StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,666 
Location: Ohio
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Post by StephDRebel on Mar 14, 2017 2:59:17 GMT
I'm completely ashamed of the state of my pantry and freezers. They're overflowing and I know it's partially because of so many years where we went without and I have a lingering fear of not having the money to grocery shop. If I'm honest, it's mostly because I'm a disorganized, hot trainwreck when it comes to grocery shopping and even worse when it comes to meal prep and cooking.
My youngest asked if we could go grocery shopping for things for his lunch today so we headed to Aldi.
Here is how the day went:
If we're going to Aldi, we should probably stop by the butcher shop too. Let me run in real quick.
"Can I help you? "
'ummm, yeah. Can I get 5packages of ground beef, 5 packages of chicken breast, 2 packages of salmon, a shrimp, 2 smoked pork chops, 2 bulk sausage, and 2 bacon. Oh, he likes steak. Let me get two steaks too...I don't know what kind, I don't eat meat. The kind that big hairy manly men like. What would you make for a celebration dinner? That's what I need"
The cute guy carries the stuff to the car and loads it for me as he's looking at me like i'm a hot mess and off we go. The kid complains that the bag in the back makes the car smell like blood. I agree and consider stopping to donate it all because, ew but crack the sunroof instead and head to Aldi.
We go into Aldi. Wine. I think i'm running low on white. Chocolate too, oh look, they have easter ones. I should send some to the nieces and nephews. The kid starts contemplating cookies, crackers, and all the other random crap he uses to swap at the lunch table, I side eye the new gluten free goods and throw a few boxes of assorted bars and snacks in my cart because I have a trip coming up and might starve to death on the flight (forgetting that I don't eat bars or snacks other than fruit really, that it's going to be a 90 minute flight, or that I still have 3 boxes of gluten free snack crap from the last trip I didn't remember to pack it for)
He thinks we need milk, so he grabs two. Eggs are cheap, so I grab a dozen.
ooh produce! We use green peppers a lot and they're on sale, let's get 4. Cabbage sounds good and St Patricks day is coming, let's get 2 for us and one for the hens. Apples, oranges, bananas for the dogs. Lettuce for salads, cucumbers for juicing because they aren't super waxy this week. Blackberries? nah. I don't think he really likes them.
the kid grabs bread, frozen fish, and donuts, because, donuts. I throw in a case of water, some chicken broth, black beans, and diced tomatoes because I vaguely remember wanting to make chili and missing something important, like beans and tomatoes. They have new sloppy joe pouches and I have 5lbs of ground beef. I bet the kids could figure that out, let's get two. Oh, look...a skirt steak! One day I had a recipe that called for skirt steak and had no idea what it was for so I grabbed one, in case I can remember. I think there a few random cans of fruit and packages of fresh kale/spinach in there some where too.
Then, he needed lunch meat so we went across to Wal-Mart (ugh!) to get deli meat, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner. Added two boxes of cereal, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and a bag of carrots for juicing. We swing around to look at the instant pot but the one left had an open box and no instructions. Fail.
We get home, put it all away and realize I already had 2 dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, two full boxes of cereal, no buns for sloppy joes and a freezer full of meat. I don't cook often, I've cooked 3x so far in 2017. he cooks a bit more than I do but his process is "Let's have a steak, oh, it's frozen, lets' go buy them fresh and get all the sides while we're there.
So, the groceries we buy are frozen, he's buying more, i'm randomly shopping like i'm on supermarket sweep, and we're eating out 4-5 times a week.
DISASTER!!!!
Is there help for me? I need to organize and use up/clean up/clean out this mess. I'm tempted to just go donate everything and start over with a plan but that seems extreme. Iknow I need to meal plan, but i try and end up with half containers of a hundred things and then it grows back to a mess again.
Is there somewhere I can learn to use what we've got? Meal plans? Somewhere that can teach a non cooking mom to get her life together and be organized? Going to the store with a list of what I need seems to foreign to me right now and i'm overwhelmed. Should I donate it all and then just use meal services like hello fresh? Maybe I need to quit the grocery store cold turkey.
am I alone? Anyone else trying to get it together? Any tips for me?
Anyone need chicken? lol
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Post by padresfan619 on Mar 14, 2017 3:07:16 GMT
If you want to cook you would probably benefit from a meal delivery service like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh. If you don't want to cook you need to stop going grocery shopping. There is no shame in doing take out IF you can afford it.
I personally would lean towards the meal delivery service and stick to it. Avoid the grocery store for now.
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Deleted
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Jun 2, 2024 13:46:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 3:08:35 GMT
I'm completely ashamed of the state of my pantry and freezers. They're overflowing and I know it's partially because of so many years where we went without and I have a lingering fear of not having the money to grocery shop. If I'm honest, it's mostly because I'm a disorganized, hot trainwreck when it comes to grocery shopping and even worse when it comes to meal prep and cooking. <edit > I don't cook often, I've cooked 3x so far in 2017. he cooks a bit more than I do but his process is "Let's have a steak, oh, it's frozen, lets' go buy them fresh and get all the sides while we're there. < edit > So, the groceries we buy are frozen, he's buying more, i'm randomly shopping like i'm on supermarket sweep, and we're eating out 4-5 times a week. First, learn to shop your pantry/freezer fridge before hitting up the grocery store. Second, no matter how tempting, never shop without a list! If it isn't on your list (because it wasn't in the pantry) then don't buy it. Start tracking what you throw out or donate. The financial loss will astound you... all those hours worked to throw it in the trash. Finally, be realistic on your family's eating habits. If you eat out a lot learn to be ok with that! Don't try to keep steak etc in the freezer for the infrequent nights you want to grill... go buy them as you want them since you are doing that anyway. |
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Deleted
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Jun 2, 2024 13:46:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 3:09:17 GMT
Put a paper on your frig.
Write what you need in it.
Don't buy anything different
I mentioned this in another thread.
I do a monthly dinner plan, instead specific recipe/dish, i just put down the main ingredient for that day.
Monday -beef
Tuesday-fish
Weds-pasta.
Then you pull out what you need for that day.
You can build a dinner by what you have in your pantry.
Btw I see a egg bake in your future. Gets rid of milk and eggs.
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Post by Zee on Mar 14, 2017 3:11:23 GMT
Sit down right now with a calendar and write down a different type of meat every night until you've covered what you've got on hand. Add sides, including vegetarian ones if that's what you prefer.
Don't go to the store again until that's gone unless it's for fresh produce, milk, or bread.
Google recipe ideas using your main ingredient and build around that. Don't overthink it, just try something new.
I do much better using up stuff I have and not getting irritated about what to make if I use a calendar to plan meals.
I have never bought as much meat at one time as you just described, lol. We eat vegetarian more often or else it's usually just chicken. Try to plan more meatless meals so you both can eat what's on the menu.
But I can't say I'm a recovered food hoarder...I still have enough food in the house to go a very long time if we couldn't get to the store. I just don't waste much anymore.
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AllieC
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,059
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Post by AllieC on Mar 14, 2017 3:14:15 GMT
First of all that amount of food sounds insane! The amount of money that you must be spending is a bit mind boggling. I am not saying this in a snarky way either  I am a bit of a recovered food buyer (wouldn't say hoarder) and now I go to the grocery store once a week and very rarely go any other time. I used to buy some items every single time I went to the store (hello pasta sauce!) and just buy random things. The daily "whats for dinner" thing used to make me cranky and crazy. Now I plan at least 4 meals for the week on a Sunday, look in the freezer or pantry to see what I need to make them, go shopping for the ingredients and then know what I'm having for the week. The stress really gets taken out of it that way and some weeks we pretty much eat stuff out of the freezer meaning we save a huge amount of money. You say when you meal plan you end up with heaps of containers of things? Why is that? I make the meal then if there are leftovers I put them in the freezer. A one serve meal is amazing for lunches or meals when we are home alone or with little time. Don't put leftovers in the fridge unless there is (a) enough for a meal and (b) you are having them the next day. The amount of food we throw out has reduced by heaps too. I think you need a plan: * Do a stocktake of what you have * Write it all down - 2 pounds of ground beef etc * Look online for some recipes that use those ingredients. * Commit to using at least one packet of meat out of the freezer every week * Before going to the store, look in your pantry and freezer to see what you already have * Go to the store with a list It sounds like you are totally overwhelmed with it all. Chip away with it bit by bit and with a plan you will get there. If you find that you have a ridiculous amount of one thing, then consider donating some of those items. If you put away what you will save on doing the above you will be able to have a nice holiday by the end of the year |
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Post by hop2 on Mar 14, 2017 3:18:33 GMT
Make a schedule assign meals/days/weeks or whatever amount of time seems reasonable to you to each able bodied person in your house. Yes kids too. Yes you too ( but hey you make the schedule ) Make them plan, prep and cook that meal. After you get a handle on tings add shopping back in but for now make it like a challenge for them to crest from what you have like a mystery box. Everyone else gets clean up.
Here's how it went in my house
Week 1 mom
Week 2 DD
Week 3 mom
Week 4 DS
So at the beginning of week 1 DD makes a meal plan for week 2. We go over it and make sure it fits with what's happening. then she is responsible to 'unfreeze' [ or shop ] for that week and cook. At the beginning of week 2 mom makes plan and goes over it with Kids and respect
You'll be surprised how many solutions your teens will have. Also get a pantry app and keep it up to date - in the same way you track and keep your inventory for your business.
Yes stuff will happen but hey it starts with a plan right
ETA I like grocery hero because it's easy to get both fridge and pantry items in order.
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pridemom
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Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on Mar 14, 2017 3:18:46 GMT
Not to that extent, but I totally understand. My freezer has three turkeys, two hams, and a whole lot more. I buy when it's on sale. I stood in soup kitchen lines with my family in high school. Never again.
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luckyexwife
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,067
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Post by luckyexwife on Mar 14, 2017 3:49:45 GMT
I'm completely ashamed of the state of my pantry and freezers. They're overflowing and I know it's partially because of so many years where we went without and I have a lingering fear of not having the money to grocery shop. If I'm honest, it's mostly because I'm a disorganized, hot trainwreck when it comes to grocery shopping and even worse when it comes to meal prep and cooking. My youngest asked if we could go grocery shopping for things for his lunch today so we headed to Aldi. Is there somewhere I can learn to use what we've got? Meal plans? Somewhere that can teach a non cooking mom to get her life together and be organized? Going to the store with a list of what I need seems to foreign to me right now and i'm overwhelmed. Should I donate it all and then just use meal services like hello fresh? Maybe I need to quit the grocery store cold turkey. am I alone? Anyone else trying to get it together? Any tips for me? Anyone need chicken? lol You said it going to the store with a list seems foreign to you, but you actually did go to the store with a list. You said you were going to get things for your son's lunch. In the future, when you go to buy things for your son's lunch, only buy the things for your son's lunch. If he doesn't need all that meat from the butcher, why even stop there? If you mostly eat out, Embrace that, and don't buy ingredients to have at your house. If when you grill steak at home, you're in the habit of just going to get fresh steak instead of taking them out of the freezer, then don't buy steak to stick in the freezer. Our schedule gets kind of crazy, so I have a general idea of what I want to make, and take meat out for it out of the freezer. But if for some reason we don't end up eating whatever I took out, I just use that idea for the next night. For example last week, I took ground beef out of the freezer on Monday to have Monday night, but we ended up not eating it until Wednesday. I think you just need to realistically look at the way your family eats, and if eating out is what works best for you, embrace it, and only keep easy to eat snack type food at home. Good luck! |
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Post by jumperhop on Mar 14, 2017 4:09:01 GMT
Once a week take some meat out of the freezer and throw it in the fridge and plan your meals around that. If you have a hard time coming up with meals we've got your back. Post here what's in your fridge and we will give you ideas.
This is a problem of mine too.
Jen
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,666
Location: Ohio
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Post by StephDRebel on Mar 14, 2017 4:13:54 GMT
That made it sounds like a ton of food in one setting. It was $160 total, pretty reasonable for a family of five and I only shop 1-2x a month. But, with eating out so much a lot of it sits in the freezer.
I'd prefer to not eat out, but lack of planning kills my good intentions. We live 35 minutes from the grocery store so I'm thinking that contributes to my 'were going to town, we need to make sure we don't run out of x,y,z' mentality.
I'll start working on a meal plan in the morning.
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Post by anniefb on Mar 14, 2017 4:40:35 GMT
I agree with meal planning and only buying what you need to cook meals that you're going to make that week. Alternatively, sign up for a meal service where they send you the food and the recipe. In my experience that usually means there will be no food waste.
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Post by bunnyhug on Mar 14, 2017 4:48:21 GMT
Pick up one of Sandi Richard's 'Cooking for the Rushed' cookbooks--they have saved me many times when we're in the midst of a sports season! She gives you a week's menu plan, a shopping list for the whole week, plus recipes that take between 15 and 60 minutes from start to table. She also presents recipes in a step by step way that means my kids or dh can easily step in and know exactly what to do to make the meal. The shopping list makes it super easy to shop my own pantry before I go .
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Post by sunnyd on Mar 14, 2017 4:55:52 GMT
All of the above plus you need to organize your pantry so you know exactly what you have. I would take everything out of my pantry & sort it, toss expired items, etc. Have all the beans together, canned tomatoes, pasta, etc. Then exactly what the others said, plan meals for what you already have and only buy the very few items you need, like fresh produce, to make said meals. With all that meat in the freezer you shouldn't need to spend much at all to feed your family for the next month.
Since time is of the essence for you, pre-prep. Thaw the ground beef & brown it, refreeze it for chili to use a bunch of your canned beans. Thaw the chicken, cut it up, season & re-freeze for quick fajitas or soup. It takes time but you can do it.
Go throw all your asparagus, brussels spouts and some carrots on a cookie sheet right this minute with some olive oil, S&P, garlic powder, whatever seasonings you like, roast it and eat it for lunch tomorrow. It's so easy & yummy.
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Post by nlwilkins on Mar 14, 2017 4:58:15 GMT
To me, it looks like meal planning is the answer, but there is a big component that is not being mentioned here - the psychology of this. You are a food shopping addict - there might be a nicer way to say it, but I feel you need the shock of seeing this way. It looks like you just can't say no when going to the grocery store. Is there someone else who could do your grocery shopping for you to keep you from overstocking? Does your son drive - could he get the groceries for you if you made a list? Would you eat the items in the freezer if you did not go to the grocery store? Think this through and possibly talk to an organizer or even a counselor. This can be serious. Hoarders need help, and you are on your way to becoming a food hoarder.
Figure out a plan to keep yourself out of the grocery store. Just go cold turkey - like giving up cigarettes - all it takes to backslide is one trip. Think of it, they money you would save by not going yourself would pay for someone to get the fresh items for you like bread, milk and fresh veggies.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Mar 14, 2017 5:00:55 GMT
I used to be just like that.
I'd end up tossing so much.
I give away food all the time.
I'm into year 2 of learning how to cut down, and it was ramped up this year with a health alert.
It's getting easier to just buy what we need now, we make a bi-weekly pilgrimage to the butcher, and a small weekly trip to get other groceries. I can now sometimes go 2 weeks without any food shopping!
And, I love to cook.
I do have a well stocked pantry, but I've learned to use what I have on hand first.
I make hubby go to store with me; if I go to grab something and he knows we have it, he'll let me know (if we don't and he says we do and we need it, the rule is he has to go get it!! Lol)
I'm not a list maker, but if I do make a list, I find I stick to it.
It took me years to figure out, and I also started hoarding/excessive shopping for food after we had done without prior--same reasons as you!
If you are always on the go and busy, start using the crock pot more or spend one day making a ton of meals, soups etc that you can just reheat all week. I prepped this Sunday, and this week, I don't have to turn on the oven or stove--everything is made and just needs reheated.
When we first started to revise our shopping, we inventoried everything, then made a meal plan for 2 months!!!
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Grom Pea
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Posts: 2,944
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Post by Grom Pea on Mar 14, 2017 5:12:43 GMT
Maybe you should try instacart, kind of like buying online from target, you just make a list and order what you want and there's no dollar spot or makeup section or holiday stuff to get distracted by :-)
I'm horrible about just going to Costco and buying what looks good or what I've sampled with my kids that they like. I've started shopping with ideas in mind and emphasizing produce, I got a little sick of it and had to bring a giant Costco salad in to class for my night to cook when I hadn't planned on salad but at least we're eating more veggies, I'm cooking more and eating out less. I also do better when I outsource the shopping with a list, I send dh with the list and he rarely throws in unwanted stuff, but I get that stuff all the time then ask to go out so I get you :-)
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PLurker
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Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Mar 14, 2017 5:31:10 GMT
For me it's coming to the realization to just slow down and think about it. Although it takes time to plan and make a list, in the end it saves time (and $ ) because of less running around. So mush less wasted energy than letting the unorganized and scatter-brain side of me take control.
I am also adjusting to DD being out of house and in college. I need to remember to adjust to her absence. DD always eats more plant based and DS eats more meat based. I'm in between. With DD gone the balance is out of whack so I have to avoid over buying fresh produce to avoid waste.
I, too, am a work in progress.
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Deleted
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Jun 2, 2024 13:46:37 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 6:59:55 GMT
I was doing exactly the same thing Then we moved to Tokyo and I don't drive so I have to carry my food home. That certainly stops frivolous purchases and forced me to think about exactly what I need, rather than just throwing whatever looks good into the cart. Also, the lack of large carts and appetizing food also helps.
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wellway
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Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Mar 14, 2017 7:40:31 GMT
You have a good business head, you need to treat your grocery hoard like your stock. You won't over order product unless you could sell it on. You wouldn't order an item without checking what you already have. Attack your pantry with the same attitude.
If I were you I would have a good sort out of your cupboards, pantry and fridge/freezer etc and ditch out of date stuff and then group all the same foodstuffs together. If you can visually see you have 30 tins of tomatoes you are less likely to buy more until you can see a drop in stock.
No time to check the pantry before shopping? take a few pictures and check while you are in store.
I agree that planning meals and shopping accordingly is the way to go but you also have to deal with the backlog otherwise you are still wasting money.
Can you order groceries online while you sit in your kitchen checking your supplies?
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Nanner
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,976
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Post by Nanner on Mar 14, 2017 11:59:03 GMT
The first thing to do is go through everything and toss everything that's expired. Then take an inventory of what's left.
That's all I've got!
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Post by llinin on Mar 14, 2017 12:01:52 GMT
If you don't eat meat and have that far of a drive to the grocery, are you driving that far to eat out 4-5 nights a week? When I've been vegetarian my restaurant choices sucked, especially fast food.
This semester I am doing 2-1-2. Monday I cook enough for 2 dinners, Tuesdays we have the leftovers. Wednesday is something easy that won't have leftovers or we can get takeout if we absolutely have to. Thursday I cook enough for 2 nights, Fridays we have the leftovers.
Sometimes it isn't exact leftovers, I may have just cooked extra rice or pasta or meat and night 2 I do something different.
Weekends I don't cook much. Saturday is always date night. Sunday it is fend for yourself.
So, I am basically obligating myself to 2 times to cook a week, 3 if I want. We usually eat once just once a week, but I like having it as an option on Wednesdays. The day 2 meals are easy so I don't count them lol.
If you don't eat leftovers this wouldn't work obviously!
Come Summer we eat a lot of salads and grill out a lot and eat a lot of grilled veggies. That makes meal planning easy.
Good luck, start with a basic plan!
Laura
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janeinbama
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Posts: 3,176
Location: Alabama
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Post by janeinbama on Mar 14, 2017 12:08:13 GMT
Good ideas for you! With 4 men in the house, you can make some progress very fast. Cook up a breakfast casserole or 2 with the eggs and sausage. This reheats very well for weekday breakfasts.
Use a list and never shop hungry! Make it a challenge to all members of the house to "shop" the kitchen and prepare a meal. One of my DDs and her DH only shop pantry and freezer during Lent. They pick up fresh produce and milk, but use up all those random things we all have. Baby steps, baby steps.
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Post by dasmith2 on Mar 14, 2017 12:10:13 GMT
I have the same problem. After I left my ex dh I had nothing (He "allowed" me to move into my place with a tv, dresser and 2 nightstands-no beds for the kids and I or nothing). I pawned my wedding band for food for the kids, and had to walk 1 1/2 miles every 2 weeks to the food pantry for food.
So, for me having a house full of food is a comfort that my kids will not go hungry, but it can be very wasteful.
First, toss everything expired- and look at the waste there.
I am learning to plan my meals based on what is in my pantry/freezer and I am trying to just pick up the basics when I go grocery shopping (milk, bread etc). I bet if you get a little creative, you will find that you have a lot of meals that can be created by what you already have!
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,666
Location: Ohio
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Post by StephDRebel on Mar 14, 2017 12:20:30 GMT
If you don't eat meat and have that far of a drive to the grocery, are you driving that far to eat out 4-5 nights a week? When I've been vegetarian my restaurant choices sucked, especially fast food. This semester I am doing 2-1-2. Monday I cook enough for 2 dinners, Tuesdays we have the leftovers. Wednesday is something easy that won't have leftovers or we can get takeout if we absolutely have to. Thursday I cook enough for 2 nights, Fridays we have the leftovers. Sometimes it isn't exact leftovers, I may have just cooked extra rice or pasta or meat and night 2 I do something different. Weekends I don't cook much. Saturday is always date night. Sunday it is fend for yourself. So, I am basically obligating myself to 2 times to cook a week, 3 if I want. We usually eat once just once a week, but I like having it as an option on Wednesdays. The day 2 meals are easy so I don't count them lol. If you don't eat leftovers this wouldn't work obviously! Come Summer we eat a lot of salads and grill out a lot and eat a lot of grilled veggies. That makes meal planning easy. Good luck, start with a basic plan! Laura Kind of. We've been in our busy seasons at work so I've been grabbing a smoothy or salad or not eating on the way to work, he will grab takeout on the way home or if we both have a night off we will drive to town to have dinner somewhere. Nothing is expired, we always seem to end up with half boxes though. Pasta, tahini, rice. Not enough for another recipe but too much to toss so we end up buying something else for the recipe we're using and then eventually use the half boxes in something. We're going from feeding 5 to feeding 1-2 most nights so I'm sure that is contributing to my feeling the need to adjust. I don't think I'm legitimately hoarder status or heading that way, but I'm definitely buying things that look good vs shopping with a plan and spending money on things that we don't necessarily need or use regularly. I'm not a 'I've got 30 cans of beans' kind of girl I'm a 'ooh beans, I needed those for chili a while back ' kind of girl but then when I buy beans I realize I'm out of tomato paste, onion, and chili powder so we go out or he swings by the store until the next time I grocery shop 2-3 weeks later when I'm probably out of beans again. I think I need a meal plan and a shopping list /shopping plan after reading these. I've just never been able to keep up with one long term. I've got to buckle down. |
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Post by mikklynn on Mar 14, 2017 12:26:59 GMT
Until DH's health dietary restrictions made it not practical, we used a service named Let's Dish. You go in and make 8 meals (we divided in 1/2, so 16 meals). They have a station for each meal. Everything is cut up and ready to go. It's like a salad bar set up. You follow the posted recipe at each station and then freeze the meals.
We really stopped going out to eat, because there was always something great in the freezer, pretty much ready to go.
On the surface, it might look expensive, but there is zero waste. You are not buying a whole celery to get a cup of chopped celery. Plus, the savings from not eating out are huge. I truly believe it actually saved us money.
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Post by jassy on Mar 14, 2017 12:51:46 GMT
Ain't going to lie - the level of waste is making me twitchy!
Yes a list and meal plan will solve the problems.
This is what I do.
1) I go to Costco once per month and buy all our meat.
2) I go through my calendar for the week ahead and look what we have going on. Then for each day, I write down "quick" or "time" so that I know what kind of recipe I need for that day
3) I keep my recipes on Pinterest. I have folders labeled "to try" , "I made this and it's a keeper", "instant pot" and "on the menu this week"
4) I move all the recipes for the week ahead to the "on the menu this week" folder. I print a list of those meals and hang it on the fridge so no one asks me what's for dinner. I do occasionally shuffle the days a bit.
5) I make my grocery list from those recipes. I do this with my laptop in the kitchen so I can look in cupboards, fridge and freezers to see if I'm running low, have something or need something.
6) Saturday comes and hubby does all the grocery shopping from my lists. He improvises for kids lunch items and snacks, which I don't put on the list.
7) I stick to my plan. After I make a meal, I move the recipe out the "on the menu this week folder" into its permanent folder.
It actually comes together VERY quickly, and saves me tons of time. With the menu, I know which meat to take out when to thaw. I rarely (like once a month) have to make a stop somewhere for something we need/forget. I save a TON of money. I feed myself, a husband with a very physical job (UPS driver in a city), and two athlete teenage boys almost every meal - a meal out once per week - for about $250 per week with virtually no waste.
Hope this helps!
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Post by hop2 on Mar 14, 2017 12:51:48 GMT
I'm serious about making your kids participate. First they have awesome ideas you didn't think of and they'll teach you. Second you don't want them inheriting your shopping 'skills'.  Third when you send them off to college you know they'll feed themselves. DD was practically giving shopping lessons last fall. She was the only one of her 7 suite mates who knew how to plan then shop. I told her she should branch out from her suite for a fee. Lol. And we also did challenges where you make dinner from what you have, great skill to have at the end of the semester when you have to use stuff up or throw it out. |
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Post by not2peased on Mar 14, 2017 13:15:30 GMT
I am a recovered food hoarder-having some food insecurity as a kid, and as a single mom with no child support, it got worse. I am not 100% recovered, I still have more food than I strictly need, and I have to resist the urge to hoard. I've had to throw out canned goods that expired before we ever ate them. that is wasteful! I think the hello fresh or blue apron idea is a good one., to help you get used to dealing with a very specific amount of food per meal. I also try not to ever shop without a list-and my list is built by listing out lunches and dinners for the entire week. If you know you like to eat out a lot, then plan for it. I list out the 7 days of the week on my shopping list, with lunch and dinner for each one (I am not concerned about breakfast since I almost always eat the exact same things, so I know what to get)also, when meal planning, I used to think I had to make elaborate meals-and I don't! a perfectly acceptable meal for me is a grilled protein and a salad and/or additional veggies. List the # of times you plan on eating out, and make sure your grocery list reflects that. You get into trouble, by planning on eating every meal at home, shopping accordingly, and then eating out a bunch of times. if you do that every week, you quickly have a pantry and freezer that is stuffed. I also keep my meal plans flexible-If I don't want meatloaf on monday, I don't make it-nothing says you "have" to make a certain meal, on a certain day. I have to remember pretty much every morning- to take something out of the freezer to defrost-so remembering to do that one simple thing, really sets the tone for success or failure. for me, hoarding was a "hedge" against want-when really, the best way to hedge is to save $ to buy food-save $ not food-money doesn't go bad lastly, I'd inventory what you have, eliminate any old or questionable items, and then do some meal planning around what you already have |
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Post by threegirls on Mar 14, 2017 13:48:52 GMT
In addition to the list/meal planning pay for groceries with cash. I go to the store with a list and when I get the item off the list I write the price next to the item. When I'm done shopping I use the calculator on my phone to add everything up. If I'm over, something goes back on the shelf. I've become so adept at this that I now never go over budget.
I also use the web site All Recipes. You can enter ingredients and it will give you recipes that match. That has helped me. I've typed in two or three main ingredients that I've had on hand but didn't know what to do with them and voilà - recipes that match.
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Third when you send them off to college you know they'll feed themselves.
