The Grocery Thing

So often in life we are faced with everyday decisions that should be simple, but aren't because  we have different ideals pulling us in different directions. For example: I want to wear something that makes me look attractive, but that is comfortable. Or: I want to teach my kids to be responsible and get their own karate gi's packed, but I also want to make sure we actually leave the house to get to the dojo on time.

At the grocery store, there can be even more directions we're pulled in. I want to buy items that are 1 - healthy 2 - inexpensive 3 - ecologically responsible in growth, production, and packaging 4 - something my kids will actually eat. This can make shopping difficult.

Right now we're pinching pennies. Steve is gone, we're without immediate income, and I am without job. I am taking the time to plan, very carefully, exactly what it is I am making for meals and serving to my kids. So far, on average, my grocery bill has dropped more than 25%. A huge difference. Sure, some of that is because the boys are spending a few nights a week with Steve and I don't plan meals for those nights. On those nights, as usual, my diet consists mostly of tuna melts, leftovers, and herbal tea (it's so soothing!) 

Anyway, I recently had a conversation with a friend about how I kept the cost down, and since she asked for tips, I thought I might as well post them here. Not that I'm an expert. I realize that there are many ways to shop, and that no one way is necessarily better than another. Each person should shop in the way that works for him or her. But this works for me.

1 - limit shopping trips. I go food shopping once a week. If I forget something, I make do. Yes, If I'm making something special and forgot a key ingredient, I make a special trip. But those are rare. Why? impulse shopping. Fewer trips means I'm less likely to give in to the bag of chips or m&m's.

2 - make a list. I make a list of everything I'm making for dinner that week, and then a shopping list of everything I plan on buying. I have been known to make substitutions, to buy a different brand of crackers or try a special tomato sauce. But getting just what I think we'll need keeps the impulse shopping down. No extra cookies.

3 - When planning dinners, I don't do a huge meal every night of the week. With just me and the boys, I cook something "big" maybe once a week, something new and complicated. I make something portable (to eat in the car) once a week for that night we need it, and something kid-friendly and simple, like grilled cheese or tacos, at least once. If the kids will eat veggies raw, there's no need to cook them.

4 - I don't buy snack foods. Sure, I get crackers for school snacks, goldfish crackers. But unless I'm getting a sweet for a purpose (friday night movie night) I don't buy extra ice cream, chips, cookies, chocolate, or any of that stuff. Why? If I can stay strong at the grocery store I don't have to be as strong at home. Less junk food is better for everyone, and I know I have zero willpower. It's not like we'll never eat cake again. It's just that I won't have it sitting on my counter and I won't break down and eat some four times a day. 

That is basically it. I know this is kind of a bossy post, sorry, but I thought I'd share anyway, just in case. Maybe you'll find it helpful. Maybe not. But there you have it. Just in case you need it.