This is my first set of tips in my series on food organization. These tips are things I have learned over the last 30 years of homemaking.
1-Take a few days to make up a master grocery list. As you think of things you buy, write them down. When you can't think of anything else, you can organize it any way you want (food categories, alphabetically). You can make copies of this and put one on the fridge. Just put a check mark by something when you find you need to buy it. You can take the list with you when grocery shopping and replace with a fresh one.
2-Make another list. This is your Master Meal List. You can do one for each meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) if you want but I just do one for dinners. Try to get a month's worth of dinners down. I put these in seperate categories: beef, chicken, pasta, vegetarian, etc. This may take you a day or two to come up with too.
3-I go every other week to do my main grocery shopping. I look at my meal list and pick 2 week's worth of dinners and check off the ingredients I will need off my grocery list.
4-The alternate weeks, I'll go pick up just the few perishables or things we have run out of. Also if any new great sales come up that week, I'll pick up those items. Takes just a few minutes.
5-I check my grocery store circulars when making my lists and develop meal plans according to what is on sale. You can also look online to check your local circulars if you do not get the newspaper. Just do a google search.
6-It goes without saying to use coupons. I have saved as much as $70 on a $300 bill (that was for 2 households-mine & my parents for 2 weeks) with coupons. I will often use a coupon to try a different brand of something I use to see if I like it. It's great when you have a coupon for something already on sale. You can sometimes get things for free this way.
7-I always stock up on meat & freeze it when it's on sale. I'll do that with everything as long as it won't go to waste (perishables that can not be frozen).
8-Some people have set nights for set meals such as Monday-pasta night, Tuesday-beef roast night, etc. I do that for several days a week but the rest of the week is pretty flexible. I have a list I made when making my grocery list of the dinners we will have for the next 2 weeks. I just mark it off when I cook one. That way, there's no wondering what to have for dinner. My choices are on my list on the fridge.
9-This is probably common knowledge but don't go grocery shopping when hungry. I guarantee you will buy more impulse items if you do.
10-Also try not to take the kids with you. If you have no choice, give them jobs to do. Even toddlers can put things in the cart for you. Older kids can go fetch items for you. I'm one of those moms who would buy her kids a small toy or candy at the checkout. BUT it was understood, they only got it if they did their job well and did not beg me for everything through out the store. If they saw a special cereal or something they wanted while shopping, well then that was their prize instead of the toy or candy.
