Creating a Killer Shopping List
By Momma Foodie
We all know that food shopping with young children can be a nightmare. I for one never used to stick to a list or I would always forget it at home. However, when I began staying home to take care of my little one and we had to budget I got myself into a routine very quickly. Shopping to a list or sticking to the budget is not east for some, but I am hoping to provide you with some tips I use to create my list and stick to it to create fun foods for my family.
I’ll first start by saying that I only go to the supermarket twice a month when my husband gets paid. I also do not purchase my meat at the grocery store, I buy 50 lbs. of meat in bulk from the local butcher and plan my menu for 2 weeks around that. My local butcher, Sussex Meat Packing, provides packages that are premade or you can mix and match to suit your needs and likes. I usually choose to mix and match. I find this saves us a lot of money and most of the time I can feed my family of 3 for a month on it. We obviously don’t eat meat every night either. The butcher also includes butter, margarine, bacon, breakfast sausage and vegetables for your convenience as well in these packages. This I find saves us money. They also have larger packages available for families with larger needs. The packages range in prices from $150-350, and in weight from 50-100 lbs.
Now when I set out to make my grocery list I sit down with a list of what I have left over in my freezer and pantry from last shopping order that I did not utilize. I also sit with my calendar so I can see if there are days that do not require meals because we will not be home and also to aid in helping me see how many days I have to plan meals for on this trip. Once I have this information I sit down and make my menu choices from what I have on hand already and what I know I will be purchasing from the butcher. I then build the menu with the help of my recipe book and also requests from the hubby for things he is in the mood for. My list is built to only buy the things I need for the recipes that I do not have already on hand.
Once I have the list compiled I can go through my coupons and the store circular to see what I can get on sale. I have also found that many toiletry and cleaning items should be purchased not in the grocery store but at Wal-Mart, as these items are always much cheaper there.
I know shopping at a few different places doesn’t work for everyone, so do what works for you. It also takes some time to do this and I realize not all of us have this time available. There are great resources for recipes, coupons, and shopping list generators. I personally enjoy using Pinterest.com to find new recipes, but any online recipe site will do. I also use LOZO.com, you can enter your grocery list into the site for free and it will match coupons, or you can click on the coupons you need for your particular order. And there are plenty of sites and apps for your phone for shopping list generators for the tech savvy. I haven’t used any of them yet; I am a little old school in writing everything down. I find having a menu planned ahead allows me to stick to my list and my budget and this keeps the hubby happy! I am providing below one of my husbands favorite meals on this upcoming menu below for Mississippi Pot Roast in the Crock Pot.
Mississippi Pot Roast in the Crock Pot
Ingredients:
3 lb pot roast (I used a Chuck Roast)
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
1 packet Au Jus mix
6 pepperoncini peppers (use more or less depending on your heat preference)
1 stick butter
Directions:
In a crock-pot, add all ingredients and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Can be served on buns or over mashed potatoes, polenta, or rice.
Shop wisely; enjoy good food with your family!
Food Is Love,
Momma Foodie
Previous Treats from Momma Foodie:
Independence Day Food Fireworks!
Picky Eaters
