If you are like me, sometimes meal time and planning the grocery list can be a daunting task! Let me walk you through my method of making meal planning and grocery shopping simple, and how to utilize a functional pantry!
Making the Shopping List:
There are several factors to consider when utilizing your pantry, creating meal plans and deciding what to put on the grocery list. I have a list of meals on my phone that I know my family likes and I ask for their input for special requests every so often as well. In a typical week, I will take that list of meals, and go to my pantry to see what I have in stock to prepare meals with. Typically, this means I only have to purchase one or two items for each meal chosen for the week. I then write down which meals I plan to make through the next week, I always write down extras just in case our taste changes and some to rollover into the next week. This helps me know what I need to purchase on the grocery trip.
It is always a great idea to match meal ideas with what you already have and what you need.
In photos below:
On the left I have my list of meal ideas for this week and next week.
On the right I have my grocery list divided into needs for this week, and needs for the future.
Dry erase boards make this so easy!
When making the shopping list, I usually consider what is immediately needed and what is for restocking of used items from the pantry. I try to leave $10 a week of grocery money just for simple restock items.
Have a list for what is needed for the week and what is needed for future use. Make sure you cover your needs for the week, then with the leftover money, purchase one or two items from the future list.
It is so tempting to purchase things just because it seems like a good deal, or it has a coupon, or the kids are begging for it. Don't fall for the sale trap.
When you see a good sale on a particular item, before you buy it, ask yourself:
1. Will you actually use this item?
2. Where/how will you store it?
3.Do you have the extra money to purchase it?
4. Is this a regular sale that happens often, or is it a really special sale?
If you can justify the purchase with these four questions, then by all means, get that deal!
If you won't use it, or cannot store it properly it will just be wasted money.
If you don't have the extra money to purchase it and it is a regular sale that happens pretty often, you would be better off sticking a little money back each week and wait for the sale to come around again.
When making non sale purchases, it is important to make your dollar go as far as possible.
More questions to ask yourself when making out the grocery list for non sale items are:
1. Is this for an immediate need, or is it restocking a pantry item?
2. Do you use this item often, or is it rarely used?
3. Do you have the extra money to purchase?
4. Will this item go on sale? (seasonal or otherwise)
If you are in immediate need and it is an item that is used often, get it!
If it is for restocking a pantry item and the item is rarely used, would it be possible to wait?
If you don't have the extra money right now for a restocking item, and it is possible to wait for a sale, stick a few extra dollars back and keep an eye out for that sale!
If it is a restocking item that rarely goes on sale, can you rearrange some other part of the grocery list to make money room for it? If so, get it!
If your pantry stock level on a particular item is depleting, you definitely want to restock, but you don't want to break the bank and restock everything at once, just adding a couple of items per trip can replenish your pantry!
Making the Best of Leftovers:
When making your grocery list, another great thing to do is to check your refrigerator for any leftovers! You can either utilize leftovers to make a new meal, or have a leftover buffet one night for the meal. Often when meals are not completely eaten, we put those leftovers in containers with great intentions and they end up getting lost in the shuffle of the day to day, just to be thrown away later.
When my children were still living at home, Thursday night was typically leftover night. We would pull all of the leftovers out and each person could get what they wanted, we sometimes called it "Fend for yourself night". This served us a couple of purposes, we used the leftovers up to cut back on food waste, and it gave me a night off from cooking after working my 8-5 job! Sometimes, all I had to do was prepare a side vegetable, or toss a salad together to make it a complete meal, other times everything was right there.
Another great way to make the best of the leftovers is to make them into something different!
*Did taco night leave leftover meat? Make quesadillas, or toss all the leftover fixings together for a taco salad!
*Do you have leftover mashed potatoes from the big family dinner? Make a shepherd's pie and use the mashed potatoes for the topping!
*Did that roasted chicken not get devoured? Pull the meat off the bones and use in a casserole or soup!
*Did you make too much chili? Cook up some white rice and serve the chili over the rice! It makes it very filling and the rice makes the chili seem like a completely different meal.
*Sunday pot-roast lingering in the fridge? Make a hearty stew! Cut vegetables and meat into smaller pieces and add a gravy, it's that simple!
I also utilize leftovers for lunches! My husband takes a packed lunch to work everyday. Each meal I prepare, I put some in containers for him to take with him for lunch the next day. Not only does this save money from purchasing take-out, or specific foods for his lunches, it also cuts back on waste!
Some of the best meals I have cooked for my family was done by using leftovers and making a new dish from them. Check out the book links below for some great ideas on how to use those leftovers!
Shopping Tips:
By having a functioning pantry (a pantry and freezer that is stocked with usable ingredients) you won't have to purchase everything for every single meal for the week. This will help cut the grocery bill in the long run. With meat in the freezer, you will not have to purchase meat every single week, and with dry goods in the pantry it is so much easier to plan what meals will be used for the week.
I typically purchase meat once a month or so. I wait for it to go on sale, then purchase in bulk! Family packs and cases of meat are so much cheaper per pound than purchasing a single meal's worth of a particular meat. When purchasing in bulk, I will typically vacuum seal and freeze it, or pressure can it for long term shelf stable storage in the pantry. Any money left over from purchasing meat will go to buying any produce or other items needed for the week.
On another week, I may purchase the produce, dairy and snacks we like. I will get some items for restocking the pantry on these trips as well.
When paper goods are needed, I will focus on finding those and then purchase the produce, dairy, meal ingredients and any restocking items needed.
In other words, keep in mind your future needs, your immediate needs, and how they can work together. You can "cycle" purchase when things are on sale to last until the next sale so you don't run out every week.
Don't be afraid to buy in bulk! You can always divide items up into serving/meal size portions for easy use. Often times the bulk size, or family size is cheaper per pound/ounce than the normal sized packages.
In the photo below, we purchased 2 cases of spare ribs for only .50 cents per pound! I simply divided them into meal sized portions and vacuum sealed before putting in the freezer. This provided us with 30 pounds of meaty spare ribs for only $15!
For over 15 years, I have fed my family on only $50 a week for groceries, and the method above is how I did it. We still ate very well, we still had snacks and some soft drinks, we just kept it in a budget! A functioning pantry is what made it possible too! I tried to keep meals simple by not using a lot of pre-made frozen meals, or meals out of a box and we definitely did not get take-out except on special occasions. Yes, it was challenging at times, feeding a family of four with two teenagers on $50 a week, and yes, sometimes I did pull an extra $20 for bonus snacks to be added to the cart, but that was a rare occasion.
By using a purchasing cycle like I mentioned, it helps keep your pantry functioning by cycling through the food before it expires and it spreads the expenses out so you are not having to purchase every ingredient for every meal every week. Instead, you purchase usable ingredients spread out through the month, then plan your menu accordingly.
In photo below:
This is what a typical $50 shopping trip looks like. Here, we have a few fresh produce items to put with produce I already had for meals. Then there are the dairy items like buttermilk, cheese and yogurt. Pantry restocking items like sugar, cake mixes, pickles and juice. There are a few misc. items like tortillas and hummus which will be used as snacks and for completing meals. Everything else needed for the weekly meals, I already have in the freezer or pantry.
Inexpensive Meal Ideas:
We have covered a lot so far, making a list of meals your family likes, making the grocery list, using up those leftovers and a few shopping tricks. Now, lets put it all together! I will give you ingredient lists, and price breakdown of some common meals I make. I will also mention which items I keep in the freezer or pantry and note which items I had to purchase for the meal. I think you will see that you can have tasty meals without spending a ton of money on groceries!
Fajitas: serves 4
- 1 1/2 cups white rice - cost 30 cents. Purchased in bulk and stored in the pantry.
- 3 Tbsp. Caldo de Tomate con Pollo - cost 14 cents. Purchased largest container and stored in the pantry.
- 1 Lime - cost 33 cents. Purchased fresh for the week.
- 1 1/2 lb. of fresh chicken breast - cost $2.41. Purchased on sale for $1.48/lb. and stored in the freezer.
- 3 Tbsp. Fajita seasoning - cost approx. 10 cents. I make in bulk and store in the pantry.
- 2 Onions - cost 26 cents. Purchased in overstock sale and stored in the pantry.
- 4 Sweet Peppers - cost 99 cents. Purchased a bag for $3 and have used in 3 separate meals.
Total for entire meal - $5.19
Cost per serving - $1.30
The only item I had to purchase fresh for this meal was the lime.
Fried Noodles: serves 5
This recipe is a throwback to when I lived in Hawaii.
- 1 bag tricolor coleslaw mix - cost $1.98. Purchased fresh for the week.
- 2 lb. chicken breast - cost $2.34. Purchased on sale and stored in the freezer.
- 2 packages of Ramen Noodles - cost 60 cents. Purchased in bulk and stored in the pantry.
- Soy sauce to taste - cost approx. 15 cents. Purchased and stored in the refrigerator.
- Yum Yum sauce to taste - cost approx. 35 cents. Purchased in bulk container and stored in the refrigerator.
Total for entire meal - $5.42
Cost per serving - $1.08
The only item I had to purchase fresh for this meal was the coleslaw mix.
There are many inexpensive meal ideas available. Just because you are cutting back on cost, doesn't mean you have to cut back on flavor! Be creative with your meal planning and don't be afraid to experiment with something new! You very well might find a family favorite that is easy to prepare, easy to buy for and easy to store the ingredients for a hassle free mealtime!
Having a functioning pantry is a vital part to being able to prepare meals at a moments notice and without having to run to the store for something. However, building the functioning pantry takes a little bit of time. Purchase a couple of extra items each week to stick back, before long, you will have a bountiful pantry to bless your family with.
For more information on what you need in your pantry, check out my eBook! Click the image below for your free download!
Also check out Meal Prep on a Budget: How to Prep Healthy Meals on $40 a Week for more great money saving ideas!
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