Meal Planning-The Shopping List

Posted on 06. Aug, 2009 by Mary Lutz in Archives, Time Management

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photo credit: craigemorsels

Once you have a list of the meals you would like to make for the week written down, it’s time to make your grocery list. Start by making a list of the items you will need for the meals, keeping track of the “tally amount”.

For example, if you have several meals that require hamburger, write out how many total pounds of hamburger you will need. Once you have written out the list of ingredients you are going to need to prepare your meals for the week (or month), start looking through your freezer and cupboards to see what you already have on hand.

As you figure out which items you already have in the house, cross those items off your shopping list. Performing this “item check” is also a good time to check up on staple items, such as flour and sugar. Add the items you find yourself running low on to your grocery list.

Taking the time to perform this simple step will save you money, as you won’t be wasting money on things you already had at home. We’ve all been guilty of letting food sit in the cupboard for so long it went stale or keeping it in the freezer so long it got freezer burnt. When you routinely look for things you need before you head to the store, you’ll be more likely to use these items up before they expire.

Creating your shopping list (and remembering to take it to the store with you) will make your shopping trip much easier and much more efficient. You’ll no longer come home from the store, only to realize you forgot that one key ingredient. Your shopping list is your secret weapon in remember everything you need for your weekly meals