Grocery Shopping and Meal Planning

Grocery shopping and meal planning go hand in hand.  If you don’t have a buying strategy, you’ll end up buying things you don’t need and forget things you do need. Many people do better when they have a plan. lifewithgoldgirl shares her planning and shopping tips to help you and your family get organized and save money. Pick a day each week dedicated to grocery shopping. Every Sunday, for example, take into consideration what’s going during the upcoming week. Will you have any guests over for dinner? Are the kids going to be out of the house for sleepovers with friends? If there are any after school activities, they might need an extra snack. You catch the drift. Take note of the upcoming week’s schedule on a calendar, notebook or computer. Once you know what your family’s plans are for the week, you can figure out the menu. Take stock of the ingredients you already have, and those that you’ll need to add to the grocery list. The ingredients you already have, or want to use up in the fridge, is another great way to decide what to make for dinner. The more you have to use up, the less you’ll spend at the store. Don’t forget to add a few extras for snacking. If you’re in a rush, you can also organize your shopping list into areas of the grocery store.  This keeps you focused and allows you to get in and get out quickly.