Tuesday, Saving with meal planning

 Do you meal plan?  I know some of you are very good at this.  I am very bad at it.  I have tried and I just can't make myself stick to a plan.  But what I have become good at is making sure I have some kind of protein thawed for the day. I just went out to the freezer and found a corned beef that needed to be cooked.  I know I have a head of cabbage and red potatoes to use up.  I also found 6 hot dogs that also need to be used, these will be good for Hubs lunches.  Then I pulled out a bag of frozen chicken parts.  Have no idea what I will do with them but I do have some peppers that need to be used so perhaps chicken fajitas in a couple of days?

If you are in a debt and trying to get out, you will find that most of your expenses are fixed.  You have to make your payments, so you will find as I did that one of the only areas where you can cut back is on groceries. If you want to cut back on groceries you will likely have to meal plan.

You have to know what your family likes to eat and then make those meals.  It will always be cheaper to cook from scratch or at home than to eat out.

I purchased the corned beef last summer on a close out so now I am going to cook it up.  It will be more than enough for two meals and a few  sandwiches. When I go to the store on Wednesday I will pick up some dark rye and make Ruebens as there is come sour kraut to use up in the fridge also.

I suggest shopping your cupboards first.  What do you have on hand and then build around that. I also think you need to have basic meal ingredients on hand at all times. Pantry staples that you replace weekly or monthly depending on your resources.

I just looked at Albertsons add for last week.  Loss leaders were  A dozen eggs for .69 limit one.  I already picked these up! They also had good heavy bread for 1.49 a loaf and gallons of milk for 1.79.  These would be great deals if you had a family.  Their only good meat deal was the thick sliced bacon which comes in 3 lb package.  I bought one to put in the freezer.  That was it,  Not very many good deals. 

Therefore most of my food budget was spent at Winco.  This week I will purchase, brown bread, lettuce, carrots 5 lbs., radishes, celery,triscut, tortillas. I can't think of anything else we need.  But as the new adds come out on Wednesday I will check to see what is a loss leader and buy that if I use it and need it.

Kim's refrigerator basics                                      Pantry staples

potatoes                                                                flour                                      peanut butter  

carrots                                                                  sugar/white/brown/powder   jellies

onions                                                                  corn meal                               pasta Assorted

celery                                                                   rice white/brown                    canned tomatoes  

salad fixings                                                        corn starch                             canned or frozen veggies

milk                                                                     crisco                                     broths/bullions

butter/ margarine                                                 cooking oil                            dried beans all kinds

eggs                                                                     baking powder/soda              canned soups   

cheese assorted                                                    salt/pepper and spices           tuna   

condiments                                                          yeast if you bake                   cake mixes

                                                                             cereal/oatmeal                      crackers/buns

In your freezer have a few packages of meats, burger, chicken, pork, Things you can choose from to make meals. With the above ingredients you should be able to put together any meal.

I picked up several cases of veggies right before Christmas as they were 3/1.  For now it will be the corned beef and then later in the week I will plan what to do with the chicken, but I am thinking tortillas as I need to use up the peppers in my fridge.  So I will cook up the chicken one night and serve it with potatoes and vegetable. The left over will be made into chicken fajitas.

This system works for me. If I am craving something I add it to my grocery list.  But by buying what is on sale and stocking up a few things a week you should be able to build a good pantry.

What dishes do you cook regularly for your family?  DO you have favorites?

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim