Sunday

   There has to be people that with the high cost of food and a limited discretionary budget, need to cut the costs of what they eat.   If for no other reason, to not throw their money away paying full price.   Sooner or later, most regular staple items will go on sale.  Some things like BBQ items only hit in May and July.   Some things like holiday baking items and turkey only hit on November time frame.   Most staple items hit every eight weeks in the south and east, and every 12 weeks  in the west.   The object of stocking is to pay the RBP on your food.   There will be things that are harder to find. I concentrate on protein, staples, and dairy.   Fresh produce I buy in season.   If something is too high I substitute something that isn't or use a frozen substitute,   Frozen veggies are fresher than what we get in  the stores.   They are picked and then packed almost immediately.

Everything starts at the beginning.   If you are  new to this you are probably overwhelmed and don't know where to start.  Start  with baby steps.   One thing at a time. Lay  your ground work. This takes some time, but once it's done, it's done; you only do it once.

1. Write down the sources of protein your family will eat.   With us that would be  chicken , Beef, pork, beans, cheese,and eggs.   
2. Now write down 7 to 14 meals you can make from these ingredients. Gather the recipes if you need to. Cuts of meat need to be inexpensive.  I try around  two dollars a pound.   
3. Write down a list of the ingredients you will need to make these recipes. Now make a list of the things that are most prevalent. In our house that would be diced tomatoes, beans, black olives, chicken noodle soup, re-fried  beans, instant mashed potato packets, chili, tuna, salmon, small cans of chilies.   
4. Start to look for best price you can find these items. This will be your rock bottom price.you only want to pay rock bottom price.  When something goes on a real sale, you buy, as many as the store will let you ( limit with in ad coupon) , as many as you can afford, or as many as you need to buy to replenish your stock.   If we use something twice a week, I keep 24, if I use it once a week, I keep at least 12 , things like catsup and mayo, I keep one ahead.   when we use the backup. I start looking for a sale . 
5. Just took an inventory. I can usually tell if we are short something by looking at the self  and seeing  the white  shelf bottom.   
6. Make meal plans when you come home from the store.   Make yourself a matrix based on what your family likes and will eat.   Our matrix is 2 beef, 2 pork or,chicken, 2 vegetarian, and one fish or shellfish,   It makes it easier to plan meals to have some perimeters.   I have made a meal planning work sheet so that  can list the things we  need to use up after assessing the fridge, and a list of things I need to pick up at the store.   I then pencil in a meal plan, and finalize it when I get home from shopping.  

Next: shopping.   The plan and the trip.