Educate ......

While researching other peoples grocery hauls and their methodology, I came across a woman with a large family showing how she shopped and meal planned.   To each his own, we all have to do what works for us.   

Her concept was to make a meal plan for the entire month and make a master list of all the ingredients that you would need to make those meals, check off what you have and decide what store to buy the particular ingredients.   That’s a lot of work to do on a regular basis.   My human nature would not make that sustainable.   

My plan : 

• Identifies the meals we enjoy eating. 
• Identifies the ingredients we need to make those meals 
• Finds the RBP of the ingredients we use on a regular basis.  
• Stocks a reasonable amount of those shelf and freezer stable ingredients. 
• Purchases a rotation bulk protein (meat) and portion controls meal sized packets to freeze.   
• Shopping trips replenish dairy and produce in season, purchase rotation protein at RBP, and replenish any stock item that we are running low of when it is at a target price.   

This avoids the pitfall of forgetting an ingredient that is crucial for your recipes.   

What I can take from this lady’s plan is to save time by planning a months worth of meals in outline form without a lot of detail and make a master list.....once.     A master list could tell you what you keep in stock, where you got it , and how much your target price is.   A target price has nothing to do with the store with the red balls.   LOL.    

This does not have to include everything in your pantry.   But, rather , key ingredients that you use on a regular basis.  Finding recipes that take the same set of ingredients helps.  Ingredients that are versatile — like diced tomatoes, beans, pork loin, chicken breast, and hamburger.    

Spending a little time getting organized, can save a lot of time during the years.