I was just reading Margo's post here How I Grocery Shop and it got me thinking. I realized I actually have developed a pretty systematic way of shopping. It's also flexible! Here's the basics of what I currently do, which has evolved over the years...
When our family was younger I used to go grocery shopping with our three girls. I had a system with them, a reward when we got home IF they did a good job. Worked great! My kids NEVER thru a fit in the store, whined or begged! Dave and I always focused on good manners and work ethic. Now with just the two of us I shop primarily once a week on the weekend. I go to a low cost "bag your own" grocery store, with an excellent bulk section. I will point out- we don't eat meat every day, as some do. I don't buy ground meats much (never beef) for instance, except once in a while. Mostly turkey for tacos or Italian sausage for pasta sauce. I'd rather buy whole meats that are lean, with less waste. We eat a certain amount of vegetarian foods, healthier and cheaper. I always have a running list on our fridge for needed items. I go to a "grocery outlet" where I buy artisan breads, coffees, Keurig pods, a few organic frozen lunches and other foods about once a month. We got to Costco once a month (maybe), mostly for cat litter, supplements, and other specific items. I go to Trade Joe's once a month, again just specific items. They are all close to work or home, except Costco. I never use coupons. I just never saw huge savings, but I do buy a lot of what's marked down and I'm a good cook. I also freeze a lot of sale items. I just roasted a chicken I bought at the height of last summer's low prices. I also can/freeze our own fruits/veggies from our home garden. I just made a big pot of pasta sauce with quartered, frozen fresh tomatoes. Awesome! We're looking into buying a 1/4 of a local steer, grass fed/organic thru my hubbies co-worker. I need to have him break down the per Lb. dressed/packaged price to see if it's a good deal or not. My shopping is always flexible, since I may find a better deal on something unplanned, so I can change my menu as needed. I saw a new recipe for a Orange Mustard Pork Tenderloin I wanted to try. I bought pork chops instead, since they're much cheaper here.
Costco can be a bad idea, if you don't shop smart. Many of their food items are actually higher than where I normally shop. Bigger packages aren't always the way to go! They also sell a lot of junk foods. Some items there you can really save on. Sadly they were way behind the trend of selling more whole grain, and healthy foods. I do know our medium-sized chest freezer (from Costco!) has really paid for itself the last several years. I freeze breads, meats, butter, cheese, fruits, veggies, and a few quick dinners. Something like a $5.00 frozen French Tart pizza from Trader Joe's topped with my fresh eggs and a salad is a quick, easy low-cost work night dinner. I buy my Tea's primarily at Cost Plus World Market, better deals, and a better selection. We rarely ever drink alcohol, so nothing spent there. I think a lot of people spend a HUGE amount of money on alcohol sadly. I heard on the news today that the day after the Super Bowl is being considered for a holiday? Super Bowl Holiday? Wow. Maybe people should drink less and go to work. Unless you're travelling out of state, I don't get it, or plan ahead and take a vacation day. Weird. Anyway those are my habits that seem to work! I'm sure they will continue to evolve over time. What do you do to eat healthy and save money???
