The Genius of Meal Planning: How it is changing my life and my bank account
Before having our third child, C, I made almost seven trips to the grocery store each week. In the morning, I would put H and N in the car, get my morning coffee at Starbucks and let them wander around Whole Foods with me foraging for our dinner. Each of these trips would cost about 30 dollars. Additionally, I would make a weekend trip to the grocery for weekly items like milk, cheese, and lunch meat.
After C was born, suddenly these morning trips lacked their luster. I was forced to do some thinking ahead of time about what my family would eat and when we would eat it. Now, each Sunday I plan our meals for the upcoming week and make a list of all ingredients that we need as I am planning. In one of her books, Ina Garten suggests dividing your grocery list up into categories for more efficient shopping. I found this extremely helpful since I am NOT an organized thinker. Instead of going to the dry foods section every time one comes up on my list, I make one trip there. This sounds elementary to most, but it was indeed revolutionary to me.
Meal planning, aside from saving me several trips to the grocery store, has had some unintended, but desirable, consequences for us. First of all, it is saving us a tremendous amount of money. I am not quite sure why this is happening, but it is. Sure, I pick up far fewer impulse buys, but this does not account for the hundreds of dollars it is saving us. It could be because we are actually using all of the food that we buy and not buying more than we need--which leads me to the next desirable consequence. We are throwing away far less unused food. Gone are the days of the wilted vegetable browning at the back of the vegetable drawer. Additionally, I have found ways to better use the food that we do have--I make chicken stock, for example, out of chicken bones rather than buy it.
There are many Sundays that I just don't want to write out the plan~I am too tired, too sad, too_______, but I know that the quality of my week will be dramatically different if I don't. So I do.
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5 comments:
Daily trips to the store? Would rather jump in the lake at the end of my street this morning (and it's like 35 degrees here right now)! We only visit the store every other Friday. I plan 2 weeks at a time. It's tough and we always have food for certain staples that we can use as go to spur of the moment meals, but it's SO worth it. We save money, we eat what we buy, and I don't have to lug the three terrors, I mean Dudes, to the store more than twice a month. It's my sanity saver for sure!
I NEED to try this. Every time I attempt to plan for the week something comes up and I just don't do it. Leading me to make many trips to the store and spending more money then necessary.
Planning for the week is something that I started with the birth of my first child. Now it is such a part of my thinking that it requires very little effort. I usually dream up what we'll have while nursing (my best thinking time these days!) and then jot down a quick list. It is amazing how much time, effort, and money can be saved!
I am with Creative Heart on this one. I need to start and would love to see what your week looks like. Perhaps our cooking challenge will help.
Annie
OnceUponAParent.blogspot.com
Thanks for posting this. I am doing some planning ahead, but need to get more formal. Saving money and wasting less are highly motivating.
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