Meal Planning 101 & Food Budgeting

[Audley]

Shop in your pantry first -- you can cross off the items that you already have on hand and eliminate over buying. Also never go to the grocery store on an empty stomach!

[craftythumbs]

Great thread!
I like to "piggyback" my meals. For example, I'll by a large pack of ground beef, cook it up and make 3 meals out of it, sheppards pie, spaghetti sauce and I keep some cooked meat for nachos.
I also buy large packs of chicken, cut it all up and freeze in portions. Then, I have cut up portions for several chicken pasta meals. (pad thai, indian food, orange chicken pasta, stirfries, homemade chicken nuggets, etc)
I do the same for beef. I'll buy steaks for the BBQ but keep one steak to cut up for stirfries, fajitas, etc. I cut it up, put it in a ziplock with some homemade marinade or a bit of VH sauce and powdered ginger.
I freeze those flat, and they are super easy when you forget to defrost something in the morning. Just toss in frying pan with frozen veggies...while your rice/pasta is cooking. Yum! Healthier than fast food!

I piggyback the produce too...when I make pad thai, I buy a bag of bean sprouts and keep half of it for chow mein later in the week. A container of mushrooms will do for several meals if I plan it right.

I don't buy the produce if it's not on my meal plan for the week, that way I don't waste anything.

[megan_starr23]

this is great! I find most of my grocery shopping money goes when I have had to purchase soaps, dishwasher detergent or laundry detergent. I started making my own laundry soap. I find I have saved quite a bit doing that :D

[WRINKLES]

So all I need now BVOG30 is the recipes for your meal plan!! Thanks for the great ideas.

[BVOGT30]

No one seemed that interested so I didn't post them. I'm kinda busy with serious family issues right now but will post them as soon as I can.

[rutlandgrl]

I like this one.... myself and hubby have been an empty nester DD is 24 and moved out a ffew years ago. We do not use alot or stockpile a ton as we maybe use 3-6 said items a year like example I bought a new mustard Jan 6 and we just opened a new one today three of thos will last us a year easy. Then we will go through 2 boxes of Granola Bars a week so its fun to see what others buy. I stock pile staples as well, soupo, beans, dry lentil, pasta, ect in case. I would love shared recipes however I use the 1945 cookbook my gran gave me before she passed on. I never us it much but I love to cook. The hubby dislike venturing lol I love change so I toss it in now and again here are a few pics

[blueeyetea]

I prefer what they call "pantry cooking". Instead of planning your meals based on what's on special every week, stock up your pantry with the foods your family eats on a regular basis. Make a list of meals. Don't make it too complicated, but try and be aware that people eat differently depending on the season. Then use the weekly flyers to stock up your pantry when the ingredients come on sale.

For example, my husband and I eat regularly turkey chili, so I'll buy on sale ground turkey, canned beans, and jarred roasted peppers. We eat grilled chicken breasts, using marinades I make on the spot, so I have chicken breasts in the freezer.

Keep a list of everything you have on hand and plan your weekly menus from that. Then your weekly grocery shopping will mainly be to collect perishable stuff like fresh veggies and/or milk, and of course, buying sale items.

This kind of planning is quite flexible and a time saver, IMHO.