Meal planning or planning your meals? They are not the same. While many households "meal plan". We plan our meals cooking with what we have on hand. Our grocery list has a formula built right in, ensuring we purchase not only enough food, but a wide variety as well.
This is how I cook with what I have, when making dinner!
I have stated many times I do not "meal plan", but I still plan our meals. For our food budget, meal planning and then shopping for those ingredients, is simply more expensive. We use a master grocery list, which I go through on marketing day and make note of what is needed and how many. Then we follow the list. Rest assured, that I am not the General in charge. My hubby has a free hand to add anything he wishes to the cart, as do I. But I have found that in retirement, just like with a family, to hold food costs to a budget, one must follow a list. The grocery store is quite the flirt, always having something new to consider and purchase in the next aisle!
What helped the most, was making a list with a formula.
We shop twice a month, with the majority of our groceries purchased early in the month. We do go again about half way through the month to restock the fresh items, such as produce, dairy etc. Plus anything missed that is needed. But my grocery list has a formula for purchases. For example, it does not say pork chops, or cube steak. It lists, Beef or six dinners and Pork for eight dinners, as well as Ground Beef for four dinners. Chicken for six dinners. That way I can choose what is on special, at the market that day. If whole pork loin is on sale, I cut my own boneless chops. I cube part of the loin for stir fry or BBQ-ed pork for sandwiches. And the large end is saved to roast. Those same three items purchased as boneless chops, cubed pork and a pork roast, would cost a great deal more...
We do not ask, "What sounds good for dinner?"
I would love to live in a restaurant environment as much as the next hungry person! But that is not realistic for the average family. And eating a diverse range of food for good nutrition would be difficult to achieve. One way to make sure we eat a wide range of vegetables, fruits, protein, and whole grains. Is to bring them home form the market. Which is what we do. Our shopping list includes, lots of produce items, different whole grain options and dairy. Having your kitchen stocked with healthy food, means you will eat healthy. Because you are cooking with healthy ingredients. That is all it takes to cook with what you have.
How does this change planning your meals?
When I google for a new to me recipe, I ask the great google for a recipe using the ingredients I have on hand, in my kitchen. For example, "recipes calling for brown rice" or "ways to cook a pork loin". Trust me, you will get a million recipes calling for brown rice! And a million more on cooking that Pork Loin Roast. And you will definitely find one that is new and sounds delicious. It's that easy. At this point I want to remind us all, that planning your meals does not have to mean the same old thing all the time. Planning your meals is cooking with what you have, not cooking the same thing week after week. In our house, we only repeat those recipes we love!
One easy way to save, is make it yourself!
Food prices will not go down, ever. They will fluctuate based on supply and demand. There might be a sale due to more on the market than is needed and a lower price will insure it gets sold instead of wasted. But for the most part, food prices like everything else will continue to ebb and flow with the economy. Which is one reason I spend time making what I can at home. For example my husband loves condiments! And while a bottle of sweet pepper sauce is not going to break the bank. I can make it far cheaper than we can buy it! It is the same for all the sweet treats he would normally put in the cart. Plus my homemade version is made with whole grains and healthy fats. The same goes for snacks.
Yes you will do more cooking, but you can make it easier also.
I cook and freeze many potato and whole grain side dishes, making dinner as easy as pulling out a couple of packages from the freezer and adding a vegetable! While I usually have fruit for dessert, I also bake and freeze those desserts that my husband prefers. And this is my favorite make it easy on the cook, tip. Grill as many meals as possible! You get help with dinner and the grill master gets to keep their grilling skills in top notch condition...it also saves on dishes to wash and in warmer climates. The heat stays outside as well. Since we live in a Tiny House, fish is always cooked outside....
How about your home? Do you meal plan or plan your meals....
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#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily
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