Friday, March 6, 2015

Megan's Grocery List and Meal Plan

Does grocery shopping stress you out?  It has been a great source of stress through the years for me too but I have to admit I've figured out a few things over the years.  I have come up with a simple way of planning my meals and grocery list that makes it more of a simple habitual routine...no stress!


These have become my best friend!  I'll tell you why...

I hang one of those Post-it notes on my kitchen cupboard door; there's one there everyday!  I always have somewhere to write a list of things we need to buy:  Spence runs out of toothpaste, Justin needs deodorant, Alli has to take snacks to school, I just used the last bottle of ketchup.  Whatever it is, I'm able to have one of the kids go jot it down quick or I can simple walk over there and write it down.  One less thing to try and remember in my brain is super helpful!

I try to make it to the store once a week.  Right before I go, I grab that Post-it note and flip it over.  I write a few things down:

1-  3 dinners
(Why only 3? Because our family usually has enough leftovers for another dinner.  If there isn't leftovers than I fall back on my famous "go to" meals:  burritos or canned soup with toast.  Then we always have a Friday night pizza night too.  That little plan gets me 7 dinners!)

2-  6 vegetables
(I usually steam fresh vegetables or make a salad but my favorite "go to" veggies are frozen peas or frozen mixed veggies.)

3- Any breakfast, lunch or snack items I need
(School days are oatmeal, eggs or cereal days.  Weekends get pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc.  Lunches are meat or peanut butter sandwiches or something to fill their thermos in their school lunches.  I always make sure I have a drawer full of fresh fruit in the fridge--we eat lots of fruit with lunches and snacks.)

4-  A dessert
(We make one dessert on Sunday nights so I just make sure we have ingredients for something fun.)

While I'm writing this plan down I can flip it over and add things I don't have on hand to my list I've already started for the week.

I can stick that post-it note to my phone and it's there when I make it in the store.  When I return from the store I stick it to my recipe book holder so I can follow my plan for the week.  Then a new post-it note is started on my cupboard for next week.
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