of produce, skins of onions, tops of leeks.
I like to watch a few YouTubers who meal prep and talk about waste to help me.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 21, 2023 23:20:35 GMT
I think growing up and watching my mom and grandma do this helped me. It was what made sense and I loved to go to the store with them.
I am also okay with changing from the meal plan and going to the store to get ingredients for X because I will roll A to next week.
It became a learned habit to do that.
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 21, 2023 23:21:20 GMT
I also go to the store super early. I like the calmness and enjoy space. I hate to grocery shop when it is busy.
I try for 7am.
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Post by jenna on Nov 21, 2023 23:30:42 GMT
The thought of going to the store every day to get something for dinner is WILD to me.
Growing up in a house where my parents hated getting in the car for literally anything so I felt like a burden wanting to go somewhere turned me into a "one day a week I do errands and if it doesn't get done that day it'll wait" sort of person. I hate it. It's one of the things I'm looking to change in the upcoming year. My ex was the 'I'll run to the store to get that one thing you want for dinner even though we have other things to make' kind of person and it made me feel guilty all the time because I felt it was a waste.
I plan if there's something I've been really craving -- like oh I want spaghetti or lasagna so I know I'll need to make sauce if there's none in the freezer.. that kind of thing. But otherwise I get some veggies when I grocery shop and figure it out as the week goes along. I freeze, I can, and as much as I hate leftovers I do put effort into finishing things in my fridge prior to them going bad.
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psiluvu
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Post by psiluvu on Nov 21, 2023 23:48:28 GMT
When my kids were younger they both played competitive hockey and various other sports. I needed to meal plan so that we didn't eat out or eat crap too often. Now there is only Dh, I and 20 yr old ds home I still plan.
I get the flyers on Friday and decide from what is on sale or what is in our freezer what the menu is going to be. We have 4 grocery stores within a mile of our house so depending on what is on sale we can go to all 4 on a Saturday morning. I plan Saturday to Thursday and Friday is leftovers or take out. Once I know what I am having every day I very seldom change my mind, I just don't think about it again from the time it is on the list until time to make it
I will need to go to the grocery store once mid week for more milk and fruit, but for me a menu plan and one big grocery shop makes life much easier.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 21, 2023 23:49:11 GMT
pantsonfire when I shop I usually go the big indoor farmers market. And I get there right when they open at 7 too. I am not a very good planner. For a while there I was great at it because we had no money. So I need to stretch every dollar. But when Chloe started working in 2016, I got out of the habit of cooking a big dinner meal. The anxiety developed too. Our finances have grown. Just so different. My mom just kind of stopped on her way home from work. I don't remember her planning. Did you have that kind of relationship with your mom where she kind of taught you stuff like this?
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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 21, 2023 23:53:36 GMT
I live in an urban environment now - walking distance to all the stores. I agree with the second post - I rarely do large trips. I’m not too concerned with waste honestly. Is it easier on your brain? To only focus on the day in front of you? |
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Post by Merge on Nov 22, 2023 0:12:41 GMT
I'm a planner and once a week shopper and have been all my married life. I don't enjoy the grocery store so much that I want to be there several times a week. In the early years of our marriage we had a very tight budget, so my menus were planned down to the penny and there was little/no waste.
These days, to account for nights that may not go as planned, I tend to plan only 4-5 meals per week. One or two will be more intensive effort and the rest will be easy things like tacos or omelets. I assume that the other 2-3 nights we will either order in, go out, or eat leftovers. The more intensive meals I usually make on Sunday and Monday nights, and I plan them to be leftover friendly so I have easy school lunches.
To reduce waste and save money, when I make a menu for the week I always go through fridge, freezer, and pantry first to see what we have and what needs to be used more quickly.
I like the theory of shopping daily for that night's meals, European-style, but I think I'm too set in my ways to change now. Plus more time in the store means more opportunities for impulse purchasing, which is bad for both my bank account and my waistline!
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pantsonfire
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Post by pantsonfire on Nov 22, 2023 0:13:46 GMT
pantsonfire when I shop I usually go the big indoor farmers market. And I get there right when they open at 7 too. I am not a very good planner. For a while there I was great at it because we had no money. So I need to stretch every dollar. But when Chloe started working in 2016, I got out of the habit of cooking a big dinner meal. The anxiety developed too. Our finances have grown. Just so different. My mom just kind of stopped on her way home from work. I don't remember her planning. Did you have that kind of relationship with your mom where she kind of taught you stuff like this? It was more of me being interested in it. I loved to help my mom out in the kitchen and with errands so it was just a natural thing to me. I payed attention to family recipes, asked her to show me how to do xyz, asked to cook or bake. I enjoyed being in the kitchen from an early age as well as watching cooking shows (I remember being in elementary school and watching Julia Child on PBS then Food Network on satellite when it became a thing). I was in high school and college when I watched Emril and begged my mom to get a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (she gifted me one as a wedding gift). My grandma always included me in kitchen stuff as well. I spent summers there during the day because my mom worked and school districts were year around so even in high school I was over there. We'd make pizza and cookies and dinners. Even during the holidays I helped out. The kitchen was the place to be for me. I'd rather be there than talking with everyone, even as a kid. My grandma gardened and I helped there too. Grandpa and I would walk to the store (block away, local chain store), and get stuff to make lunch and grab some candy. For me having the plan helps my anxietyanxiety. Knowing what I need to defrost and prep helps with executive functioning as I have things set in place and it helps me get going. |
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Post by Merge on Nov 22, 2023 0:15:30 GMT
pantsonfire when I shop I usually go the big indoor farmers market. And I get there right when they open at 7 too. I am not a very good planner. For a while there I was great at it because we had no money. So I need to stretch every dollar. But when Chloe started working in 2016, I got out of the habit of cooking a big dinner meal. The anxiety developed too. Our finances have grown. Just so different. My mom just kind of stopped on her way home from work. I don't remember her planning. Did you have that kind of relationship with your mom where she kind of taught you stuff like this? It was more of me being interested in it. I loved to help my mom out in the kitchen and with errands so it was just a natural thing to me. I payed attention to family recipes, asked her to show me how to do xyz, asked to cook or bake. I enjoyed being in the kitchen from an early age as well as watching cooking shows (I remember being in elementary school and watching Julia Child on PBS then Food Network on satellite when it became a thing). I was in high school and college when I watched Emril and begged my mom to get a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer (she gifted me one as a wedding gift). My grandma always included me in kitchen stuff as well. I spent summers there during the day because my mom worked and school districts were year around so even in high school I was over there. We'd make pizza and cookies and dinners. Even during the holidays I helped out. The kitchen was the place to be for me. I'd rather be there than talking with everyone, even as a kid. My grandma gardened and I helped there too. Grandpa and I would walk to the store (block away, local chain store), and get stuff to make lunch and grab some candy. For me having the plan helps my anxietyanxiety. Knowing what I need to defrost and prep helps with executive functioning as I have things set in place and it helps me get going. Agree about planning helping with anxiety. If I already know what's for dinner tonight and that I have all the ingredients for it, that's one less thing to worry about. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Nov 22, 2023 0:41:21 GMT
I live in an urban environment now - walking distance to all the stores. I agree with the second post - I rarely do large trips. I’m not too concerned with waste honestly. Is it easier on your brain? To only focus on the day in front of you? much easier |
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Post by katlady on Nov 22, 2023 0:41:23 GMT
I am a planner but not with meals. I used to be when the boys were young. We pretty much only did grocery shopping on the weekends because the weekdays were too busy. So I had to do some planning then.
Now, with just SO and I at home, we go to the local grocery maybe 2-3 times a week. I’ll buy enough meat to make a dish that will last for two days. On the third day, we either go out to eat or go back to the grocery store. And then the cycle repeats. We eat dinner out about 2X a week, some times 3. We have so many grocery stores within a 5-mile radius of our home. I usually get meat and produce from a smaller local store, not a big chain. I go to a big chain store maybe once a week for staples. I don’t mind grocery shopping.
Most of our meals, maybe 75%, are some variation of a stir-fry. Simple and fast, especially on weekdays. When I have more time (weekends, days off from work) I’ll cook a roast, or make meatloaf, chili, stew, or lasagna, etc.
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Post by dewryce on Nov 22, 2023 0:43:01 GMT
dewryce your system sounds good. But I'm nervous it's above my ability to think. Lol! How do you account for the times when you don't have the energy to cook according to plan? I’m not our cook so that isn’t an issue. And we just plan for the week, not day by day, and we normally have 2 proteins thawed so there are options. We also almost always have what we need for a grilled chicken spinach salad, and we also have an assortment of meals we’ve frozen that we can pop in the oven. If all else fails and we eat out then that’s one less meal I need to plan for the next week. |
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Post by dewryce on Nov 22, 2023 0:55:12 GMT
Linda I am definitely not good at planning out easy meals. I have a tendency to go all out or do nothing and insist on takeout. That really should be something I think about more often. Have you considered only planning for 2 or 3 time intensive meals per week? And then some really easy ones for those days you would otherwise do takeout? Maybe make it a goal to find great new recipes for simple, less time consuming meals. Try one or two a week until you have a great selection. Do you have any you can make ahead and freeze? We have some meals where we always make 4-6 meals worth at a time. It barely takes any longer and you save prep and clean-up all those other nights. We do the same with some meat mixtures, or burgers, pretty much anything that could help us in the future. Even buy some premade frozen foods if you like them, probably better for you and definitely less expensive than takeout. Basically, plan for you to have however many bad days a week it typically ends up being. |
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Post by lisae on Nov 22, 2023 1:02:12 GMT
I wonder if the situation with urban living isn't so much about having easy access to groceries but rather not having enough storage space for food. During the pandemic, I had the most food in the house I've ever had because I set up an extra pantry area in my dining room to stock up on things as they were available. Normally, all the non refrigerated food fits on about 3 pantry shelves and one other cabinet plus my baking supplies. So those items are seldom wasted. I do have a chest freezer and thanks to the Foodsaver, I don't lose much meat and always eat the fruit I've put up in the summer.
Fresh vegetables are another matter and a concern. I'm better than I used to be but I could still work on it. I've already told DH that Friday is 'eat out of the refrigerator day.' Even though I'm not doing a big Thanksgiving lunch, there will be some leftovers as well as leftovers from tomorrow's lunch. The bonus is I get a no cook day which is nice once in awhile.
I do not throw out 1/3 of my food. DH is very conscious about not being wasteful. He can go overboard on this and eat something he really doesn't like just to keep from wasting it - that awful box of chocolates he bought last week at Aldi comes to mind. I didn't think you could get bad chocolate there but he did.
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hannahruth
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Post by hannahruth on Nov 22, 2023 1:16:25 GMT
I live in an urban environment now - walking distance to all the stores. I agree with the second post - I rarely do large trips. I’m not too concerned with waste honestly. Just DH and I at home now and he is not a fussy eater at all. I shop most days and rarely do a ‘big’ shop. I find it much easier. |
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snyder
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Post by snyder on Nov 22, 2023 1:19:19 GMT
My dad was a stickler on waste when we were growing up and so when I toss something, I cringe thinking dad will kill me. lol So I do try to miniminze waste.
My method probably isn't the greatest, but I also detest grocery shopping. I do pickup at two different stores. Occasionally, I will have my son pick me up something if I forgot an item or change menus and needed something in addition.
I do a vague meal plan for 10 days, so 5 meals, 2-3 Leftovers days and 2-3 Take Out meals for that period.
Once I have the groceries, the meals that require a fair amount of fresh produce get cooked first. Things like soup and sandwiches are later in the time frame. I buy the live butter lettuce, so it stays fresh longer and works for sandwiches. I also will buy shredded lettuce for tacos, so that would be something that I would fix early in the time frame like day 2-3. In the later days, we still have veggies, but usually frozen if all the fresh is gone or wilted too bad.
Sometimes if there is fresh produce that looks like we are not going to get too it soon, I will toss in the freezer and use later in soups.
Produce was our biggest waste item, with bread 2nd. We don't use a lot of bread. I now divide a loaf up in 3 packages or buns in 2 packages and put the extra in the freezer. Both these processes have helped save a lot of waste in our house.
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Post by roundtwo on Nov 22, 2023 1:46:42 GMT
Back in the dark ages when I was a stay at home mom with three small kids, I went grocery shopping each day. Sounds weird to lug three kids shopping but I enjoyed the walk with the kids and invariably a friend or two would join us. We lived on base and it was about 3 or 4 kms to the Canex (Canadian version of the base exchange or whatever it is called in the US) so we had some fresh air and a bit of a social time. We had very little food waste, partially because we had very little extra money so I had to be very careful with the budget and partially because I only bought what we would eat in a day or two and what I could comfortably carry. Once the kids were in school and all the activities, and I was working, I had to do some planning and change my shopping habits to a couple times a week. I was not good at it and hated what I felt was the inflexibility of a set plan. We invariably had meals pushed back as you did, jeremysgirl and then the food was spoilt. I got a bit better at preparing things ahead of time - cooking and freezing ground beef, roast chicken, and pasta meals - which definitely eliminated a fair bit of waste. I still didn't make a meal plan but at least there was something in the freezer to pull out on a busy day. Now it is just dh and I and we live about 15 minutes from a grocery store, sort of out in the country. Dh likes going in to shop daily which works for me since I am not a big shopper. I decide in the morning what we are eating so again, our waste is down quite a bit. Our biggest problem is fresh veggies and fruit - I am not very big on them but keep trying. I am good for a day or two and then it gets left. Not sure how to fix that. |
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