>I love food and I love to cook. I also like shopping for food, but have a busy schedule that doesn’t allow for frequent trips to the store. I must admit though, I don’t like doing dishes. Never have.
I wanted to share some ideas that I’ve developed for saving money and time when it comes to shopping and preparing food. I only shop every other week. People ask me all the time, how do I do that and how do things last that long. Well, it just takes a bit of planning. Once you’ve got your system down, it takes very little time to maintain it.
Start by getting out your calendar and some favorite recipes. I usually do this on Sunday mornings with a cup of tea. I find it fun to read recipes and look for new things to try. I often repeat meal themes on hectic days and then find new things to try on the weekends when I’ve got a bit more time to put into the meal.
I write each meal in my agenda, along with where to find the recipe, and then write the ingredients on the shopping list. So, not only am I meal planning but I’m building the shopping list at the same time. People say, what if you don’t want to eat what you planned that night? I’ve had this happen, just pick another meal that you planned. The brilliance of this is that you’ve got all the ingredients for several meals in the fridge or pantry.
Speaking of fridge and pantry, keep it stocked with the basics. I always have cans of black beans, chickpeas, coconut milk and diced tomatoes on hand. As well as whole wheat pasta and Basmati rice.
Planning. I plan meals with lots of fresh veggies the first week and then more frozen or hardy veggies the second week. Lettuce does last the 2 weeks and sometimes longer. Carrots, zucchini and broccoli are those that last 2 weeks. I always do a Mexican night that is quick and easy. Either tacos, beans and rice or some variation. This is great for the nights I get home late from my son’s karate class. Meals in 30 minutes or less is what I plan for during the week. And there’s always some leftovers for my husband’s lunch. My son and I are not fans of leftovers, so I always pick up some fresh things for us to make lunches with.
Give it a try. I found that by planning and shopping less, I spent less on groceries. If I really need something or run out of milk half way through, I can always pick that up on the way home.
If you’d like some low glycemic meal plans or have any more questions about how I do this, let me know.
