grocery shopping

A cook without a menu and a menu without a shopping trip are sorry sights indeed. I shared how I avoid the former and now we'll discuss the latter.

I shop once a week. Before setting out to buy food, I write a list, based on my menu and what's in my fridge, freezer, pantry and food storage. I watch for sales and stock up when I can. Fall is the best time for stocking up because many of our local grocery stores have case lot sales; and the holiday baking season is coming up. I can get sugar, flour, evaporated milk, vanilla, canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce, jello, chicken broth, and stuffing mix cheaper at this time than any other time of year. I watch the ads and when I see a good price on meats, I'll buy as much as I feel I can afford to spend and then divide it up and freeze.

I usually shop at Costco, Macey's and Winco. During the summer, I'll go to the farmer's market in Murray Park.

The most important thing I can say about grocery shopping is: Do NOT set foot out of your house without a list! You'll never remember everything you need, which means another trip to the grocery store, and you'll buy far more than you intended to! Shop with a list and buy ONLY what's on the list. I will admit that occasionally I will see something that I remember I need, and not on my list and I will buy it, but that doesn't happen often.

A few other hints:
*Keep a notepad on the fridge to write down things you run out of or are getting low on. This is good for stuff like spices that you might not think of when you're looking over your recipes. Then you can add to your shopping list.
*Shop in the morning if you can. It's less crowded and during the summer, less hot.
*I usually take Alex with me but when I go alone, I get done faster! So if possible, shop while the kids are in school and/or husband is home to take care of the little ones.
*Reusable cloth shopping bags are very cool. Besides being good for the environment, they hold more and are stronger than the plastic ones. I really, really hate it when a corner of a box rips a hole in a plastic bag and then the whole thing just splits open like an overripe watermelon dropped on the sidewalk. NOT COOL. They also are more structured so they stand up better and things don't fall out. Keep them in the car. This means, as soon as you unload the groceries, put all the bags into one and return it to the car. Then you'll never forget them.