Grocery Shopping-How Do You Do It

It's funny to think about how long I have known many of you and the topics of conversations that have spanned the years between us.  It's gone from talking about the boy at school who asked us out, to were Ross & Rachel really on a break, to what college to apply to, to the man we think could be THE ONE, to screaming over the phone, "I'm engaged!!!", to wedding plans and marriage ups & downs, to pregnancy hormones and birth stories, to now grocery shopping and coupon clipping.  Oh how I cherish the friendships that span the decades.  I am a blessed woman with a handful of Decade Chicks! 

So who would have thought we would one day be talking about grocery shopping?

I have come to realize in recent years that frugal women fascinate me.  I love a woman who is happy to take care of her home, enjoys mothering and loves to cook for her family.  These are the women I want to sit and pick their brain regarding their home caring/family caring routines. They are the ones that I want to spend a day with just to see how they fit it all into one day. In my married life,  I have been blessed with godly women who have shown  me the value in home and family caring.  Their ability to care for their family without breaking the bank is also an inspiration to me.

Recently I stumbled onto a blog that has also inspired me in the saving money department.  It's one of those blogs that I bookmarked so I can read the archives in my down time.  I just can't seem to get enough or her money saving tips.  Fascinating stuff!!!  Click the picture to see for yourself.

A few of my favorite articles are listed below.

• CVS Shopping 101
• 31 Days to a Better Grocery Budget
• We Payed Cash Series

One area her blog has inspired me is to get my grocery budget back on track.  Menu Planning and Budget shopping was a hobby for me before Andrew came along. I enjoyed the planning and shopping of it all.  Now I am just happy to get something on the table that is edible and not molding.  {I ate a sandwich the other night that didn't taste right.  Turns out the bread was on the way to being covered in green goodness.  I was two bites away from finishing it before I looked at the rest of the loaf to see the cause of why the bread wasn't tasting right---gross!!!} I used to laugh at my friends who would divide up topics of conversation into the before baby and after baby category.  Now that I am a mom I so get what they were saying and I apologize for laughing at you behind your back. {I am teasing--I never did that} I guess you can say Menu Planning was great... before baby.  Now I want menu planning to be great after baby.  I know myself well enough to know that I thrive with a well planned menu for the week and a grocery list in hand.  Without these two, my husband is usually making a dinner run or picking up something at the store that I forgot to get while I was shopping a few hours ago.  It's not pretty folks.

so friends let me ask you this...what are some things that have helped you grocery shopping after baby?
Are you a coupon clipper?  Do you shop at one store or do you buy from a variety of stores with the best deal?  Do you shop with the tot or do you leave him at home with Daddy?  {I choose to keep Andrew home with Daddy so I can shop at my own pace or read People magazine without a baby crying a high volumes}  Do you freeze meals to have on hand for those days you are in a pinch?

tell me your tricks.  give me your grocery shopping treats.

I really am curious to know how you, dear friends grocery shop.

If you comment, I promise my next post will be nothing but pictures of the sweet boy--so please, comment away.  The grandparents will thank you!

Menu Planning-Phase One

I am not going to sit here and tell you that I have menu planning down to fine art or that I do this consistently every week. You see the minute Jeff comes to check to see if his name has been mentioned via the blog (yet again) he will call my bluff, so this chick won't tell you no lies. But I will venture out and tell you that I am getting better and for that Jeff and his full stomach thank me.

Now, I am only writing this because one dear friend recently mentioned to me that she would love a step by step version of my menu plan. And since I am a people pleaser, here it is.

When I started out, I found the whole process very daunting. So today I will only write what I consider to be Phase One.

Phase One-Planning and Compiling the Grocery List

What Phase One will Cover:

1. Pick a Day that Works for You and Your Family
2 Write down 7 meals that work are your family favorite recipes.
3. Get a magnetic notepad to stick to your refrigerator for the household to write down things needed.
4. Make your grocery list by the way the grocery store has the section layed out.
5. Clean Out the Fridge Before You Go.

1. Pick a day that works for you and your family to do your weekly grocery shopping.

What works for me may not work for you and your family but I do my grocery shopping on Tuesday mornings. Two reasons, it is the slowest day and the shelves have been restocked from the weekend rush. Whatever day works for you and your household-stick to that day as best you can. Also, try to get out of the habit of running to the store every time you need to cook. The reason menu planning is helpful is because it should decrease the amount of running back and forth to the grocery store. It also helps you save on the bottom line.

2. Gather your favorite family recipes (enlist their help if you need it) and come up with at least 7 meals.

I usually do not cook 7 meals a week but I do write down seven dinner ideas so that I have "an in case of emergency" meal just in case something comes up with work the next week and I am unable to grocery shop on Tuesday. Gather up the recipes and write down all the ingredients that you will need for that week. Make sure you check the pantry before you put it on the list. At one point I had 15 cans of Red Beans because one recipe called for it and every week I would purchase a can or two thinking I did not have it on hand. (Red Beans and Rice is Jeff's favorite food and my least favorite. Bleck!)

This is also a good time to look at the weekly calendar. If you have lots of late night activities happening then pull out the crock pot recipes. If you have pot luck at church or holiday gatherings, get your list for that too. I got all my holiday food ingredients last year before the holidays and boy did it make like easier.

Only focus on the 7 meals for now, you can add to it but I won't discuss that until Phase Two. Seriously folks, I was so stressed the first time I tried to do this so I am trying not to overwhelm you.


3. Get a magnetic notepad and stick it to the front of the fridge.

I use my notepad so often through out the week that Jeff knows not to take it off the fridge. I write down any and everything we may need. I ran out of Paprika the other day and I threw the empty bottle away then wrote Paprika on my list. No, I don't typically use Paprika all that much but I want to make sure I have it ready for the next time that I do. Jeff is known to put toilet paper on the list when we start to run low.

4. Make a list based on how the grocery store is laid out.

Sarah at In the Midst of It posted a template that she uses a few weeks ago for her menu planning. I made my own at the first of the year in Excel because I am an Excel nerd and get great satisfaction from things like this. If you would like my version, email me at blessedassurances@gmail.com and I will send it to you. I divided mine up into sections based on the layout of my local Wal-Mart. (Deli/Produce, Can Goods*, Frozen Food, Household, Dairy, Meat) Did you know that I have cut back my grocery shopping by at least 20 minutes by writing my list in categories? It really doesn't take that much longer if you already have the grocery lists pre-printed and ready to write down.

*Can Goods is all the little aisles in the center of the store which also includes baking stuff.

5. Clean out the fridge before you go.

A FLYLADY trick that I have actually kept. Usually the fridge is almost empty so this is a good time to quickly wipe down the shelves and throw out the little science projects. Trust me, it will help you when you come home to put away your groceries too.

The reason I do menu planning is because it simplifies my life and helps me limit the running around like a chicken with his head cutoff. I see this as a work in progress, therefore, I don't beat myself up for not having it done just right but I do want my home to be a peaceful atmosphere. And menu planning is one way to help me do this.

Now please don't stress out about this. Try it for a week and let me know if it works for you.

Next week we will move on to Phase Two-The Actual Plan.

Weekly Menu Planner #2

Monday-Going on a Business Trip


Tuesday-Still tripping with the biz



Wednesday-Chicken Salad Sandwiches and Salt and Pepper Chips



I posted the Chicken Salad Recipe here because it is so good that you shouldn't have to wait on me to post it for you.



Thursday- Cobb Salad



Friday- Ordering Pizza, because this chick is tired!



Saturday-Eating out for the start of Jeff's birthday celebration




This week the menu is being kept very simple because I have a busy, busy week. Poor Jeff will be fending for himself on Monday and Tuesday. This means he will either show up at his parent's house with fork and spoon in hand or he will raid the meal cart at work. I on the other hand will be sitting with my co-workers talking non-stop on ways we can improve the bottom line and cushion our pockets in the process. Fun times! The only saving grace is that I will not be paying for these meals.



Hope you all have a great week! I will be laying low the rest of the time, unless I get bored in the hotel room and decide to log on don't expect to see much of me this week.

Funny side note in a funny God sort of way: I am in the middle of the Daniel Study by Beth Moore. Each day has met me where I am for that paticular day. Today was talking about being a light in the dark world and not neglicting our work. Now if you knew all the things on my to-do list and how many times I have said to myself, "Let's just put it off until I get back." Then you could fully understand how this grabbed me today. Thankfully I have disciplined myself this past week so that when I get back I can have some downtime around here. But in case I don't, at least I am staying on schedule and not falling too far behind! And why did the song by Brooks and Dunn just pop into my head, "I'm in a hurry to get things done..."



Now head on over to see Laura's Menu and what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Proof that this Chick Is Getting Organized

This is my first time to join Laura in the Menu Planning Monday post.

I have been looking in each week to get ideas but have never gotten my act together far enough in advance to have a whole weeks worth of meals already planned out. But, drumroll please, I have finally gotten my stuff together!

Here's whats cooking in my kitchen this week:

Monday-Spinach Turkey Lasagna

Tuesday-Toasted Almond Chicken with white rice

Wednesday-Beef Stew and Cornbread (slow cooker recipe)

Thursday-Tortilla Pie with Mexican Rice

Friday-Saturday-Depends on the weekend plans

Lately we have been cooking something light and quick on Fridays and renting a DVD to watch. I have realized that keeping it slow on Friday nights, helps my husband, who works nights Monday through Thursday, get back into the swing of things for the weekend. But I NEVER cook on Saturdays, the kitchen is closed that night! It is Saturday night after all!

Let me know if you want a recipe in the comments. These are all from my favorite cookbook and sadly there is not a link on the Internet.