Running and going, stopping here and there while we are "already out". Just to pick up one or two things that turns into ten or twenty. "Oh, I forgot we needed that!" "Could we get some of this, too?"
Sound familiar?
That was my grocery shopping technique before Christmas. I felt like we were in a store every couple of days. It gets old very quickly.
Today, I left the house for the first time in a week. We've been close to hermits. In some ways it's been nice. We've recovered from illnesses, started school without a bunch of outside commitments, started getting the house tidy and have been cooking/baking again.
But, I began a TWO WEEK mission today! I made a menu for the next two weeks yesterday, got up early and headed out. Five stores and 2 1/2 hours later, I arrived home with enough supplies for two whole weeks. I'm tired of spending part of my life in the grocery store. I know we'll probably run out of milk and for that I'm making an exception. Other than that, I'm going to try and stay out of stores until next paycheck. I was able to get everything on my list grocery wise for right around $90 a week, which I think is pretty good for a family of five.
Here's my list of dinners for the next two weeks in no specific order:
Haystacks
Quesadillas
Enchiladas
7 Layer Bean Dip
Lentil Vegetable Stew with Pork
Mixed Bean Stew with Sausage
Lentil Stew with Sausage
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Lo Mein
Pizza Rolls
Pizza
Spaghetti
Potato Soup
For breakfast we'll cycle through oatmeal, cream of wheat, egg sandwiches, pancakes/waffles, muffins, and toast.
For supper we'll cycle through baked potatoes, ramen noodles, different types of sandwiches and breakfast for dinner.
I feel pretty good about the variety of food on this menu. I'm trying some new things and bringing back some oldies but goodies that my family already loves. It's going to be a great two weeks of saving money (by not buying things we don't need) and saving time (by not adding errands to our daily schedule). I'm so excited to see how this will work for us as a family!
How often do you go grocery shopping?
Leave a comment to share any tips you have for staying out of the grocery stores!