Meal planning and budgeting . . . getting started P.4!!!

[annaraven]

So, I can't even keep to a weekly menu plan. I am far too "creative" in my cooking. But I decided that it would be helpful to do a stocking run so that I have ingredients on hand for whatever. Thanks for the inspiration to think it through and talk it out with my DH.

There's a lot of weird stuff that's on sale right now that aren't usually - like artichoke hearts. So I went out today and picked up a bunch of canned goods that will last me for a while. Not a year, but at least a month. I pick up meat in bulk and repackaged and freeze already. I just hadn't done a real stocking run for canned goods in years. So yeah - I've got a lot of cans on my shelves now. Stuff I know we use. It's nice to have food in the house (and chickens in the backyard for fresh eggs).

 

[#1California Chick]

Quote:
Buying products (that you regularly use) on sale and putting them into your pantry is always a GREAT idea!!! Then you always have 'options" when planning a meal ----AND you have staples in case of an emergency!

Cindy

 

[vegaschick]

great ideas. posting to read more.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Ok I got 1 week down, just need to organize into the categories... how does it look so far?


WEEK 1
2 servings Ham 4 Eggs 2 tortillas 2 servings green onion, oil
2 Pear 2 servings Almonds

2 Steak 2 Potato 2 servings Veggies 2 Servings lettuce, 1 avocado, 1 tomato, 2 servings red onions, 2 servings dressing
4 servings Fruit 2 Chocolate & 2 servings Whip Cream

2 servings Pancakes 2 servings Bacon
2 Pears 2 servings Cottage Cheese
2 servings Turkey, 2 flour tortilla 4 servings sour cream, 2 servings guacamole, taco seasoning, 2 servings black olives, 2 servings colby cheddar, 4 servings milk

2 servings Oatmeal 2 servings Fruit
2 Apples & 2 servings Peanut Butter
2 servings Egg Salad, 2 servings mayo & mustard, 4 slices bread, 2 servings Chips
2 servings Fish, 2 servings Rice, 2 servings Veggies, 4 servings milk
2 servings strawberries, 2 servings pounds cake, 2 servings sugar, 2 servings cool whip

2 servings Cereal, 2 servings milk & 2 servings Fruit
1 dozen Eggs, mayo, mustard, paprika
2 servings avocados, 2 servings tomatoes, 2 servings colby jack, 4 slices bread

2 servings chicken 6 red Potatoes & 2 servings Veggies

2 servings bell pepper/ onions, 6 eggs, 2 servings colby jack
Goya Olives & 2 servings Cheese
2 servings sliced Turkey, 2 servings pepper jack, 4 sliced bread
2 servings salmon, 2 servings Rice & 2 servings Veggies
2 servings Ice Cream & 2 servings Chocolate Syrup

2 servings Fruit & 2 servings yogurt Yogurt w/ Honey
2 servings sliced ham, 2 servings cream cheese, 2 servings green onions, 2 servings olives
2 tortillas, 2 servings bell peppers/ onions, 2 servings colby cheddar, 1 can Artichoke 1 pkg Spinach 1 cream cheese, 1 c. parmesan cheese
4 corn tortilla, 1 can black beans, 2 servings guacamole, 2 servings sour cream, olives, green onions

6 Eggs & 4 Potatoes, olives, oil, bell peppers, onions
1.5# Beef, 1# carrots, 1 yellow onion, 6 potatoes, 1 clove garlic

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

WMR - looks awesome!!!! you are going to have such a fun year!
as for toiletries I include them because they're at the same stores and if something is not on the list I WILL FORGET IT and my biggest pain in the butt is then I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE STORE. If you think about it, the gas for one return trip just about deletes the savings from your first.

HI VEGAS CHICK!!! Do I owe you eggs? I owe someone eggs . . .

annaraven- even though my pan seems really rigid I do get extremly creative and switch things up a bit, but the menu and the plan keep the ingredients on hand.

& I agree fresh eggs and birds sure make a huge difference! Now I can't wait for fresh pork, beef, goats & rabbits

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

OK that took forever! I got week 1 and week 2 down, (and I still have 3 & 4). I started by creating menu with servings amount, and then turned into a grocery list by guesstimating how many servings are in each bag/ box or whatever... (I don't know how to add it right so you guys can see it)

Dairy Canned Meat Veggies Fruit Bread Misc Seasonings
1 tub cott cheese 1 black olives 1 sm Ham 1 b green onion 6 pears 1 pkg flour tortilla 1 bottle Oil Taco
2 gallons milk 1 goya olives 2 steaks 1 bag russet potato 6 apples 1 pkg corn tortilla 1 Bag Almonds Paprika
1/2 lb pepperjack 1 jar jelly 1 pound bacon 1 bag red potatoes 6 serv desert fruit 1 box bisquick 1 bottle salad dressing L. pepper
1 sour cream 1 jar mustard 1/2 lb Deli Turkey 8 serv dinner veggies 10 serv breakfast fruit 1 can oatmeal 1 Hershey Syrup Salt
1 block colby 1 jar mayo 1/2 lb Deli Ham 8 serv breakfast veggies 1 tub strawberries 1 sm a food cake 1 cool whip
1 tub yogurt 2 cans chili 1 bag salmon fillets 2 heads lettuce 1 box cereal 1 choc ice cream
2 pkg crm cheese 2 cans tomato soup 1 pkg chicken legs 6 avocados 1 bag bread 1 jar peanut butter
2 cans tuna 1 pkg chicken breasts 5 tomatoes 1 bag flour 1 bag tortilla chips
1 pound taco chicken 1 red onion 1 bag pasta 1 bag fritos
1 bag rice
1 bag raw sugar
1 jar honey
2 tortilla soup





So now my question involves amounts... for example if we only eat 2 bowls of cereal for the 2 week time frame, yet we have to buy a whole box, then what do we just not include it on the next grocery trip? How do you organize it? Do you go through the kitchen each time you make a grocery trip and mark off the stuff you already have?

I'm sure I'll think of more questions shortly...


Thanks!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

good question. That's why I shop with a monthly list for everything but fresh products. and then once you have a monthly list, you can ask yourself how many times a year do I want to have these dinners (2? 4?) then times the non perishable list by that number, do you shopping with that list and voila you have done a years shopping!!!!!! (for that particular monthly menu)

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Hmm.. I think I will stick with a month at a time for now. After this one gets going and I get things more to where I understand the flow of things then maybe I can try for a year. I guess for now I will just have to incorporate any left-over non-perishables into the next months menu, and make sure I know what I have on hand BEFORE going grocery shopping.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I finally got ALL four weeks menu'd and grocery listed! Whew! Now I have to compare the grocery lists to mark off what I have on hand, then mark off what we're geting from the co-op, and whatever is left I can go get at the grocery store.

This all seems like a lot of work.

 

[annaraven]

I just did my pantry inventory. Doing pretty well. I've got a list now of stuff I'll want to buy next time at Costco. It's helpful to know.