mom2agang Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 How do you grocery shop? A) Go to the store and stock up on sale items and make dinner from that. B) Menu plan and only buy needed things for the dinner Menu. C) menu plan around sale items D) go once a week,2 weeks or month and buy what sounds good for dinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 How do you grocery shop?A) Go to the store and stock up on sale items and make dinner from that. B) Menu plan and only buy needed things for the dinner Menu. C) menu plan around sale items D) go once a week,2 weeks or month and buy what sounds good for dinner B.) I use the Menus4Mom's meal plan. We shop at Aldi (discount store) because couponing was taking too much time and PLUS I have enough on my plat while at the store shopping and managing 5 kids that I can't stop and rifle through the lists and read the coupon to make sure I'm getting the right thing. I do only go evey 2 weeks. And certainly there are a few "sounds good for dinner" options added to the cart. We have 2 carts, one for babies and one for groceries. My oldest dd 10 pushes the grocery cart. The other 3 big kids "run" and get items off the list. I go methodically through the aisles. Aldi is small enough that I can do it this way. And it keeps everyone involved and feeling part of the process. It's controlled chaos. We went yesterday. We have groceries for 7 planned dinners, lunches and bfasts for 7 people $165. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B. I menu plan and buy what I need to make those meals. I pretty much buy the same things week in and week out. I buy mostly organics which rarely go on sale. I don't even bother with coupons or advertisements except for the coupons that print out with my receipt because they are usually for the items I just bought and I can use them the following week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacnchs Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B, C, & D.) 1st, I see what meat and fruit is on sale and put that on my list. Then, I plan my menu around what meat we have in the house and what veggies we have in the garden. I also try to only go shopping 1x/week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 A with a little bit of D. Generally, we buy what is on sale or in season and cook around that, but we also keep stocked up on basics (flour, sugar, honey, spices, etc) and buy extras specific to particular meals. For example, if I know we would like some Mexican in the next few days, I'll grab an avocado and a lime so we can add those in since many of the Mexican recipes we like can use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomLovesClassics Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 It's a combo of a and b. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 C I menu plan around what's on sale. But we also buy pantry items when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 C, kinda. :) I stock up on boneless chicken when it goes on sale, as well as beef. I mean, STOCK UP. I trim it/cook it as appropriate, then divide it up and freeze it. I also stock up on canned/frozen goods when they go on sale. Like our favorite bbq sauce, frozen veggies, cereal (sometimes; I get tired of the 'sugar cereal' debate every time, since I only like to allow things like Cheerios, and the kids always want something, well, less heathy :))etc. So basically I try to keep the ingredients for several meals in the house at once. I go, oh, every four or five days to resupply on dairy, produce, bread (if I'm not inclined to bake our own that day, LOL), and anything else that we've run out of that we can't live without until it goes on sale. I buy mainly whatever produce is on sale and work from that, but of course I sometimes buy whatever we've been needing/wanting/not had in a few weeks even if it's not on sale. I also try to stock up on toiletries, as well as paper towel, toilet paper, kleenex, laundry detergent, cleaners, soap, etc. when they're on sale; that way I don't get stuck paying full price 'cause we've run out of something and I don't have extra. Doesn't always happen that way, but I'm getting better at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 (edited) B. I have an ongoing list I add to for things I've run out of on a white board in my kitchen. I keep a list of staples (milk, eggs, flour, etc) in a binder in my kitchen. (This list never changes) I create a list of 7 meals and what ingredients I need to buy. Each week I compile those three lists and then I collect everything from the store. Edited August 13, 2009 by Garga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B and C I look over the sale ads and if there are things we can use I plan any meals I can from that. Otherwise I make a menu and buy what's needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Depends on the budget that month. It varies between A, B and C. Tomorrow's grocery shop will be A most likely but our big monthly shop is next Thursday and it will be a combo of B and C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B, C, & D.) 1st, I see what meat and fruit is on sale and put that on my list. Then, I plan my menu around what meat we have in the house and what veggies we have in the garden. This is how I normally do it, too. However, I'm buying 1/8 of a cow, so many meals will be centered around that. (as well as other meats.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I generally just put things on a list as we run out of them and go from that. We have a list of about 14 dinners that our family likes so I make sure to have most of that stuff on hand so I can whip together whatever from that list we feel like. When dh is in port I'll try to make a menu for dinners and then buy any fresh stuff like produce/dairy that will be needed for that week. Once every few months we'll go to the warehouse club of commissarry and stock up on meat and other staples for our house, although our staples would make many cringe. We're not the ones that buy big bags of rice and grains etc. Our staples are things like doritos, gummy fruit snacks, individual fruit cups, single serve bags of cookies etc. I'm all about single serve bags, that way when my kids are really into something for a week and then don't want to see it again for a few weeks I don't end up with a half eaten bag of something that ends up sitting until it goes stale and is tossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Depends on how I feel, how busy we are, etc. But I do a little of all 4. I buy sale items when I see them and stick them into the menu. I plan a menu if it's going to be a busy week, including those sale items, if possible. I usually go shopping once a week now because we're going through food to fast for my little fridge to keep up. And, although my dh has specifically said he likes hot meals (with meat LOL), he isn't interested in input so, I get to pick what sounds good to me for dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunnytracks Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 a combo of what you listed. I buy 2 times a month for the most part. I do need to buy milk weekly and while I am at it if there is a sale I will stock up on those items too. After I am done shopping I will make a list of all the dinners I can make with what I have and go from there. I always look in the fridge to see what needs to be used up first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B and I generally only shop twice a month now. I will run in and grab fruit and veggies in between big shopping trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I have a 6-week menu that I keep cycling through. I drive to the super-cheap grocery store 4 times a year and stock up on everything (and I mean everything) that isn't fresh dairy or produce or meat. Then I walk to the much-cheaper fruit stand once a week and get the produce we need for the week. What I buy is based a lot on what's on sale, because my 6-week menu is really flexible. Last, I go to the expensive grocery store next to my house when I need milk and eggs, and I get meat there when it's on sale since we don't eat much meat. I also need to get to SE Asian and Indian stores every so often to stock up on those things. I'd go every week if I could walk to one, but since I have to drive downtown, I go about once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabrizia Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B,C,D we make up a 2 week menu for dinners, and then buy what we need to make the meals. That being said if something is on sale we use often we'll stock up on it or change our menu some to accommodate it. We tend to go to the grocery store every week and to Costco every 2 weeks to get the food we need. For lunches and breakfast I just buy what seems good for that week/2 week period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B. I plan meals and shop once a week. I don't use coupons or look for sales, because the kind of things I buy almost never go on sale. I do try to plan around what's in season. We eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, depending on what looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I always have good intentions and go on a menu kick every few months. Then, I get to the store (Costco every 2 weeks, usually) and end up buying whatever we need, have run out of, and looks good. I wish I would follow through on the menu/buying/making thing, though. I think it would help the budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 How do you grocery shop?A) Go to the store and stock up on sale items and make dinner from that. B) Menu plan and only buy needed things for the dinner Menu. C) menu plan around sale items D) go once a week,2 weeks or month and buy what sounds good for dinner Well I do a variation of A). I go to the store and stock up whatever is on sale and menu plan around whatever is in the freezer/cupboard that I'm in the mood for. That may or may not be anything that I have stocked up on at the store that week. But I keep a well stocked house and seldom do I need to go buy something special because I usually already have it or can make do with something else. Ex. if I'm out of chocolate chips and am craving chocolate chips cookies, I can chop up a whole chunk of chocolate that I buy after Christmas for melting/dipping. And the reverse works to. My shopping list seldom has anything to do with my menu list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 How do you grocery shop?A) Go to the store and stock up on sale items and make dinner from that. B) Menu plan and only buy needed things for the dinner Menu. C) menu plan around sale items D) go once a week,2 weeks or month and buy what sounds good for dinner How about E) constantly try making menu plans to shop from but never manage to pull the whole thing off the way it was meant to go. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Dh does all the grocery shopping. We are pretty casually about when he goes and what he buys.:) Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 None of the above, but some of it. LOL I buy a menu plan from tfrecipes.com. I pick seven dinners from that and that's our week. It only comes with 6 meals, but I have enough of them that I forage for another meal from one of the past mailers. I often look at what I have on hand when I'm picking and choosing. Twice a month, I get a 50 pound box of produce. Every couple of months, I order beef from a local farmer. I get milk and cheese once a week from another farmer. I'm trying to get chicken from him as well, but that's hasn't worked out so far. Once a month, I try to get to the salvage grocery and I stock up on stuff there. The last time I was there, I got a bunch of canned tomato items, olive oil and something else I was super excited about. Can't remember now. Must not have been incredibly exciting. Once I look at what we have, then I plan the grocery list. I go about every 10 days. I buy whatever veggies I need to add to our produce, a couple of frozen items I like to have on hand, mac and cheese, hot dogs, a loaf of bread. I spend less than $100 at the store, unless they have a great deal on something. I'll pick up chicken there, as I can't seem to find a farmer that has what I want at a price I can afford. Periodically, I will hit a farmer's market or a local farm stand to pick up something I can't get at the store or would prefer to get organic. I need a couple of bell peppers right now and would prefer to buy them organic. I'll have to get to the farmer's market on saturday or see if our local farm stand has it. I doubt I'll find any, but I could be wrong. I try to buy in season, so we are eating a lot of melon and zucchini right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 B, C, & D.) 1st, I see what meat and fruit is on sale and put that on my list. Then, I plan my menu around what meat we have in the house and what veggies we have in the garden. I also try to only go shopping 1x/week. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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